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Hey,
I just replaced the lower u-joint on the steering shaft (the one that
connects the rack and shaft) and the wheel is slightly cockeyed--10 degrees CCW or so. (Can't remember for sure it it was off before I did the work).
I tried to correct the problem by pulling the steering wheel and rotating it, but the splines were too coarse--a one spline CW rotation "reversed" the problem by putting the wheel 10 degrees CW.
It seems like there are two options:
1) Unbolt one of the pinch bolts and rotate the steering shaft. However I'm skeptical that this would work--unless the splines on the rack and lower shaft are much finer than those on the steering wheel and upper shaft, I'll get the same result as trying to rotate the steering wheel.
2) Wheel alignment? Expensive for nothing if it doesn't work.
3) Try to tweak the alignment myself--maybe something with the toe-in. (This might be nutty so hold on). If the rack is not precisely self centering, could I tweak the toe in a bit to the right on each front wheel and thereby center the steering wheel? Any other shade tree stuff?
Comments appreciated.
Dave S.
P.S. I unbolted the steering wheel and rotated it, then went for a drive to see it if improved things. Naturally eager to avoid extra work, I didn't put the nut back on (but was careful to keep the wheel pressed forward against the shaft of course). A friend of mine rode along in the passenger seat and he was rather appalled, to say the least. I imagined pulling the wheel off, handing it to him
(like in one of those old Hardy Bros reels) and saying "OK wiseguy, if you don't like what I'm doing, then you drive!!"
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