Wheel alignment

[Jonny77]

Well after visiting 4 tyre places that would not do the tracking on my truck, today I found somewhere that would. £30 later and the toe out was corrected. But.... the steering wheel is wonky, which I cant stand, so I have a cunning plan, and I want to run it by you lot first.
Right, I now know (well, hope) that the wheels are all pointing where they should be, so with the front up on axle stands and the wheels off, I will use a laser spirit level placed against the brake disc and mark on the garage door where each wheel is pointing. At this stage the steering wheel will be off centre, and presumably the steering box pitman arm too.
Next I will straighten the steering wheel, the pitman arm should now also be straight but the wheels will be pointing off somewhere. Now I will adjust the track rods and bring the laser dots back to where the original marks were.
So now if all has gone to plan, my steering wheel will be straight, the steering box will be in the middle of its range and the wheels will be correctly tracked.
Does all that sound feasible?

[joker??]

jon where did you get your tracking done ??

btw ferk knows about your laser working but it sounds good

[Jonny77]

I got it done at http://www.f1autocentres.co.uk I used the Maidstone branch, but there are others around. I had a look at the wheel jigs they used and they seemd to fit on ok. Most places said that their kit wouldnt go over the tyres, so they couldnt get an accurate reading.

[joker??]

I got it done at http://www.f1autocentres.co.uk I used the Maidstone branch, but there are others around. I had a look at the wheel jigs they used and they seemd to fit on ok. Most places said that their kit wouldnt go over the tyres, so they couldnt get an accurate reading.

cheers jon

[Apache]

Yeah that'll work!

Me and my mate did mine with the aid of long poles against the tyres! Lasers sounds much better though

[Garygadget]

just take it back and they will realine your stearing wheel, had to have mine done last week after having my tracking done

[Bogus]

Cant you just take the steering wheel off and replace it straight ??

Bogus

[Apache]

Probably easier to do it with the track rods. Just try doing it half a turn on each side at a time until the wheel is straight. Takes about 5 minutes.

[Jonny77]

Cant you just take the steering wheel off and replace it straight ??

Bogus

Well you can, but in doing that it wont be in the centre of the indicator cancellers, so you will be cancelling too early one way and too late t'other. Call me anal if you want.
I need to move the wheel by 2 splines which puts it right on the right hand indicator cancelling thingy, so changing lanes on the motorway would be a pain unless I do what most people do and just dont use them.
I think I will run with my laser idea. I can get some measurements whilst I am at it so I can check settings in the future when I smash it up offroad again...

[oneidadan]

The F1 auto centre near me (mansfield) did that to my car as well, took it on to align steering, came out wonkier than it went in. Had to take it to a garage that specialised in wheel alignment to get it right. Turned out it wasn't just the steering wheel they'd got wonky, but pretty much all the wheels.
Might be best to find someone like that near you just incase they've messed it up. I used this guy: http://www.alignment-services.co.uk/..._alignment.asp

[Bogus]

. Call me anal if you want.
...

Ok Anal , point taken

Bogus

[Karma Supra]

I'd take it back and keep taking it back until they do it properly!

I took my supra in for alignment at a Humphreys.. the guy refused to do it as the suspention was "too complicated".

Its a 20 year old car FFS!

The incompotence of some of these places scares me!

[chrisinflight]

When I changed my steering box the steering wheel was out towards the right. I simply took it off and re-positioned it centre. The indicator stalk, I think, uses the shaft not the wheel and should`nt be affected.