Steering wheel alignment

[toddtheodd]

Ok... so I found me an original style 72 steering wheel for my truck, but I can't seem to get the bloody thing on straight.
Is there a mark or anything that I should be using to line it up?
If so, can somebody post a pic pointing it out?
Thank you,
Toad

[cparman]

On some Chevys, if you look at the end of the steering shaft you will see a line. This line will be a strike made by a chisel after the steering wheel was put on and the nut tightened. It is not on all chevys though. Here is my suggestion. If you can remove the steering wheel, do that. Then sit it back on the column loosely. Find a road close to home that you can drive your truck and see how far off from center you are. Stop and slip the steering wheel off and get it as close as possible. Once you have done this it is time for a front end alignment. The final tweek in centering your steering wheel will be a toe adjustment that is part of an alignment

[Daves72'GMC]

When I had my alighnment done they straightened the steering wheel for me and it is perfectly straight.

[unclewatts]

Originally Posted by cparman

On some Chevys, if you look at the end of the steering shaft you will see a line. This line will be a strike made by a chisel after the steering wheel was put on and the nut tightened. It is not on all chevys though. Here is my suggestion. If you can remove the steering wheel, do that. Then sit it back on the column loosely. Find a road close to home that you can drive your truck and see how far off from center you are. Stop and slip the steering wheel off and get it as close as possible. Once you have done this it is time for a front end alignment. The final tweek in centering your steering wheel will be a toe adjustment that is part of an alignment

About 23 years ago I had the front end rebuilt on my truck. When I got it back the steering wheel wasn't centered. I just figured I'd wait until I got the front end realigned and have them straighten it out. When I had the job done, I asked the mechanic to center it out and he said he would but he didn't. About four months ago I replaced my steering wheel. It didn't have that mark on it so I did exactly what cparman suggested and now FINALLY my steering wheel is centered. Merry Chrstmas!

[cparman]

Shoulda went back to the alignment guy! Centering the steering wheel is a part of adjusting the toe. Doing the steering wheel pull thing is easy on our stuff, but later model cars/trucks have a master spline and it cannot be done.

Originally Posted by unclewatts

About 23 years ago I had the front end rebuilt on my truck. When I got it back the steering wheel wasn't centered. I just figured I'd wait until I got the front end realigned and have them straighten it out. When I had the job done, I asked the mechanic to center it out and he said he would but he didn't. About four months ago I replaced my steering wheel. It didn't have that mark on it so I did exactly what cparman suggested and now FINALLY my steering wheel is centered. Merry Chrstmas!

[Wrenchbender Ret]

Lot's of times through the years parts have been mismatched. If you center the wheel useing the tie rod sleeves you may wind up with the steering out of center. Set the toe-in & check the steering center by the relation of the inner tie rod ends to the frame rails. If that's all done center the wheel like Cpar said & you will have a great driveing truck.

[toddtheodd]

Originally Posted by Wrenchbender Ret

Lot's of times through the years parts have been mismatched. If you center the wheel useing the tie rod sleeves you may wind up with the steering out of center. Set the toe-in & check the steering center by the relation of the inner tie rod ends to the frame rails. If that's all done center the wheel like Cpar said & you will have a great driveing truck.

Wait!!!
What about inner tie rod ends?
Center then on the frame rails???
You got any pictures of this. This sounds like EXACTLY something I am needing to do.

[Wrenchbender Ret]

Originally Posted by toddtheodd

Wait!!!
What about inner tie rod ends?
Center then on the frame rails???
You got any pictures of this. This sounds like EXACTLY something I am needing to do.

Get the steering straight ahead by eye balling the front wheels to the back or drive the truck & put a chalk mark on the steering hub to the turn switch hub when you are going straight down the road. Back at the shop line up those marks. Look under the front of the truck. The piman arm & idler arm should be pointing straight back in relation to each other. Look at each inner tie rod end & they should be exacly in the same place in the respective frame rail. If not you need to turn the wheels to get them even & lock the steering wheel with something on the seat or a rope to the vent wing. Then center the wheels with the tie rod sleeves & set the toe in. My 70 drives as good as a new truck.
This is about as good as I can explain it but I might get some photo's tomorrow.

[toddtheodd]

The reason I asked is because I can turn the wheel like... 3 turns to the right, but only 1 1/2 to the left.
The wheel is pretty much straight on, when driving straight, but I think that through the years, it's slowly been shifting over.
Like... somebody replaced original wheel with something else, had it aligned, and it was off a little. Then the next person replaced THAT wheel with a grant steering wheel, had it aligned, and then it was off EVEN MORE.
Know what I'm saying?
I want to get this back to right. So I think I'm going to pull the steering wheel off, then do this tie rod / pitman idler arm thing and put the steering wheel back on, and then have the "straighten" the steering wheel back up by aligning it.

Did that make any sense at all?

[unclewatts]

Originally Posted by cparman

Shoulda went back to the alignment guy! Centering the steering wheel is a part of adjusting the toe. Doing the steering wheel pull thing is easy on our stuff, but later model cars/trucks have a master spline and it cannot be done.