Steering question

[Rich2388]

My steering wheel doesnt quite line up straight with my wheels, when my steering wheel is straight my cars pulling to the left. I know its just a case of whipping the steering wheel off and adjusting it slightly. But i need to have my tracking/wheel alignment done. Will it make any difference which i do first or does it not matter? Should i get the steering wheel lined up first then the tracking? Or tracking then steering wheel?

[Grrrmachine]

The steering wheel sits on a splined shaft; what would make you thing that it's come out of alignment?

On the other hand, the alignment of your wheels affects the direction the car steers in, so it's a bit of a no-brainer; leave the steering wheel alone, and get your tracking fixed.

[leeparkes]

The steering wheel may have been removed and put back on in the wrong place?

E30 rack is exactly 4 turns lock to lock iirc.... If this is true then put it on full lock take the wheel off then put it back on straight, when you turn the wheel 2 revolutions you should be in the centre.
I would go to the opposite lock though just to double check.

[Brianmoooore]

E30 rack is exactly 4 turns lock to lock iirc.... If this is true then put it on full lock take the wheel off then put it back on straight, when you turn the wheel 2 revolutions you should be in the centre.
I would go to the opposite lock though just to double check.

If only life were so simple! The chances of that resulting in a car that drives straight with the steering wheel in the straight ahead position aren't quite zero, but close. Theoretically it would work, but in practice there are too many variables.
Chances are that the rear wheels don't drive the car parallel to the shell, the steering rack isn't perfectly centred, the point where the steering axis intersects the ground will vary slightly for each front wheel, and the track rods won't be exactly the same length.
Get the tracking set first, making sure that they do the job properly, adjusting both track rods to an equal length, then take the steering wheel off and reposition it for straight ahead on an uncambered road.

[bss325i]

Centralise the rack first with the marks on the rack then put the steering wheel on correctly, then get the tracking adjusted.

[jimbom30cab]

Where abouts are the marks on the rack Barry ?

[bss325i]

I dont have a pic to hand im afraid.

[G-Bear]

Where abouts are the marks on the rack Barry ?

I measured each end of the rack poking out of its housing (with the track rod assemblies off) to get it centred. Was never aware of marks on the rack.

[bss325i]

I will get a pick thurs eve,

[Rich2388]

Pics barry, pics? Lol