Does Your Wheel Sit Centred?

**Smurf** · by **Smurf** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 9:56 am

Hi All,

Just a very quick question... does your steering wheel sit centred? The only reason I ask is that mine seems to sit 10 degrees or so to the right, so if I want to go in a straight line I have to hold it at that position, rather than just centre!

Just wondering if this is normal... :?:

**Kieran_Burns** · by **Kieran_Burns** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 10:11 am

Yeah, mine is spot on.. but I did get a new steering rack fitted and it was on the nail afterwards, before it was a couple of degrees out.

Stupink · by **Stupink** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 10:16 am

Basically it means some muppet did your tracking..
Any decent garage should be able to correct it, while the last place ensured the wheels were of the correct geometry, they didnt bother to make sure the rack was centred first.. they just ajusted one side..

**Smurf** · by **Smurf** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 10:19 am

Thanks for the replies. Hopefully then this shouldn't cost me much to put right... I hope [img]/smile.gif[/img]

**Kieran_Burns** · by **Kieran_Burns** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 11:04 am

Isn't it 'just' a matter of adjusting the track rod ends???

**Smurf** · by **Smurf** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 11:19 am

<div class='quotetop'>(Kieran_Burns)</div><div class='quotemain'>Isn't it 'just' a matter of adjusting the track rod ends???</div>

If it is that, I'm judging by how 'just' is in apostrophes that it's not a particularly easy job then? [img]/sad.gif[/img]

**jaybv6** · by **jaybv6** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 11:36 am

It's best to get someone to do it. Preferably on a laser tracking machie to make sure that nothing else is wrong. It's not a job to be done yourself unless you have the tools to measure what you are doing.

**Smurf** · by **Smurf** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 11:53 am

<div class='quotetop'>(jaybv6)</div><div class='quotemain'>It's best to get someone to do it. Preferably on a laser tracking machie to make sure that nothing else is wrong. It's not a job to be done yourself unless you have the tools to measure what you are doing.</div>

Thanks mate.

The place I'm getting the wheel refurbs done (Micheldever) probably have the facility there to check it, so I'll get it done when I get round to doing those.

**Kieran_Burns** · by **Kieran_Burns** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 12:15 pm

As Jay says - the actual DOING is easy.

Getting it right... bit harder! (it's one of the reasons why the car should be weighted when the tracking is done)

**Smurf** · by **Smurf** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 12:26 pm

Thanks Kieran.

What are the usual general effects of having bad tracking?

In the same area - what are the general effects of a bad steering rack?

**Kieran_Burns** · by **Kieran_Burns** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 12:49 pm

Bad tracking:
pulling to one side (make sure it isn't the road camber)
excessive wear on one rim of the tyre (inside / outside), excessive wear on both is more likely due to incorrect tyre pressure

Bad Rack:
In my experience (had it a few times now...)
'notchy' steering
heavy steering
whining when turning
'loose' steering - i.e. no response to minor turns of the wheel

However they can also be accounted for by other problems (heavy and whining are sympomatic of low PAS fluid levels, notchy could be CV joint / wishbone bush etc)

Hope this helps!

**peter** · by **peter** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 1:05 pm

Err guys,

Couldnt it be that the steering wheel may have been taken off and then put back on skewy ?

Just a thought.

Pete

**Smurf** · by **Smurf** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 1:20 pm

Thanks for the explanation Kieran - much appreciated.

Pete - that was another thing I was thinking of. I think I'll get the tracking checked anyway as some of the other symptoms Kieran has listed are also valid for me at the moment.

If all else fails I'll take the wheel off and sit it back straight. It's just having to take it to Vauxhall and pay them Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£20 for them to reset the airbag fault it'll flag up which is the pain of doing that [img]/sad.gif[/img]

**jaybv6** · by **jaybv6** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 1:36 pm

<div class='quotetop'>(Smurf)</div><div class='quotemain'>If all else fails I'll take the wheel off and sit it back straight. It's just having to take it to Vauxhall and pay them Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£20 for them to reset the airbag fault it'll flag up which is the pain of doing that [img]/sad.gif[/img]</div>

***Warning*** Stop right there. I would not advice removing an Airbag steering wheel yourself. Only do so if you are sure that it will not go off. The main thing is to disconnect the battery before you even attempting to do anything with the steering wheel. You then need to disconnect the connection for the airbag trigger.

I doubt it very much if the steering wheel has beenremoved and replaced incorrectly.

**Col_UK** · by **Col_UK** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 8:05 pm

smurf (neil??) yeah mitcheldever will do it but they did mine last time and now my car pulls to the left with the wheel str8, got to go back and get it checked again as they're the only place with a flat tracking bay

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