Crooked steering wheel?

[efnfast]

Flaming river manual steering rack and FFR leather steering wheel.

If I center the steering rack(equal turns to lock on each side), the spoke on my steering wheel that should point to 6o'clock when rack is centered is pointing to 9o'clock.

Unless I"m mistaken, the wheel only bolts on one way?

I thought that the steering rack connection was also one way, but could it be keyed multiple ways? I don't think there's anything else other than those two (rack and wheel) that could cause the steering wheel to be crooked when the steering rack is dead centered, could there be?

[frankeeski]

Was it centered before?

[efnfast]

Nope - I've just been too lazy to address it until now :D

[SCFFR]

Ran into the same problem when I took my go kart a few weeks ago to get the front end aligned. I thought I had centered everything during assembly but when the mechanic found the center of the rack, the steering wheel was off about 90 degrees. Even though the rack has a splined shaft and the column joint is splined also, there was a flat spot on the rack shaft for the set screw on the u-joint so it installed only one way. The mechanic made a quick fix by getting the steering wheel centered and marking a spot on the rack shaft. He then slid the u-joint off the rack and used a small grinder to make another flat spot for the set screw. This allowed the steering wheel and rack to be perfectly centered. Obviously he had done this many times before.

Ron

[Broadwaydan]

I had the same issue, but since the difference in full turn from one side to the other was so small, I just went ahead and had it aligned to the centered steering wheel. Didn't think about creating another flat spot. I know I will have a slightly different turning radius left versus right, but it is very slight and rarely if ever will I peg the wheel in either direction anyway.

[efnfast]

I had the same issue, but since the difference in full turn from one side to the other was so small, I just went ahead and had it aligned to the centered steering wheel. Didn't think about creating another flat spot. I know I will have a slightly different turning radius left versus right, but it is very slight and rarely if ever will I peg the wheel in either direction anyway.

Interesting, as long as I don't run out of tie rod engagement I think that may be the best idea, I don't really want to dremel out flat spots.

I installed the steering portion like 4 1/2yrs ago so I couldn't remember if the splines at the rack and adapter were keyed to only go together 1 way or not.

[edwardb]

I had the same issue, but since the difference in full turn from one side to the other was so small, I just went ahead and had it aligned to the centered steering wheel. Didn't think about creating another flat spot. I know I will have a slightly different turning radius left versus right, but it is very slight and rarely if ever will I peg the wheel in either direction anyway.

Having a different turn radius left vs. right may not be a big issue. But something else to consider is the famous bump steer discussion. The idea is to have the pivot points of the upper and lower control arms in line with the pivot point of the inner tie rod. Having the rack off center with the wheels straight ahead could give different bump steer geometry for each side. I haven't measured what the different might be (could be too minor to matter) but still not something I would introduce if I had a chance not to. For my Mk4, centered the rack and centered the steering wheel. Then used a die grinder and made a new pocket for the set screw from the adapter in the right place. Nothing huge but enough to lock it in place. Along with a liberal dose of Loctite on the adapter and the set screw, it's not going anywhere. I don't think there are any down sides to that solution, and it's easy.

[CHOTIS BILL]

Not having the rack centered will definitely make the bumpsteer different from side to side to side. It is less sensitive than vertical location but still should be close to the same. I don’t know where the cross over point from good enough bumpsteer to not good enough is but I go to great lengths to get mine as a good as I can. I had a tank slaper at about 135MPH one time caused by to much bumpsteer and I didn’t like it. My Type 65 has less than .008” TIR from 2” of bump to 2” of rebound travel. I figure that a lot better than it needs to be is better that not quite good enough.

Bill Lomenick

[Jacob McCrea]

Guys, am I correct that a quick-release steering wheel (assuming it is not indexed/keyed to a specific point) would also solve these issues?

[Dan Babb]

Yes...it should. As long as the shop that does your alignment centers the wheels/rack and doesn't focus on the position of the steering wheel. I tell the guys that do my alignment not to worry about wheel position at all.

I usually put the wheel on at an off-centered position anyway so I can clearly read speed and RPMs. Then if I'm at a show or something, I'll reposition it to center just so it looks good.

[seagull81]

I did the same thing Dan did. Offset just a little, but I had to re-drill the hub to get it where I wanted it.

[Todd Buttrick]

This is pretty simple.

1. Have the alignment done
2. Center the steering wheel
3. Locate the wheel/tire that is pointing out
4. Turn that tie rod on that wheel clockwise (effectively shortening the tie rod) into the tie rod end at wheel and note the number of turns
5. Go to the opposite tie rod and turn it counterclockwise the same number of turns (keeps toe in unchanged from alignement)
6. Drive the car
7. Repeat as necessary until centered

[efnfast]

This is pretty simple.

1. Have the alignment done
2. Center the steering wheel
3. Locate the wheel/tire that is pointing out
4. Turn that tie rod on that wheel clockwise (effectively shortening the tie rod) into the tie rod end at wheel and note the number of turns
5. Go to the opposite tie rod and turn it counterclockwise the same number of turns (keeps toe in unchanged from alignement)
6. Drive the car
7. Repeat as necessary until centered

Yep, that is what I did today. A better solution would have been to use Breeze's quick release steering wheel adapter (so you can clock it as you see fit) but removing the steering shaft for welding would have been a bear so I opted for the ghetto solution.

No issues with bumpsteer to report doing it this way.

But damn, after ~4yrs of driving with a crooked wheel it's pretty weird driving with it pointing properly finally, lol

[frankeeski]

Funny thing is Alex, I have seen others purposely set the steering wheel crooked to see their gauges better. That would definitely bother me. For some reason, my recollection of the set screw for the steering rack adapter is that it set in the groove, not on the flat spot of the splines. I clocked mine right where I needed it to center the wheels and the steering wheel.

[efnfast]

Funny thing is Alex, I have seen others purposely set the steering wheel crooked to see their gauges better. That would definitely bother me. For some reason, my recollection of the set screw for the steering rack adapter is that it set in the groove, not on the flat spot of the splines. I clocked mine right where I needed it to center the wheels and the steering wheel.

No problems seeing the gagues here; actually, if anything I find it easier to see my speedo now.

I did wonder if I couldn't clock the shaft at the steering rack joint (although my memory is there was only 1 installation position for it), but I installed the steering system almost 6yrs ago and have no desire to open that can of worms and re-learn it :D