Making sure steering wheel is straight before alignment

[Zenwren]

My steering wheel has always been off centered going down the road, the truck has also had a couple different aftermarket wheels before I got it so I know the thing is just stuck on there in a random position. I just finished rebuilding the whole front end and it's time for an alignment. What should I do to properly center it to the steering gear before taking it in? Do I just count the turns from one lock to the other and spin it back half as many turns before putting the steering wheel on straight?

[69GMC2004]

Originally Posted by Zenwren

My steering wheel has always been off centered going down the road, the truck has also had a couple different aftermarket wheels before I got it so I know the thing is just stuck on there in a random position. I just finished rebuilding the whole front end and it's time for an alignment. What should I do to properly center it to the steering gear before taking it in? Do I just count the turns from one lock to the other and spin it back half as many turns before putting the steering wheel on straight?

First, I would center the steering box or steering rack (ie, count turns from lock to lock, then go back by half), don't worry about the wheels. Get this as close as you can then install your steering wheel where you feel it is straight.

The alignment shop should be centering the steering wheel and locking it in place during the setup, and then making any adjustments to the wheels that are required.

[Zenwren]

That's what I thought, I just remember reading something about "never center it by using the steering wheel" maybe that was for centering the box after the column had been disconnected?

[kwmech]

Originally Posted by Zenwren

Do I just count the turns from one lock to the other and spin it back half as many turns before putting the steering wheel on straight?

Yep.

That way you will know if the alignment shop did their job correctly. If the steering wheel comes back crooked, you'll know something is off. I've been through about 5 alignment shops locally for the past 20 years. The majority of them are knuckleheads that just go by what the machine says. They do not understand what the dynamics of the alignment does when driving a vehicle other than what the book says.

[Mike C]

A good alignment shop should anchor the wheel straight ahead and align to the wheel. There is an index mark on the end of the column that points straight up when things are aligned correctly. Steering wheel should be mounted relative to that and the alignment shop should be asked to align to a straight wheel. There response should be we always do.

[Andy4639]

Just because the steering wheel isn't center doesn't mean the guy doing the alignment doesn't know his job!

If you take a steering wheel off and have changed it out and didn't have the wheels straight are off just a bit then it's going to be off. Not the alignment guy's fault. I always drive the truck slow with the wheel loose to get it as close as possible before I take it.

[clay68c10]

Center the steering box, put on the wheel, then align. You should be good to go at that point.
With the box centered, the pitman and idler arms should be parallel.

[Andy4639]

I have never had alignment shop take a steering wheel off ever in 40+ years of having alignments done to make it straight. They will tell me though that it's off after they are done.
That's all I need for them to do. I will get it straight.

[randy500]

I will further explain what Mike C correctly states...

The input connection for the steering box rag joint has a flat spot without splines, it points up when the steering gear box is centered.
Find the approximate center by counting turns then make the flat spot face up.
Mount the wheel straight, you will find the column shaft usually has a chisel mark pointing up.

Have it aligned, the flat spot should still be facing up and the wheel centered.

[Rods]

Take the truck as is to your alinement shop ask if they will put steering wheel on straight when they are done with your alignment.

That’s it should be pretty simple......

My shop always takes steering wheel off and centers it after alignment............

[randy500]

Originally Posted by Rods

Take the truck as is to your alinement shop ask if they will put steering wheel on straight when they are done with your alignment.

That’s it should be pretty simple......

My shop always takes steering wheel off and centers it after alignment............

That is absolutely not the way to do it....

[kwmech]

Good Grief-----The alignment should be done with the box centered. We all know that. It has been my experience this does not always happen now-a-days. The only way to be sure is to center the box yourself, put the wheel on straight (with the indexing correct as already stated) ---then have it aligned. When you get it back and if the alignment was done correctly the wheel should still be straight and the truck should track straight down the road with the wheel not being jacked to one side or the other.


Maybe we should post up local alignment shops that know what they are doing. Personally I don't have any I could recommend at the moment in my area.

[Rods]

Originally Posted by randy500

That is absolutely not the way to do it....

I would think that there would be absolutely many different ways or ideas on how to do it.


My suggestion was based on the fact that most car and truck enthusiasts have a friend or know someone in the automotive business that they can trust and who they can take there vehicle to and have work done that they either don’t have the correct machinery or knowledge to do themselves.

They trust that there preferred shop will do it correctly for them.....