Steering wheel off centre

Post Mon Nov 07, 2005 11:45 pm

How do i re-align the steering wheel, its about 10 degrees off to the right, is it a case of undoing the bolt under the horn covercoz i tried to loosen it counter clockwise but the wheel locked left and i thought i may do damage?
cheers
darren

Post Mon Nov 07, 2005 11:48 pm

Take of the nut you said,insert ignition key and turn to stage one,remove wheel,put it on straight and re fit nut,job done

Post Mon Nov 07, 2005 11:52 pm

cheers Evo, do i take the nut off first or put it in pos 1 first.
darren

Post Mon Nov 07, 2005 11:53 pm

sorry EKO, it's past my bedtime.

Post Mon Nov 07, 2005 11:55 pm

easier to remove/loosen nut first,then turn to position one to release steering lock

PS EKO not Evo

Post Tue Nov 08, 2005 12:02 am

Sorry EKO, dreaming of EVO's, thanks for the help mate.
darren

Post Tue Nov 08, 2005 1:26 am

22mm socket.
the steering lock needs to be on for you to get the nut off ( otherwhise you just turn the wheel)

Post Tue Nov 08, 2005 1:38 am

smithy318i wrote:22mm socket.
the steering lock needs to be on for you to get the nut off ( otherwhise you just turn the wheel)

no it doesn't. i'd leave the steering lock off and turn the wheel ACW until it hits full lock. you risk breaking the locking splines otherwise, it does happen.

Post Tue Nov 08, 2005 1:51 am

i would be more afraid of breaking the rack doing that, rather than just the locking pin.

To make sure the wheel is on straight, drive in a straight line for a few meters with the nut off. Stop in the middle of the road (assuming there are no cars behind you) and center the wheel.

Post Tue Nov 08, 2005 2:02 am

break the rack

you'd be unlucky to break the splines tbh. but i wouldn't worry too much about breaking your steering rack

have you seen inside one?

Post Tue Nov 08, 2005 2:07 am

just the bits under the bellows. dont know exactly what makes it stop at the ends.
I thought the extra force exerted on the rack at full lock might break it! (i duno!)

Post Tue Nov 08, 2005 7:18 am

correct me if wrong, but if the steering whell is a "bit" off it will most probaly just need a alignment?!
But if it totally sitting at a funny angle, then alignment might not help and the steering will need to be taken off.

Post Tue Nov 08, 2005 8:06 am

Hyperion wrote:correct me if wrong, but if the steering whell is a "bit" off it will most probaly just need a alignment?!
But if it totally sitting at a funny angle, then alignment might not help and the steering will need to be taken off.

I was thinking that too. If you drive in a straight line for 10 or 20 meters on a flat straight road and then take your hands off the wheel slightly (making sure it is safe to do so first

) does the car:
- go straight: then the steering wheel is probably not on right
OR
- turn in either direction: then it is probably the alignment or something might be bent

Aston

Post Tue Nov 08, 2005 8:55 pm

Thanks for all the reply's she does go straight no hands, the momo boss which has been fitted has got a "top" mark, but that set of screw holes sends the wheel about 20 degrees to the left, at the moment i have used the next one cw which puts it about 10 to the right, i know the previous owner fitted the boss and wheel but i don't think he drove it too much so i will opt for the steering lock off, is that right???
[img][img]http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/4751/c ... 6wl.th.jpg[/img][/img]

Post Thu Nov 10, 2005 9:18 pm

Managed to adjust steering wheel last night, steering lock off, a bit scarry but all ok, when i first replaced and tightened the wheel was locked solid, so, removed again and found a spacer on the spline which was a tad sloppy and when putting the wheel back on it felt sloppy too so i removed the spacer and refitted and all ok except there is now a rubbing of plastic on the steering shroud, what do you think, new spacer and are these readily available.
cheers
darren