Adjusting Steering Wheel Center

APC9199 · **Posted:** Fri Dec 09, 2016 9:33 am

A driver side swiped me on the highway in October of last year in my 2006 Liberty CRD Limited and totalled the vehicle (for the second time). The frame on this one looked good and the damage wasn't anything I couldn't take care of by myself for the most part. I had a frame specialist inspect the frame for damage and, other than a slightly crumpled front left cradle, there wasn't any. I've done most of the rebuild myself but didn't want to attempt any of the alignment and inspection of the suspension. I also had to replace the rack and pinion and PS pump since the seals blew out when the guy hit me, taking out the pump as well. I towed it to a local shop to have them do the work. So far they have inspected the suspension and say that nothing looks damaged. They started the alignment (knowing what I had already done to it) and are now saying they can't get the steering wheel centered when the wheels are properly aligned. It is apparently about 20 or 30 degrees to one side. I know that the steering column is only clocked every 360 degrees, so that isn't the problem. Is it possible that the interface of the rack and pinion was clocked incorrectly when I installed it? Or, is this just a problem with the shop not knowing what they are doing? They seem like a good shop and I don't want to jump to conclusions, but they also say nothing is damaged or out of alignment with the frame. I want to give them a chance, but it sucks that I gave them this problem to solve and now I'm here asking you guys how to fix the problem for them.

Anyone have any ideas on what to start with the get this thing figured out?

lfhoward · **Posted:** Fri Dec 09, 2016 11:13 am

A few years ago I had the same issue with the steering wheel being cockeyed after my Jeep was clipped in a rear corner. The other vehicle damaged the rear axle brackets where the control arms attach to the axle tube, so that the rear axle was just slightly off (no longer exactly perpendicular with the direction of travel). So, the steering wheel not being straight doesn't have to be from the front end. Any chance that the side swiping vehicle got your rear wheel as well?

APC9199 · **Posted:** Fri Dec 09, 2016 11:18 am

lfhoward wrote:

A few years ago I had the same issue with the steering wheel being cockeyed after my Jeep was clipped in a rear corner. The other vehicle damaged the rear axle brackets where the control arms attach to the axle tube, so that the rear axle was just slightly off (no longer exactly perpendicular with the direction of travel). So, the steering wheel not being straight doesn't have to be from the front end. Any chance that the side swiping vehicle got your rear wheel as well?

When I talk to the shop I'll ask them about that!

APC9199 · **Posted:** Fri Dec 09, 2016 3:15 pm

Just talked to the shop again. They say they don't know how the rear end alignment can affect the front end at all. Not getting a warm fuzzy feeling about this. He keeps saying that the only explanation he can think of is if the rack was manufactured improperly. He also mentioned that the caster was at the maximum according to the factorty spec on the left front wheel, but was within spec. It's also worth noting that the tie rod ends are adjusted extremely far in one direction (one long and one short). I don't remember which way. I figured that was because I, admittedly, didn't know what I was doing when I put it together and didn't even try to get it aligned properly. The shop claims that the rack and steering column were installed correctly. It seems like there is a snowballs chance in hell that a factory MOPAR part was made wrong and cannot be adjusted to spec by the proper procedures on a vehicle with "no damaged parts" according to the shop.

I'm looking for any suggestions here. I know they are going to fight with me if I tell them I'm not paying for a half-done job and would really rather they just fix the darn thing.

To review:
Frame was checked out OK by reputable shop.
I changed rack and pinion and power steering pump with OEM parts.
After installation, tie rod ends are adjusted way to one side.
Shop has verified there are no damaged suspension components.
After alignment, tie rods are still to one side, caster is high (but in-spec) on left front, and steering wheel is not centered.
Shop doesn't know why and their best bet is the R&P is manufactured incorrectly.

Haaaalp!

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Fri Dec 09, 2016 3:41 pm

turn your tie rods about 15 turns onto the rods each and have it realigned and tell the alignment shop to stop being retarded
if you want to try it yourself..
your steering wheel is off center the equivalent of the inequality in the turns in your tie rods heh, whichever side the steering wheel is turned to, turn that tie rod in about 3 turns, then turn out the opposite side 3 turns (just mirror opposite what you did on the other side) and put them back on the knuckles and sit it down and recheck your center

unless you actually do have a problem, the tie rod that you have thats turned the farthest out, will be the one you turn in, and the one farthest in will be the one you turn out

i think mine is 14 on one side and 15 on the other, but i did hit a horse at 50 mph

this is atleast something your alignment shop should have done correctly, even if i ballsed up someones alignment and told them look man ive been messin with your weirdness for two hours and this is the best i can do..

atleast their steering wheels gonna be straight.

APC9199 · **Posted:** Fri Dec 09, 2016 4:40 pm

JeepinJarhead03 wrote:

turn your tie rods about 15 turns onto the rods each and have it realigned and tell the alignment shop to stop being retarded
if you want to try it yourself..
your steering wheel is off center the equivalent of the inequality in the turns in your tie rods heh, whichever side the steering wheel is turned to, turn that tie rod in about 3 turns, then turn out the opposite side 3 turns (just mirror opposite what you did on the other side) and put them back on the knuckles and sit it down and recheck your center

unless you actually do have a problem, the tie rod that you have thats turned the farthest out, will be the one you turn in, and the one farthest in will be the one you turn out

i think mine is 14 on one side and 15 on the other, but i did hit a horse at 50 mph

this is atleast something your alignment shop should have done correctly, even if i ballsed up someones alignment and told them look man ive been messin with your weirdness for two hours and this is the best i can do..

atleast their steering wheels gonna be straight.

I have to confirm with the shop because it has been so long since I've worked on it, but I want to say that the tie rods were adjusted OPPOSITE the way the steering wheel is off. Is it possible for the R&P to be off a tooth or more and actually be throwing everything off? Anyone know how much angle each tooth in the R&P would translate to in the steering wheel?

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Fri Dec 09, 2016 10:41 pm

Modern alignment racks must use the rear readings(adjustable or not) to set the front toe.If they don't know that there a bunch of idiots.

If they can't get the steering wheel straight then only a few possibilities can be at fault...............

1- the guy doing the alignment is a idiot(most likely in this case)
2-the rack is bad internally and skipping teeth only if the steering is set centered and ends up off center after driving.
3-the guy doing the alignment is a idiot(getting the point?).

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 10, 2016 1:25 am

^ where's the dang like button on this forum :ROTFL:

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Sat Dec 10, 2016 10:13 am

JeepinJarhead03 wrote:

^ where's the dang like button on this forum :ROTFL:

Code:

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APC9199 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 13, 2016 8:58 am

Looks like I'll be calling them today and asking for my money back if they haven't figured it out. Thanks a lot guys!

Adjusting Steering Wheel Center

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