My Steering wheel is messed up after alignment.

[LVMarauder]

I got a custom alignment at ted weins today and now my steering wheel is cocked about 15 degrees right when im going straight down the road. Now, it tracks striaght and true, but its a little weird. Is this something I can take back and have them fixed or am I stuck with it?

[SergntMac]

Take it back and tell them you want the alignment to "center the steering wheel". Driving the car starts at the driver's vision of steering wheel, and a good alignment wrench will start there by locking that down centered, and adjust steering linkage and wheel alignment from there.

It's not really their fault, they started at the bottom (end result) and worked up from there. Sometimes, you have to start from scratch, from "start here and work forward".

You'll be okay, if they will do it. They may not know how.

[LVMarauder]

Thanks Mac. They are pretty good usually, dont see how they missed it on the test ride though.

[RoyLPita]

Take it back and tell them you want the alignment to "center the steering wheel". Driving the car starts at the driver's vision of steering wheel, and a good alignment wrench will start there by locking that down centered, and adjust steering linkage and wheel alignment from there.

It's not really their fault, they started at the bottom (end result) and worked up from there. Sometimes, you have to start from scratch, from "start here and work forward".

You'll be okay, if they will do it. They may not know how.

Wat ^^^^he^^^^said. And I work for a Ford dealer.

[MM03MOK]

Take it back and tell them you want the alignment to "center the steering wheel". Driving the car starts at the driver's vision of steering wheel, and a good alignment wrench will start there by locking that down centered, and adjust steering linkage and wheel alignment from there.
^^^ What he said x3. It's another one of those annal must-do-or-else things when someone's working on the Blackbird.

[Hotrauder]

Ya LVMarauder, I am driving with about 15 degrees of seperation:D , too. No biggie as Carfixer is doing his magic on Saturday but it is distracting. As Mac says, comes from working from the wrong end...or, working with the wrong end. Someone graduates last in class, every class, ever. Lots of that around. Dennis:rolleyes:

[O's Fan Rich]

Put it on the lift, disconnect the column from the rack, center it up and put the column back on the rack tighten the bolt. DONE!

[Steve_NC]

I always thought that centering the steering wheel was part of doing a professional job. When I had my MM aligned at the dealer they did not center the steering wheel either! That is just a crappy job IMHO.

[LVMarauder]

Got it taken care of, no charge of course. wheel and alignment are spot on. They normally do really good work so im not stressing over it. do do happens.

[Ozz]

Mine was off slightly so I got underneath, shortened one tie rod and lengthened the other the same amount. Problem solved.

[jgc61sr2002]

I always thought that centering the steering wheel was part of doing a professional job. When I had my MM aligned at the dealer they did not center the steering wheel either! That is just a crappy job IMHO.


I agree. Centering the steering wheel is a critical part of the alignment process.

[Donny Carlson]

To leave a steering wheel off center like that. Charlie Saab, owner of Saab Tire and Automotive here in Birmingham is absolutely obsessed with giving an customer a car with perfect alignment and a center steering wheel. I've seen him take a car out for a test hop three times in a row only to take it back to the rack to adjust the wheel.

[bagpiper]

I had my car back 3 times before the dealership got it close to right,The wheel still is not perfect but close enough.

[SamF]

To leave a steering wheel off center like that. Charlie Saab, owner of Saab Tire and Automotive here in Birmingham is absolutely obsessed with giving an customer a car with perfect alignment and a center steering wheel. I've seen him take a car out for a test hop three times in a row only to take it back to the rack to adjust the wheel.

We have a shop like that here in PA. Mickey personally takes out the vehicle and does the final adjustments. I watched him take my truck out 3 times (with adjustments on return to the rack) before he gave it back to me...he will be doing my Marauder when the time comes.

Sam

[feegs]

We have a shop like that here in PA. Mickey personally takes out the vehicle and does the final adjustments. I watched him take my truck out 3 times (with adjustments on return to the rack) before he gave it back to me...he will be doing my Marauder when the time comes.

Sam


Are the stock front end alignment specs, particularly for camber, adequate for delivering good straight-ahead driveability on the Marauder and Crown Vic, or do you have the alignment tech bias the camber far to the positive? I have always found that a high positive camber results in improved resistance to wandering in one's lane... Would like to hear other Panther body enthusiast's opinions on this...


feegs

[MENINBLK]

Put it on the lift, disconnect the column from the rack, center it up and put the column back on the rack tighten the bolt. DONE!

That's the easy way out.
The correct way is to adjust the tie rods.
The rack should always be centered.

[Ozz]

I wouldn't be too hard on the alignment shop. There is a lot of trial an error involved with getting the wheel perfectly centered. While I appreciate that some shops take the car out for a spin, keep in mind that they need extra insurance if they take the car off their lot.... Ask me how I know - a dealership totaled my Eagle Talon TSI back in college while out for a 'test drive'...
In my experience straightening up my steering wheel, I only had to turn the tie rod nuts about 1/6 of a turn - YES 1/6th OF A TURN - to go from a 15 degree bias to straight up. It's pretty hard to get it any closer than that on an alignment rack.

Another thing to remember is that the steering wheel will be in a different position to go straight based on the crown of the road. I notice this because if I am out in the country where the roads are crowned, my wheel is biased left but if I am on flat city roads, it is centered.

[FordNut]

That's the easy way out.
The correct way is to adjust the tie rods.
The rack should always be centered.
Actually the tie rod end adjustment is the easier way.

[FordNut]

Are the stock front end alignment specs, particularly for camber, adequate for delivering good straight-ahead driveability on the Marauder and Crown Vic, or do you have the alignment tech bias the camber far to the positive? I have always found that a high positive camber results in improved resistance to wandering in one's lane... Would like to hear other Panther body enthusiast's opinions on this...


feegs
The stock specs can cause excessive wear on the inside edges of the front tires. Search around for Carfixer specs. They are still within the factory range but near the limit.

[David Morton]

Put it on the lift, disconnect the column from the rack, center it up and put the column back on the rack tighten the bolt. DONE!I didn't know there's enough slop in those bolts to do that but if there is, yes, you'll straighten up the steering wheel alright. But you will also make the car turn a tighter radius in one direction.

Ideally, that rack should be in the place where it gives the same angle of wheel deflection in both directions. Then, after the alignment, it's a simple matter to do what Ozz and some of the others said, move the tie rod end links the same amount to center up the wheel. And because they both have right-handed threads, but one is pointing to the left and the other to the right, turn them both in the same direction as if they were one long rod. If you do, total toe in won't change at all, and the steering wheel will line right up.

A straight steering wheel is a definite must.