Steering Wheel Alignment

[Lrand]

Ok guys Ive read most of the problems you had with front end drift and did do some of the suggested cures and the track bar by moog worked but now my steering wheel sets at about 2:00 o'clock postion when driven down the freeway. My question is how do you reset it back?

Does dodge have splines on the steering wheel so that you can pull it off and rotate it back or do you have to pull the linkage apart and rotate the shaft or did I miss something?

I have a 1997 Dodge 4x4 heavy 3/4 ton cummins with 140000 miles manual 5 speed long bed. Bright red with amsoil bypass filter fully loaded with all the play toys.

 

[BCFAST]

You cant take the steering wheel off without messing with the airbag, and you dont want to do that!

The way to straighten the wheel is on the cross-linkage, not on the steering shaft. Lying on the ground under the front bumper, you'll see a rod running from the passangers side over to the steering box and connecting to a crooked/bent arm. In the center of that long rod is a connecting piece about 8" long and has a clamping bolt/nut at each end..... this is where you make your adjustment! Loosen those bolts and move the connector on the threads to straighten your wheel. Some penetrating oil may help lube things up.



Brian

 

[TomGolden]

Brian/Anyone,



I had a 2 1/2" Skyjacker lift kit installed about 2 months ago, and the yahoo at the shop didn't even bother looking at the steering wheel. It was completely upside down! So, the guy at the front end alignment shop I took the truck to, was able to get the steering wheel aligned again by doing what Brian explains above. The problem is, to get the wheel back to a fairly normal orientation, he had to adjust this to the very limits of the ends of both pieces of the two rods. There is now like only 1/4" at the very end of each rod inside the "coupling" and I'm really afraid if I hit a really hard bump or two, things may come all unglued... ...



Does anyone know if there is any type of aftermarket longer than stock rods for either end of this section of the steering assembly? Here's a picture of what Brian and I are talking about, at the bottom of this previous thread:



https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=40070



Tom

 

[Chipstien]

Tom, is your front end centered with the truck? It sounds to me like you need to shorten the DT trak bar. Doing so will pull the axle towards the drivers side and thus shortening the drag link. A suggestion to chew on.

 

[TomGolden]

Chip, I hadn't even thought to check that. I'll try to see if I can measure anything this week to determine if it is indeed centered. I know it is too far forward, as the wheels are no longer centered in the wheel wells, but that's another matter... with the new control arms.



Thanks,

Tom

 

[WestTN]

It may also be that one tie rod end is adjusted too far in while the other is too far out.

 

[fest3er]

Don't go adjusting random things, check the following:

• ensure the axle is properly centered, adjusting the track bar until it is
• ensure the pitman arm is centered when the wheels are aimed straight forward, adjusting the drag link until it is
• *Now* you can adjust the steering wheel if necessary.

If the steering wheel does need adjustment, you might be better off making this adjustment at the steering gear (unless that joint is keyed - my Flaming River shaft is not keyed, so I *can* adjust the wheel there; unfortunately, I can't remember if the OEM shaft is keyed!).

Why go through all this? You want all four wheels aligned so the truck drives straight. If the axle is off-center, you'll be driving down the road sideways. You want the steering gear properly centered so you will have as much left-turning capacity as right-turning, as well as having the steering gear internals centered.

As they say, do the job right the first time and you won't have to go back and do it again. And again. Ad infinitum. Done right, the truck will be a pleasure to drive. 107K miles and I *still* have no desire to get something different.

N