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Align the steering wheel?

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Old Feb 19, 2015 | 05:48 PM
  #1  
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Align the steering wheel?

Situation is that my steering wheel is not properly aligned. When driving straight the steering wheel looks as if I am turning slightly to the right. If I take my hands off of the steering wheel is goes straight down the road so the actually alignment is not off, just the steering wheel position.

Is there a simple DIY fix for this or does it involve getting a $100 alignment done on the truck to center the wheel. I guess I could live with it, but it does kind of bug me to be hones about it.
 
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Old Feb 19, 2015 | 06:10 PM
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Been like this since new? Dealer should fix this under warranty in my opinion.

Best I know it requires re alignment. I hope I'm wrong but every vehicle I've had requires setting the steering wheel at top center and bringing the wheels in to it. Hard to explain quickly but hopefully I'm wrong....
 
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Old Feb 19, 2015 | 06:11 PM
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Originally Posted by ruschejj
Been like this since new? Dealer should fix this under warranty in my opinion.

Best I know it requires re alignment. I hope I'm wrong but every vehicle I've had requires setting the steering wheel at top center and bringing the wheels in to it. Hard to explain quickly but hopefully I'm wrong....
Centering the steering wheel doesn't require an alignment. Just turn the drag link adjuster. You set the total toe and then center the steering wheel.

Sent from my Telegraph using IB AutoGroup
 
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Old Feb 19, 2015 | 06:15 PM
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That's good news, thanks for the answer. I absolutely hate it when the wheel is crooked after an alignment.

Good luck Jon.
 
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Old Feb 19, 2015 | 08:06 PM
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Originally Posted by ruschejj
That's good news, thanks for the answer. I absolutely hate it when the wheel is crooked after an alignment.

Good luck Jon.
Hang on....how long has this been going on? Since you got truck or its recent. If recent, then the first thing I would do before you adjust the drag link would be check your air pressure first thing before you drive anywhere in the morning. Rarely have I had to adjust the drag link or get an alignment. Air pressure imbalance is the #1 issue, of course only an honest shop is going to tell you that.

If you drag link or tie rod is set correctly the first time it takes a lot of years and miles to even need another adjustment. Encountering a modern vehicle that due to wear needs alignment is not all that common. You have to have some high mileage. Most times what has happened it you have bent the tie road and or the drag link. This can come from hitting a curb or a stump, pothole etc.

If your air is ok and the steering wheel is off center then you have to ask the question...what caused it. You may have a bent component.

If you take your rig off road, even mild like driving to a backwoods deer camp you may want to consider an Aluminum tie road. I have run them for years and have found them to be the best solution...
 
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Old Feb 19, 2015 | 08:30 PM
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My truck is fine, I was just trying to get some traffic in here for Jon.

Our company has had 6 super duty trucks 1-2008,1- 2009, 2-2011,1- 2014, and 1-2015) and not 1 of them in over half a million accumulated miles has ever needed an alignment, tie rod, ball joint, poor tire wear issue. These things are solid from the frame down.
 
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Old Feb 19, 2015 | 09:09 PM
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My wheel has been off center for 55,000 of it's 60,000 miles
 
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Old Feb 20, 2015 | 08:13 AM
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It's been off pretty much since new, I have just lived with it. But, while it was on my mind I thought that I would ask if anyone knew of an easy fix with out getting an alignment that I don't need other than the wheel being off center.

Ruschejj, I appreciated the bump to keep this post going.
 
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Old Feb 20, 2015 | 06:44 PM
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a little adjustment and i mean little goes a long way with that drag link. I've done it a few times after different lift kits being installed. what i did was adjusted it where i thought was correct, drove it down to the gas station and adjusted it again if it wasn't perfect. two times the charm in my cases. 15mm wrench and a small pipe wrench or channel locks should do the trick
 
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Old Feb 20, 2015 | 07:26 PM
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Originally Posted by Blapensee
a little adjustment and i mean little goes a long way with that drag link. I've done it a few times after different lift kits being installed. what i did was adjusted it where i thought was correct, drove it down to the gas station and adjusted it again if it wasn't perfect. two times the charm in my cases. 15mm wrench and a small pipe wrench or channel locks should do the trick
Blapen has it pegged. here is how us Artillery school grads do it: If you have someone in the seat talking to you while you do the the twist, come back a quarter turn. So if you turn it a full turn, back off a 1/4 turn (actually in the Arty, we would do a 1/2 turn).
 
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