Steering Wheel Adjustment

[BLKVYSS]

G'day.. just a question for those who know a little bit about wheel alignments..

When you get an alignment.. if the steering wheel is not quite centre.. there is an adjustment under the car that can be made that will correct the position of the steering wheel, without needing to touch the wheel alignment it self..


My Question is.. what and where is this adjustment made? My alignment is straight as I had it done the other day.. but what they call straight and what I call straight are 2 diff things.. I have also put different rears on on the car and it has made it worse.. the other way.. :)

so.. Can any one tell me how I can adjust it my self at home.. Cheers..

[Steakman]

I so want to know the answer to this question. Everytime I get the alignment done the wheel is never center.

[Luke_]

The steering wheel is generally aligned via the tie rod ends, yes you can do it at home however if you stuff it up your wheels will be facing outwards or inwards and will need to get a wheel alignment done anyway to fix it.

If you take it to a reputable wheel aligner, they should know what they are doing and be able to fix it.

You need to take off both tie-rod ends from the steering knuckle and turn them the same way, the same amount of times. It's a bit fiddly especially if you forget which way you turned the other tie rod.


Regards,
Luke

[Ron SS]

As above, but all you have to do is loosen the tie rod locknuts and turn the rods to move the wheels the same each side. Commodores have rack & pinion steering so there is a ball joint on each rack end. Hence, just loosen the nuts and turn each rod ...they are normal right hand threads, hence clockwise along the rod is "in" ... just remember to turn them the same amount. When the wheel is centred the wheels will be pointing too much "left" (or right), hence both wheels have to be moved to the centre by shortening one tie rod and lengthening the other. Just have a think about it, nothing too hard but remember the wheels turn fast for a small change of a tie rod. I'd be complaining to the shop that did the job if the wheel was not centred.

[djmorgan]

Funny you should ask! I just completed my 80K service today and I went in this morning believing my wheel alignment was fine but the steering wheel was not aligned.

Well the service manager pointed out how wrong I was and suggested a wheel alignment would fix it, they did the alignment and the steering wheel is now correct.

And as explained above they put it high on a hoist with things hanging off each wheel and I could see the mechanic working under each front wheel, no doubt adjusting the rods

Driving home I felt no difference in the geometry of the car, it felt like it did before neither pulling left or right when you let go of the wheel, but the steering wheel is now straight

[Luke_]

As above, but all you have to do is loosen the tie rod locknuts and turn the rods to move the wheels the same each side. Commodores have rack & pinion steering so there is a ball joint on each rack end. Hence, just loosen the nuts and turn each rod ...they are normal right hand threads, hence clockwise along the rod is "in" ... just remember to turn them the same amount. When the wheel is centred the wheels will be pointing too much "left" (or right), hence both wheels have to be moved to the centre by shortening one tie rod and lengthening the other. Just have a think about it, nothing too hard but remember the wheels turn fast for a small change of a tie rod. I'd be complaining to the shop that did the job if the wheel was not centred.

Only thing is that there is only a certain amount of thread on a 'Rack End' and because the rack ends can be adjusted by the slightest degree of turn, to match that amount of turn on each side to the exact degree unfortunately, will not result in an accurate toe setting.

This is why, if you have to do it at home I recommend adjusting the tie rod ends, because they always have to go in the same position, into the steering knuckle and can be measured by turns where rackends can't be measured accurately without a wheel alignment machine.


Regards,
Luke

[CSP]

rackends can't be measured accurately without a wheel alignment machine

Get the string out...

[BLKVYSS]

So to the couple of people that seem to know whats going on..

Answer my question of example..

if the steering wheel is slightly off centre to the left (passenger side)...

would the dirvers side tie rod go in and the passenger side go out?

[uterus]

G'day.. just a question for those who know a little bit about wheel alignments..

When you get an alignment.. if the steering wheel is not quite centre.. there is an adjustment under the car that can be made that will correct the position of the steering wheel, without needing to touch the wheel alignment it self..


My Question is.. what and where is this adjustment made? My alignment is straight as I had it done the other day.. but what they call straight and what I call straight are 2 diff things.. I have also put different rears on on the car and it has made it worse.. the other way.. :)

so.. Can any one tell me how I can adjust it my self at home.. Cheers..


You didnt happen to jack the rear of the car up with the front wheels turned in one direction?

This happened with mine just after having alignment done.
I jacked it up to change the back wheels with the front almost full lock. After that the steering wheel was off centre.

[Ron SS]

The VY, or any pre VE, has the rack on the cabin side of the front axle line, hence if the wheel is too much to the left, when you straighten the steering wheel up, the road wheels will now be pointing to the right. To move the road wheels back to centre, the passengers side rod must be shortened, and the drivers side must be lengthened. It will only need about 1/4 turn, doing it equal on both sides to keep the same "toe in" settings. Check that the tie rod end (ball joint at the wheel) is in the middle of its travel after you tighten the lock nuts. VEs have the rack mounted ahead of the front axle line. The threads remain as right hand (normal) threads though

[Luke_]

So to the couple of people that seem to know whats going on..

Answer my question of example..

if the steering wheel is slightly off centre to the left (passenger side)...

would the dirvers side tie rod go in and the passenger side go out?


If the steering wheel is to the left, you need to get your wheels to turn to the left. I would recommend taking it to a wheel aligner, it's just too easy to stuff up without seeing the measurements on the screen.