steering wheel off? alignment?
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More Turbo
Joined: Apr 2007
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From: YYC
steering wheel off? alignment?
Hey guys now that I have been daily driving my truck the steering wheel being off is starting to bug me.
Steering does feel decently tight but in order to drive straight I need to have the wheel turned almost 1/4 to the right.
Is this alignment? Tie rod ends? Steering wheel off? Just wondering where to start looking.
Thanks
Duggyb
Steering does feel decently tight but in order to drive straight I need to have the wheel turned almost 1/4 to the right.
Is this alignment? Tie rod ends? Steering wheel off? Just wondering where to start looking.
Thanks
Duggyb
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 8,476
Likes: 37
From: Madison, WI
The steering wheel centering is accomplished with tie rod adjustment. To oversimplify, you lengthen one side and shorten the other by the same amount. This is presuming that the truck is _handling_ properly, that the actual toe-in / toe-out is correct. Whoever did the alignment last should have included the steering wheel centering in with the toe adjustment, since the steering wheel position affects the cancellation of the turn signals, which is a safety item.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,739
Likes: 14
From: Vale, NC
The steering wheel centering is accomplished with tie rod adjustment. To oversimplify, you lengthen one side and shorten the other by the same amount. This is presuming that the truck is _handling_ properly, that the actual toe-in / toe-out is correct. Whoever did the alignment last should have included the steering wheel centering in with the toe adjustment, since the steering wheel position affects the cancellation of the turn signals, which is a safety item.
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 14,375
Likes: 604
From: evansville in
The toe in is independant of the wheel centering. the link between the two wheels is for toe.the pitman arm to rt wheel side is adj and that lengthing or shortening is used to "center" the wheel. i did my rsk and i am still tweaking a little here and theere. a yr later.its a matter of individual feel really as mine would pass with most..not me..its a fuge to the right
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 8,476
Likes: 37
From: Madison, WI
^^^^^ Depends on the model, perhaps. On the F250, there is no link between the two wheels; if you adjust the sleeve on the passenger-side wheel you also affect the distance between the two outer joints, thus affecting the toe. OP didn't state model....
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 14,375
Likes: 604
From: evansville in
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,891
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From: Birdsboro PA
I just did the 3" RSK on the front and my steering wheel is now about a quarter turn off too. I have to go back and make the adjustments because the turn signal issue is a royal pain with the wheel off center. My steers fine and handles right, it must have just moved the geometry when we put the lift in.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,739
Likes: 14
From: Vale, NC
The toe in is independant of the wheel centering. the link between the two wheels is for toe.the pitman arm to rt wheel side is adj and that lengthing or shortening is used to "center" the wheel. i did my rsk and i am still tweaking a little here and theere. a yr later.its a matter of individual feel really as mine would pass with most..not me..its a fuge to the right
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More Turbo
Joined: Apr 2007
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From: YYC
Truck is a f350. It does have body lift just a 3 inch I think. I do have a steering stabilizer as well but it looks like I will have to take a look under there and see if the body lift is causing the problems. I haven't owned the truck long
Also it does not pull really I just need to get the steering wheel straightened out.
Also it does not pull really I just need to get the steering wheel straightened out.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,739
Likes: 14
From: Vale, NC
I did the 3" rsk and then got into an accident not long after that required all new steering parts so i ended up getting the steering wheel centered by the alignment guy. But then it had pretty bad bump steer so i had to get a dropped pitman arm and ive been adjusting the steering wheel ever since.
dugyb - check to see if it has the drop arm. If not you might need to add it.
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,171
Likes: 20
From: Denton, TX
I had called one of the RSK companies to ask and they said the provide a particular part number drop arm but were not able to tell the length or if there was a length option.
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