steering CLOCKSPRING ???

[Don in Missouri]

What does it do? I read the centering procedure in the manual, but I still don't understand its function. Does it have anything to do with centering the steering wheel?



If not, how do you center the wheel? I didn't find any adjustable linkage under the front. I had the steering wheel off, but didn't mess with the clockspring. I noticed the wheel was splined so it only goes on one way.

 

[Paychk]

Clock spring is how the cruise control / horn electrics connect from the steering wheel to the electrical system.



To center the wheel the toe-in must be adjusted at each wheel to bring the steering wheel back to center.

 

[Greenleaf]

... . and if the toe in /alignment will not center it there may be a problem elsewhere. After my truck was adjusted it (the steering wheel) was off a good bit. I pulled the wheel and ground out one of the fat splines on the shaft the wheel hub splines to. I now have a centered wheel.



My truck must have need in a front end collision at some time cause there is still visable damage to the front axle assy pieces parts, not to mention new radiator/grill etc. etc. etc.



The engine oil pan and transmission pan are bent, up/in, so what ever he ran over must have been something big.



-S

 

[boatpuller]

... . and if the toe in /alignment will not center it there may be a problem elsewhere. After my truck was adjusted it (the steering wheel) was off a good bit. I pulled the wheel and ground out one of the fat splines on the shaft the wheel hub splines to. I now have a centered wheel.

If you've got a Borgeson shaft you can just move it a spline or two at the steering box and not have to mess with the steering wheel, I had to do that then found out that once I replaced my upper kingpin bushings that it needs moved back to where it was for the wheel to be straight.





Caleb

 

[Allnew2Me]

Back in the old days when all you had was a horn in your steering wheel, a slip ring was fine for the electrical connection between the moving wheel and the column. Since the advent of airbags they have switched over to a clockspring. If you have ever seen a manual wind clock you know what this looks like, a continuous band of steel spring wound around itself in a concentric pattern. The clockspring in your steering wheel, is the same and allows the electrical connetction between the steering wheel and the column, the mover and the stationary, to be connected through this spring without relying on anything rubbing against anything else, making for a positive electrical for the airbag. 2001 had a safety recall and they were replaced on some trucks, mine included. The steering wheel centering adjustment on mine anyway is the sleeve that connects the pitman arm to the drag link under the front of the truck, the other adjustable sleeve is the toe-in adustment.

 

[Don in Missouri]

If you've got a Borgeson shaft you can just move it a spline or two at the steering box and not have to mess with the steering wheel, I had to do that then found out that once I replaced my upper kingpin bushings that it needs moved back to where it was for the wheel to be straight.





Caleb

I think that's what the previous owner did. I undid it, because the roll pin holding the shaft to the steering gear wouldn't go in all the way. Now that the roll pin is securely in place, I need to take care of a bent axle housing, and then maybe the wheel will be where it is suppsoe to be.