Centering Steering Wheel After Replacing Urethane Bushings

[jalexquijano]

My steering Wheel is at 11:00 a.m after all the suspensión bushings were changed. Do i need to take the car to alignment so that the steering Wheel sits at 12:00 p.m.? Will i need to remove the steering Wheel also after doing the alignment?

[rcb280z]

I would do an alignment. Anytime you have the suspension apart, like you had, you should have it done. Especially if you replaced all bushings.

 

As far as how the steering wheel "sits", have you driven the car to seat the new bushings? Maybe its not off as much as you think. 

 

The alignment shop will make sure the steering wheel is centered. 

[jalexquijano]

I would do an alignment. Anytime you have the suspension apart, like you had, you should have it done. Especially if you replaced all bushings.

 

As far as how the steering wheel "sits", have you driven the car to seat the new bushings? Maybe its not off as much as you think. 

 

The alignment shop will make sure the steering wheel is centered. 

Thanks. I would go to the shop tomorrow. Hope i dont have to take the steering Wheel off after doing the alignment.

 

By the way what i was thinking also of changing the 4 tires to ones with more "meat". I am using the following stock mag wheels:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DATSUN-280Z-BLACK-PEARL-WHEEL-RIM-5-1-2-X-15-INCH-NISSAN-GOOD-CONDITION-RARE-/111439561343?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Wheels&hash=item19f250c27f&vxp=mtr

 

What 14 inch tires  would be recomendable?

 

Jorge

Edited March 13, 2015 by jalexquijano

[siteunseen]

If you have a stock wheel they come off really easy.  The horn pad is what is tricky to remove without cracking the plastic on the rear.

[EuroDat]

Better ot have a wheel alignment. The PU bushes have probably corrected sage and/or wear in the original bushes. The geomentry has changed and repositioning the steering wheel will not correct that. The rack should be centered and the tie-rod ends adjusted accordingly to give you the correct (equal) amount turns to lock.

Chas

[jalexquijano]

Okay just completed the alignment at the shop. Now its like 12:30 p.m., better but not exactly centered. Should i go back to them or should i correct this by pulling the steering Wheel out, center it and re install? Just to mention that before i changed all the bushings the steering Wheel was totally straight at 12:00 p.m.

[Captain Obvious]

Okay just completed the alignment at the shop. Now its like 12:30 p.m., better but not exactly centered. Should i go back to them or should i correct this by pulling the steering Wheel out, center it and re install? Just to mention that before i changed all the bushings the steering Wheel was totally straight at 12:00 p.m.

 

You always need an alignment after replacing bushings and the alignment guys are supposed to adjust things such that the steering wheel ends up at perfect 12:00 when the alignment is done. Problem is it's not always that easy to accomplish and they're in the business of making money.

 

And important to note that pulling the steering wheel off the column and changing it's position is NOT the correct way to adjust to 12:00. The steering wheel 12:00 position is supposed to be accomplished by adjustment of the tie rod ends, not the steering wheel to column positioning.

 

So, bottom line is that the alignment guys didn't get it quite right and if it bothers you enough, you should take it back to them and tell them about it. But be aware that it's not always easy for them to get the steering wheel perfect, and I would cite two possible reasons.

 

1) Accumulated looseness in the whole system from steering column bearings all the way to the wheel bearings and everything in between.

2) The sticky friction of the urethane bushings that you just installed.

 

They're in the business of making money and probably won't want to spend four alignments worth of time getting your car hair splitting perfect.

[siteunseen]

Is it the original wheel?  Have you taken it off before?

 

"Hope i dont have to take the steering Wheel off after doing the alignment."  sounds like you have.

[rcb280z]

If the steering wheel still isn't correct I would take it back to the shop and show them. They should have test drivin the car after the alignment. If they did they would have noticed the wheel is off, no?