Rob Kwate

Let me clarify, the alignment was done about 4 years ago by Jeff Gamroth. No problems at all. I can't say enough good things about him. He also did the alignment on my wife's 993 last year. Again, no problems. Then, last week, I put new tires on my car from Costco---not from Jeff Gamroth, he doesn't sell tires. I took the tires/wheels into Costco in the back of my pickup and had new tires installed. So, no mechanic tested my car, except for me. When I called Jeff, he took the time to explain that he has dealt with this before and offered to have me bring the car in and he would center the steering wheel for me. When I told him I was seven hours away, he went step-by-step with me through the process to center the wheel, so that I don't have to bring the car in. Keeping in mind that this issue was caused by the tires I put on 4 years after he did the alignment, I'd say he went above and beyond.

TheOtherEric

Presumably he simply told you to turn one of the tie-rod nuts 1 or 2 turns (or whatever) and turn the nut on the other side the exact same number of turns. In theory, this should work, but alignment can be a funny and imperfect thing. I'd really want to verify using toe plates or strings, but it's a personal thing. Especially so since you haven't had an alignment in 4 yrs. And because bad toe settings can ruin tires pretty quickly.

flatsixforme

When I read the title my first question was whether the car was lifted on a lift straight up in the air or jacked from side to side and put on stands. From your later response it seems you jacked it at home (unless you have a lift)? I had the EXACT issue you did a couple times when I would change from street tires to track tires...steering was never right after I changed my tires...even the next day after an alignment. I even took it back to the shop and they had no explanation but reset the front for me. It wasn't until a year or so after I noticed this issue that it dawned on me what the likely culprit was. By jacking the car from side to side you are putting a lot of stress on the front steering/alignment components in ways they were not really designed for (especially if you have an old steering rack) and if your tires are not perfectly straight when you jack the car from side to side there is a chance you can shift the steering alignment. I'm about 90% sure this is what has happened to me in the past. Anyway, this is my best guess, good luck!

stace

yes Jeff runs a great operation. no surprise he is taking care of you one way or another. let us know how it all works out. good luck. (sure do miss the great NW!)

Rob Kwate

Adam:

Interesting thoughts, but I do have a lift. Thinking back, in the 10 years I have owned this car, I don't think I have ever raised the car by one side and then the other. I think I have always used the lift. I really don't think the alignment is off, as the problem appeared as I drove away from my house after installing the new tires. The alignment was absolutely perfect when I put the car on the lift to remove the wheels and take them to Costco. Then as I put on the new tires the steering wheel is off center. Based on that history, I think the off center steering wheel has to be connected to the new tires.

DALLWA

Rob, care to share what he told you to do to correct since you not able to drive 7 hours there?

I bet you this happens alot, and people just live with it.

Elonash

I'm sorry but if you consider the stress received by the steering components during corners with bumpy road for example or with a high speed then the stress due to lifting the car on one side is insignificant !!!!

And I never heard about any one that got an off centered steering wheel after a ride...

jakfrost

Yes...very curious...what did he tell you to do? Steering box or tie rod adjustment

Jim

911Dave

Most likely he told him to remove the steering wheel and rotate it one notch on the splined shaft.

briefescape

+1

cgfen

alignment for the new "flat" tyres can be different than a possible alignment done on the previous potentially not "flat" tyres.

Drive them a couple hundred miles and report back. I switch back-n-forth between several sets of wheels / tyres and notice center steering varies between them.

Craig

Pickled Piper

Yes as above. It's very common for the steering wheel to be off centre after fitting a new set of tyres. Due to the reasons above and because different makes and age of tyre can exhibit different levels of "ply steer", that is a tendency to track left or right. Just drive the car for a few hundered miles and then have the alignment checked.

No bid deal.

pp

Garth S

I would not relocate the steering wheel by a spline .... the wheel should be dead flat across the horizontal plane when the steering rack "dimple" is perfectly centered in the racks inspection window. To play with this alignment risks inducing a torque steer that will have you chasiung it forever.

Rather, attack the tie rods .... have done this numerous times, being **** about perfectly centered steering .

Scribe a fine line with a file to index the inner tie rod female end to the threaded male end of the outer: loosen the locknut, and rotate the index mark appropriate to the direction desired. Repeat exactly the same, but in the opposite direction for the opposite side. [ eg., if the steering is canted to the left, the left tie rod must be 'shortened', etc.

As far as adjustment magnitude, be cautious ..... for a 5 deg deflection as claimed, I'll wager that 1/3 of a turn is all that is required ( or two 'flats' of the hex nut).

All this is predicated on having had a good toe alignment to start with: you can verify that by the wear pattern on the old tires ...

By doing this alignment 'tweak' carefully, the correct toe in will not be altered.

As a caution, check the rack 'dimple' to be correct against a centered steering wheel.

Rob Kwate

The procedure explained to me is exactly what Garth described. Garth was close with his prediction. It took two and one-half "flats" of rotation to center the steering wheel. I did it last night and had the alignment checked this morning just to be sure. The toe was slightly, and I mean slightly, off from the toe set 4 years ago, but it was still well within specs. And the best part is that the steering wheel is now straight. Thanks for all the replies.

Rinty

So you're off to the Spiral Highway to try the new tires out?