mr_bock

I did the search, but found nothing on this.

Correcting steering wheel alignment to steering rack position via the steering shaft coupling splines with out removing the rack.

Recently I dropped my front suspension to replace bushings and rebuild the rack. A DIY write up said to mark the coupling position of the shaft pinch clamp (which I did). The steering wheel was in the key locked position. When I dropped the rack, the whole universal joint assembly came out with the rack. Now my mark means nothing. I did measure how much the rack ends protruded each end for reassembly. It was some work getting the rack back in and the spline shaft on to the steering column. Now I see that I must have missed the correct spline position! Is there anyway to move the coupling up out of the rack splines to bump ti over a couple of splines to correct this. I really don't want to drop the whole rack/sub-frame to re-align.

If someone did this, please advise me. I would be most appreciative!!!!

Thanks!!!!!!

Juha G

You either are a very good mechanic or you got lucky.
I was neither when I reinstalled my rack...took me and my friend almost an hour to get it back together...hahah!

But to answer your question, can't you just remove the steering wheel and rotate and re-install? I can't remember how the stock wheel is but at least with my sparco you can install it in any position.

pp000830

Hi Mr Bock.
If the universal joint slipped off the steering shaft spline it should be able to be put back on just where it was as the spline on the steering shaft has a flat flue along one side of its spline that the retaining spring pin lines up with when you slip it back on. If you have your wheels pointed strait forward and the joint correctly placed over the shaft spline you should be able to use the alignment mark you made on the racks spline to reclamp the rack in the original position.
Andy :-)

Garth S

You can achieve this by removing the steering wheel, and re-centering provided that the 'dimple' on the rack rod remains centered within the window on the front of the rack. Read post 6 in this thread : it likely has more detail than you need, unless you happen to slip up on the clock spring deal .

Post 28 in this thread dealing with centering the rack/steering wheel adds some more detail ...

mr_bock

Thanks Guys!!!!!!! You Are Awesome!!!! Great to have such input.
I will study this and see what I need to do.

I did the rack install as a one person operation. I put the car up on the lift. The sub-frame and rack ***'y was set on two X four boards set on saw horses. I lowered the car slowly while adjusting the rack to the car. The last bit was dicey getting the splines to align. All in all it went well. I did replace the seal where the rack enters the cab.
Seems that repositioning the steering wheel is the way to go.

Many, many THANKS!!!!!!!
George

Garth S

Herr Bock,

Found my old post on rack removal - it too was a one man job, had its moments of frustration .... but has some more info pertinent to your situation.

rack removal - and installation glitches!

mr_bock

Garth,

That is exactly what I was looking for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Before I do anything, I will drive the car in the street to see 'just' how far off I am and make adjustments from there.

A tip to others on getting the slip joint on to the shaft. To keep the joint from flopping around, I wrapped some blue painter's tape around the joint to stiffen it up. I could make small alignment corrections as I brought the joint/shaft together.

Again, Thanks for the great info!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

mr_bock

I drove my car on the street yesterday for the first time after a year on my car lift getting all this work done. The steering wheel (crest) was pointed at a 2:00 angle. This morning I used a block of wood and a pry bar to slowly work the joint up and off the spline rack shaft. Centered the steering wheel and worked the joint back on, installed the pinch bolt. All good, took maybe fifteen minutes.

Again, thanks Garth for the link to the pix!!!!!!!!

What a great site!!!!!