Wheel alignment

[minifridge1138]

Hey everyone,

I replaced the master control valve (finally) and it works great.
But now my steering wheel is not aligned with my wheels.
I have to have the wheel turned to about 2 o'clock to drive straight.

How can I re-align the steering wheel to line up with the front wheels?

Thanks everyone!

 

[gmjunkie]

Hey everyone,

I replaced the master control valve (finally) and it works great.
But now my steering wheel is not aligned with my wheels.
I have to have the wheel turned to about 2 o'clock to drive straight.

How can I re-align the steering wheel to line up with the front wheels?

Thanks everyone!

1.I'd check toe-in on the front!! (1/32-1/16) inch!
I do this by jacking the front of the car up and spinning the wheel and painting a strip around the tire with silver spray paint!
(I use silver because it will ware off quicker than other colors and it's easier to see the line your going to scribe on it!)

2. I have a tire scribe and assume you don't, so take a Brick or Block of Wood and a Ice pick,have someone spin the wheel and scribe a line all the way around the tire evenly so the black rubber line shows all the way around both front tires!!

3. I have Turn Tables and assume you don't, so you need 4 pieces of sheet metal (Aluminum Flashing from Home Depot works good!!) about 1 ft square,2 for each side, apply a little grease between each pair and set them under each tire and let the car down on them, and bounce the front end 4-5 times from the middle of the front! (with ft.wheels strait ahead)

4. Measure at rear of tires from line to line about 3 inches off the floor, and then do the same at the front!! The front should be about 1/32-1/16 Less!
(I use a Tram Gage,but a Tape measure will work)

5.Now,if that is purdy close, in equal amounts shorten the Rt tie rods by turning the collar between the ends!! Same on the left only longer!! (Rt in,Lt out) You said your Steering wheel is at about 2 O'Clock,I'd start with (3/4 turn in Rt), (3/4 turn out Lt) !

 

[gmjunkie]

Sorry, the only Photos I could find Quick was this Old Rustang with 1200 miles on it!!

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

How can I re-align the steering wheel to line up with the front wheels?

A quick visit to the alignment rack will fix this. DO NOT be tempted to remove the steering wheel from the shaft and reposition it!

 

[Hib Halverson]

If the only thing you did was replace the control valve and, now, the steering is not centered, then, before you do all that toe-in stuff, you need to go back over your work to check everything.

Then center the steering, set the front toe then center the steering, again, if needed.

 

[wishuwerehere82]

If the only thing you did was replace the control valve and, now, the steering is not centered, then, before you do all that toe-in stuff, you need to go back over your work to check everything.

Then center the steering, set the front toe then center the steering, again, if needed.

I agree. There should only be a gap of about the thickness of your thumbnail between the shoulder of the relay rod and the valve body.

 

[petes74ttop]

The problem is that the toe is now differant than it was when you had the old CV installed. The Gap between the Relay Rod ( Drag Link) and the new CV is differant than it was, this throws your Toe out. Correct the toe as explained above or go back to your alignment shop and have them correct it. You don't need a full alignment, just an adjustment in the Toe. PG.

 

[JohnZ]

The toe-in setting hasn't changed at all - only the centering; five minutes on an alignment rack (equal adjustment of the sleeves on both sides to re-center the linkage without disturbing the toe setting) and you'll be in business.

 

[petes74ttop]

Now I think I understand what you mean by "Centering". If you turn each sleeve the same way-you "Center" the wheels. If you turn each sleeve differantly then you change the toe, is that correct. PG.

 

[JohnZ]

Now I think I understand what you mean by "Centering". If you turn each sleeve the same way-you "Center" the wheels. If you turn each sleeve differantly then you change the toe, is that correct. PG.

Yup, that's correct - that's why one end of each sleeve has RH threads, and the other end of each sleeve has LH threads; turn them both in the same direction, and it shortens one side while lengthening the other side equally.

 

[gmjunkie]

Yup, that's correct - that's why one end of each sleeve has RH threads, and the other end of each sleeve has LH threads; turn them both in the same direction, and it shortens one side while lengthening the other side equally.

Thanks John,I guess I could have explained that a little better!!

 

[minifridge1138]

Hey everyone,

Sorry i didn't get back sooner, i was on vacation.
Yes, the toe angle is fine. It is just that the steering wheel is not centered with the wheels.

Should I just take it to an alignment shop, or is it something I can do myself?

Thanks for all of the advice!

 

[bob_robert]

I had the same problem on my 78. When I screwed the valve back on I did not make the same number of turns on (16-1/2) as when I unscrewed it.

I re-did mine and it's OK now. If your going to remove/reinstall it make sure that you use a tie rod end puller not a "Pickle Fork" so you do not damage the Rubber Boot on the steering ball conected to the Pitman arm.

 

[petes74ttop]

Centering! Different than toe problem.

Hi Minifridge, glad you had a nice vacation, and welcome back. When i did the same job I had the same problem, the wheel was not at 12 o'clock. After rechecking the new control valve 3 times, and still not being able to get the wheel centered I went to the alignment shop. Inside of 5 minutes they got the wheel "Centered". They said "Your Toe Was Out", well I was happy that the car was back to normal.
Well in fact it is not the Toe that gets out of spec, it it the centering, which I learned from John Z and GM Junkie, ( thanks again for clearing that up for me ).
Before I got there correct advise, I thought that the toe was out, now I learned something.
So to answer your question, yes you can "Center" the wheel yourself. Just turn each tie rod sleeve 1/2 half turn in the same direction and check the results. If the centering gets worse, go the other way.
bob_robert, your right, the number of turns and where the CV bottoms out seems to be what causes this problem in the first place.
Happy Holidays, PG.

 

[minifridge1138]

the problem is definitely that the CV bottomed out too soon. The new one didn't go on as far as the old one (and the old one wasn't on all the way either). Before the wheel was off by about 15*, now it is closer to 45*.

I REALLY don't want to take the CV off again, so i think i'll try to adjust the tie-rods.

Thanks for all of the help. I'll probably post back on this soon. I'm not lucky enough to get it right the first time.

 

[minifridge1138]

Ok, i'm back.

How exactly do I adjust the tie-rods?

My service manual simply says, "...loosen the clamp bolt at the end of the tie rod and adjust...". A little more detail would be helpful.

Thanks!

UPDATE:
I figured it out and got my steering wheel centered. I'll drive it tomorrow and see how it handles. Hopefully i didn't mess up the Toe.
THANKS EVERYONE!