Centering steering wheel

[cj's mopar]

wow

well there AINT ONE ON MINE!

Thats Ok Clearly you have never opened a service manual or worked on any other car than yours .

 

[ply64post]

centering wheel

CJ

I think i'm confused. There are no control arms/tires on the car right now. The only thing connected is the pitman/ idler arm/center link.
If i turn the wheel from full left to full right it is 5.5 revolutions. If i come back to the midpoint and straighten the wheel out (Imagine a "T" as the steering wheel) then it is 3 turns to the left and 2.5 turns to the right.

I do see the 4 keys in the pitman

maddart

I check my 69 superbee which is an original 47k car and not messed with and
with the wheel straight and turn to the left it is 3 turns and 2 3/4 to the right
from center.( from the factory)

Jeff

 

[maddart]

Ply64post

Are your tie rods different lengths as well?

 

[ply64post]

shafts and linkage

Ply64post

Are your tie rods different lengths as well?

maddart

I took some pictures of my steering under the hood and the steering linkage.
When my steering is staight ahead the dot or hole and the notch on the coupler are at staight up position.As for the linkage I would start each tie rod end in the sleeve and install them on the car and adjust the sleeve til the wheel is straight ahead.Then do the other side.This should keep the tie rods adjusted evenly.Lock the steering wheel so it doesn't move.Also my car is manual steering.Then take to alignment shop.

Attached Images

Jeff


1 Is the drive side
2 Is the passenger side
3 Is under the hood

 

[Dako]

I just went through this re-installing a rebuilt steering box and restored steering wheel on my `66 Belvedere II.

cj's mopar and ply64post are giving you good gouge...so is D575, but I think he is doing at an experienced mechanic's level (think mechanic-to-mechanic).

With the Pitman arm and Steering shaft disconnected from the steering box, I was able to see (count) the rotations of the steering input shaft (small shaft poking out of the steering box). Mine also made 5 1/2 revolutions , stop-to-stop. With a good grip you can rotate it by hand.

Setting it in the middle at 2 3/4 turns from either direction put the index mark at 12 o'clock.

I then slid the steering column onto the input shaft. This set the hole for the wrist pin (part that keeps them from separating) vertically as indicated in ply64post's photo.

Moving inside the car I could see the alignment mark on the shaft where the wheel goes was also at 12 o'clock (my `66 Belvedere II, `70 Duster 340 and `72 Dodge pickup, all had wheel alignment grooves in the shaft).

Installing the wheel on the alignment mark had it indexed properly.

I then moved back under the car and re-attached the pitman arm to the steering box. Using this sequence I know from the steering wheel (where inputs to steering are made) out to the pitman arm, that each piece is properly indexed.

Now, with the steering wheel straight, I will look at my front wheels to see if either needs to be adjusted in or out. Get them in the ball park and it's off to an alignment shop for an accurate check/ setting of all front specs. Clear as mud? :icon_razz: Hope this helps and doesn't just add to the confusion.