biggles

Had the car aligned two weeks back and may have to take it back, because the steering wheel seems to be sitting slightly to the left while driving although the car is tracking very well. Checked the tie rods and the distances on both sides look equal - read in a prior discussion about a centering hole in the RS steering rack. Does this apply to the C2 and if so, where is it in the rack? If not, what can I do at home to resolve? Trying to avoid going back to the shop.


Thanks!

biggles

ThomasC2

It's the same on all racks. If you look at it from below the car you will see a little black rubber plug, 10 mm in diameter. Unscrew it and and you will see a hollow in the rack when it's correctely aligned.

springer3

The only way to align the steering wheel with the rack is at the splined coupler between the steering shaft and the rack. The rack centering is fine unless the rack was disconnected and re-installed one or more spline teeth off.

Assuming the rack is installed properly, the rack is centered when the wheel is centered. Sight the alignment hole as suggested, but do that with the steering wheel level, and then shoot a new alignment with the steering wheel level.

Your front-end technician evidently made a tie-rod adjustment without properly leveling the steering wheel. Perhaps he tried to eyeball a balanced adjustment on the tie rods and missed. I would be looking for a new alignment technicial. Mine drives the car before and after any alignment and is a stickler about leveling the steering wheel.

Boeing 717

A shop just did mine and this exact same thing happend. I watched them do it on this new hightech machine and it was right on as was the steering wheel. But when i drove the car the steering wheel was tilted to the right about 2 or 3 degrees. I took the wheel off and moved it over a notch to the left but then it was tilted left. Anyhow it turned out to be my left rear tire.....it had probably 2000 miles on it while the other 3 were brand new. Just that little change in tire diameter as opposed to the others was enough to cause the car to pull to the left (hence the steering wheel tilted right). That shows how precise these cars are and how everything has to be in synch. Are all your tires the same???

Geoffrey

Just because the most high tech tool is used does not mean it is or has been used correctly. Each time one of the adjusters is moved, it is a good idea to resettle the car by pushing or pulling down on each end. This eliminates some of the sticking in the bushings that occurs on a street car. Further, as these cars age, the rubber bushings will have some play and that may affect the alignment. When we do a street/track alignment, we also put the driver's weight in the driver's seat during the alignment and corner balance process.

RE the centering bolt. If you use the centering bolt, it will correctly center the steering wheel, unless someone has moved it. Further, the steering wheel is not in the center of the driver, it is offset to one side which can make it appear off center.

If you don't have the rack centered using the pin, then the inner tie rod pivot point will be different side-to-side and this will cause a different amount of roll steer (bump steer) side-to-side.

ThomasC2

I think it's like this:

1 Center the rack
2 Center the steering wheel if it's not OK
3 Align the front wheels

Thomas

biggles

Thanks for the feedback - Hopefully, Will be able to give it try this evening

biggles