Straighten the Steering Wheel

Whether you have been doing alignments for two months or twenty years, one of the most frustrating feelings is to have a crooked steering wheel on the car you just finished aligning. In this video, we’ll discuss what a good alignment is, what could cause the steering wheel to be off after proper alignment, and a quick method to straighten the steering wheel.

[@natelove187]

This is the best example of how to straighten a steering wheel. Good instructions

[@johannesswillery7855]

Where can I find an alignment shop that cares this much?

[@michaelmoore3050]

Dealership

[@tabathapratt3458]

Amen dude no joke

[@richeyrich2203]

@@michaelmoore3050bs. Never seen a dealer that cares more than your average independent. That not saying much

[@matlock8314]

So right. Why are the alignment shops like that? Could it be that they're just not good at their jobs? I took a vehicle for alignment to two shops and had to revisit both shops multiple times. The 2nd shop comes closest to completing the job and then I give up. I would love to be able to do this myself

[@dannym5865]

Truth is that you can't find one. Just buy a 3 year alignment package and keep going back until they get it right. That's literally the only option if everything is chain owned.

[@DiegoAlvarez-lf8us]

One of those jobs you struggle with in the beginning but then once you learn it, makes you wonder why you were struggling at all. Great 90° angle tip for the inner tie rod adjustment.

[@daviderhahon]

Just what I needed. Nice. 3:56 Important tip there. Also at 4:15

[@SPCAlignment]

Thank you, glad you found the video helpful.

[@maxxibro]

This helps me, my car was off center by 2-3 degrees and it is annoying to drive. The alignment is straight but steering wasn't

[@fishuntr]

Excellent video sir!

[@zachariavarghese2302]

really nicely done. Will share with my dealer as they haven't been able to fix my volvo c70 properly.

[@jeffwilliams9086]

Most informative video I found on this problem!

[@stephenlund5483]

Good video but I wish there was more discussion on rear tire adjustment when getting a 4 wheel alignment.

[@Greg-el4sv]

This is a really great vid!! Had my steering wheel straightened out in about 30 minutes. :)

[@Bobthebuilderghedf]

Hi Greg. At which angle would you say you steering wheel was at? My steering wheel is at a 10.00 angle and pretty much all my warning lights have appeared, I put my vehicle through a diagnosis and it states "steering angle sensor mechanical fault" the mechanics are asking for a fortune to replace it. Do you think that if I do this it could fix it? Thanks. Ben

[@Michaelobama184]

@@Bobthebuilderghedf it seems like it's the wrong question. I think these alignment guys are in cahoots. I just realigned my old Tacoma truck because of an incompetent alignment mechanic and I used a string from the rear wheel to the front wheel and I made the adjustment and I watched it as I was ajusting the tie rod and now my front end alignment is way better than after I paid my hard earned money to have a front end alignment technician do the job right.

[@marcodellarocca5515]

Se asse di spinta non è zero non avrò mai un volante centrato? Facendo allineamento!! Complimenti x i video molto utili è professionali... Sono un gommista vorrei essere specializzato come i vostri tecnici👍

[@ROADFORCE9700]

In most cases, the steering wheel tilts to the right, and when it is placed in the alignment device, the steering wheel is straight and this is due to the poor quality of the wheels, which makes me reverse the steering wheel tilt to the left

[@lucashng]

And to my surprise most alignment workshop doesn't have this simple knowledge. Car got rolled in 3 times but still end up with crooked steering wheel.

[@kevaughnchavarria2102]

What I would normally do is if the steering is off after an alignment say in between 12 and 1 position I would just put it opposite of where it was and re adjust, test-drive and would set back normal but I think it's re calibration the systems need!

[@imOmar909]

some times it's the trust angle that's bad so when you align the front you center the wheel but when you drive it it's not centered because there's a problem in the rear

[@__-vb3ht]

So here's a question: I bought a classic car, and immediately changed the ball joints and tie rod ends. I then also had a professional alignment done in a shop before I first drove it. The car drives straight and doesn't feel off or twitchy as far I can tell, however I have to hold the wheel at 1 o'clock to go straight. When I turned the wheel from lock to lock I noticed that it rotated slightly farther to the left than to the right (From TDC on the steering wheel, where the tyres point slightly left as established). I then put the steering wheel on one tooth further to the right, it can now rotate exactly one and a half turns either side from TDC before hitting lock. But it now sits at about two o'clock when the tyres are pointed straight. My question is: Is that the right approach? Centre the steering wheel relative to the steering rack and then readjust the tie rod ends to suit? Or is it possible for a car to have asymmetrical lock from the factory if maybe the engineers had to compromise?

[@SPCAlignment]

Theoretically, if everything is perfect, the rack would be centered with the tires (sorry, tyres!) pointing straight ahead and the tie rod threads being equally threaded in. There is no reason to intentionally have anything different. Due to manufacturing tolerances and life, this may not be exactly the case. You want to have the rack travel centered with the steering wheel level, and then adjust the tire rods to get your toe correct. Some vehicles have steering columns which are "keyed" and only allow the steering wheel to mate to the shaft in one position. Yours sounds like that is not the case so you can move it around. Any chance someone had the steering wheel off in the past? Could the rack or lower steering connection have been changed and the bottom connection did not get back in the same spot? Usually if there is something really bent, the alignment report will be affected, but not always. A bent steering arm can cause the tie rods to be threaded differently and yet not affect a standard camber/caster/toe alignment report. There will be issues with "toe out on turns" if you go deeper into the alignment machine screens as well as possible bump steer or other issues. (Newer cars obviously need at least a steering angle sensor reset and possibly more ADAS related resets which you don't need to worry about.) A note about centering the steering rack; the tie rod ends should be removed from the knuckles so the rack itself is controlling the full lock positions and not engaging any stops related to the knuckles.

[@__-vb3ht]

@@SPCAlignment I rebuilt the suspension and the arms and subframes are fine. So i guess it was the previous owner who reassembled the steering column the wrong way, with the factory TDC mark way off. But thankfully the shaft isn't keyed. It's a splined shaft, and it's possible to centre the wheel between locks without taking out the whole steering column. After some digging in the workshop manual I also found where it says to do precisely that. There are no stops on the knuckles or anywhere except in the rack itself, but the idea with disconnecting the rod ends is a good point to remember for future projects. Thanks for the in depth answer!

[@agedretainer]

im taking my car back to the tyre shop after changing tyre, i got the same issue, straight wheels but steering wheel is off to the right. Hopefully they can fix it like this

[@jarlevanlandeghem8595]

Thx 🙏

[@kennethdante]

So he's just marking the tie rod with a line so he makes sure he adjusts both the same distance. Got it. (unless there is adjustment being made) I'm going to go with the taping the wheel straight to column as I learned in a diff video and matching each front to its rear wheel w string method should get me close enough. thx

[@milosmilanko4472]

Thanks, a lot !!

[@deathward990]

Good theory question is where can I get my repaired in Michigan

[@bineshmuscat3524]

Vary good information 👍👍👍

[@SPCAlignment]

Thanks

[@JohnS-il1dr]

Can't I just yank the steering wheel off and center it after I plug it back in? My car drives straight but the steering wheel in 2°off center clockwise.

[@MarioSays713]

My car is new but when it got aligned by someone they made the left steering stiff and it’s annoying when turning left vs right. What can be my problem? Doesnt pull.

[@SPCAlignment]

Mario, if you are in the US or Canada, please call me at 800-525-6505 as this will be easier than emailing back and forth. Thanks, Tom (in Tech)

[@Vannguyen_69]

thank you very much.Now i know

[@Ariautoace]

I am so desperate I have been trying to work on this for almost a year, no really a year. No one here seems to get it - I almost feel like engaging your services on a video call. My steering does not pull, if I let the steering wheel go it goes straight but the wheel tilts to the right by about 3 degrees. Since mine is right, do I flip over what you have done? (Taking into account the pre test of turning the tie end rod forward to know which is + and -)

[@PinBall3]

If your toe is correct but the wheel is to the right of center it`s most likely the crown they put in roads to allow for water drainage when it rains To compensate for road crown they rotate both tie rods equally as seen in this video to straighten the wheel effected from the road pitch Basically adjust and road test and repeat as needed till the steering wheel is straight when driving

[@mikebarbee2217]

My steering wheel is of center to the right but car goes straight down the road. It has NOTHING to do with the crown in the roads for drainage. If it was... everybody's steering wheel would be off center going down the road

[@hamzalag2006]

Thanks

[@SPCAlignment]

Welcome

[@richarddiaz8248]

Perfecto

[@robpaul7900]

So which side do I go out with and which side in if my wheel is to the left alittle?

[@specialtyproductscompanysp8027]

You would want to go out with the left wheel and in with the right to aim the wheels where the steering wheel is pointing. If you put the "+" and "-" signs on the front tires, you'll know which way to go. On the left front tire, you want to go "-". On the right front tire, you want to go "+". Don't just look at whether the tie rod gets longer or shorter because it can drive toe in either direction depending on whether the tie rod is in front of the wheel center, or behind.

[@10cent38]

Where you located. I have this problem alignment didn't help AND the mechanic continues to say alignment and says he doesn't know BUT I drive it many roads and speeds I'm not imagining. It so very slight but it's real and especially when I back up the wheel turns way too much and is never in a straight position even if the tires are. But the driving part is the worst it is so unnoticeable. Can you help thanks

[@SPCAlignment]

Thanks for your interest but Specialty Products Company is a parts manufacturer. We do not repair vehicles. You may want to research some local repair shops to help you with your problem.

[@SuleimanAlhadiAlyafei]

I am from Yemen I love this thing I can come to work for you ❤️❤️

[@specialtyproductscompanysp8027]

Thanks for the kind words.

[@KevinCODunn]

What's up with the 2.3L ecoboost in the Ranger? I'm needing to get a new truck and with 315K on the one I am replacing --- I want something I can trust. Thanlks for all this information.

[@Wade-lk4yo]

I think it's a good engine. I sold mine with 40,000 miles running perfect

[@pricelessclips]

had 3 wheel alightments this year and everytime they can't never straighten the wheel. 1 inch off to the right or left.

[@specialtyproductscompanysp8027]

If an alignment machine consistently has an issue with the steering wheel being off in the same direction every time, then it MIGHT be a calibration issue. If the steering wheel is off one direction one time and the other direct the next, that is very rarely calibration but far more likely front turn plates which are not turning smoothly and easily. The turn plates should be taken apart, cleaned and any ball bearings replaced which are not smooth and round. This can make a world of difference. (As long as the front turn plates are being checked, also pull the rear slip plates apart and clean/inspect/replace those, too.)

[@fromtheraq3898]

How often would you recommend wheel alignment for anyone that do uber 3 to 4 days a week? I have a 2024 equinox and I've put 2,000 miles on it so far doing uber. Im already starting to notice the steering wheel to be a tad loose. It was kind of stiff at first but now slightly loose. Is it wheel alignment problem?

[@SPCAlignment]

The alignment is all depending on the type of driving and where. If the roads are rough you should check it around 6 months but regular driving conditions and road conditions you should check every year. Hope that helps.

[@fromtheraq3898]

@@SPCAlignment is it anything I can do like every month to make steering stiffer?

[@SPCAlignment]

Not really the stiffer steering is usually in the steering system and in your vehicle it is electric and assist is controlled by computer. if you are feeling unsafe while driving you should take it in and have it checked.@@fromtheraq3898

[@zelowatch30]

Turn lane assistance off. Sometimes you're fighting with it and in theory could cause this.

[@fromtheraq3898]

@@zelowatch30 how do you do that? I have a 2024 equinox

[@yeah771]

Wait so if the left tire off you have to adjust the right too? Even if it’s not that much?

[@KinkyHeadMonkey]

My 2007 Chrysler 300 has misaligned steering wheel but it does not pull at all, so I took it to Les Schwab Tire Center. They said the steering rack and pinion needs replacement and alignment won't help. It will cost $889.53 include 4 wheel alignment. I don't really buy it and I wonder if that's really true.

[@SPCAlignment]

A misaligned steering wheel is usually corrected with toe adjustments. Your current alignment must be even enough not to have a pull (not necessarily good, but even so there's no pull.) We wouldn't think the rack would need to be replaced JUST to center the steering wheel. Were there other symptoms or observations they made to come to the conclusion the rack was bad? Like leaks, etc?)

[@KinkyHeadMonkey]

@@SPCAlignment Yes, they said there is a leak. I am not sure if there is a leak and I don't see it. I decided to try Blue Devil Pour N Go Power steering Stop Leak yesterday and hope it will help.🙏

[@SPCAlignment]

@@KinkyHeadMonkey That makes more sense than thinking the steering rack needed to be replaced for the steering wheel straightening! In reality, they did the right thing by recommending the rack if it is leaking. They could have just aligned the car now, reported to you the rack issue, and another alignment would have been needed which would have cost more money. You will need to get a look under the car to see the leak. Or, have the shop show it to you. Even if you put the stop leak in now, there will be traces of the fluid leak.

[@KinkyHeadMonkey]

@@SPCAlignment Okay, I will check to see if there is a leak somewhere. I will keep my eyes on the reservoir to see how low the fluid is after adding the Blue Devil. I thought I would see fluid on the ground if there is a leak. But thank you so much for your info. Thanks a bunch!

[@KinkyHeadMonkey]

@@SPCAlignment Now the steering sounds grinding after I added the Blue Devil. I wonder if it is just temporary as it is sealing or fixing it.

[@snooka2484]

What if the steering wheel is off by a very small amount, like less than 1/4 inch? I'm not sure how many degrees, just a hair off? Any cause for concern? The truck drives straight and feels great on the road. This tiny discrepancy is barely noticeable but I do notice it and it kinda bothers me. I don't want to seem too picky and have eyes rolled if I go back to my mechanic.

[@snooka2484]

@@subtegral Thank you. At least I know it all doesn't have to be done again.

[@meckanicall]

The correct way is to SET the steering wheel DEAD Centre BEFORE any alignment work is started and LOCK this SOLID with a clamping bar. Then do all the adjustments and if possible, on all 4x wheels. This will guarantee that the car steers straight with the steering wheel dead centre automatically.

[@natelove187]

U can’t tell until you drive the car down the road if the car is going to the right but the steering in crooked to the left. The have to adjust the outer tire rods to get the steering wheel straight

[@meckanicall]

This will only happen if the REAR wheels are out of alignment in relationship with the cars body. Good modern equipment uses 4x sensors. Even if the rear tracking cannot be adjusted, the car will drive straight ahead and in-line with the steering wheel if the steering wheel is held straight ahead BEFORE the adjustment is started. I agree with you if you only set the toe-in on the front wheels. @@natelove187

[@mikebarbee2217]

Just bought a 98 Durango and the steering wheel is off center to the right. Sooo annoying!!

[@FordMustangGTRocks]

same company that makes my alignment cam kit for 13 f150?

[@SPCAlignment]

Possibly. SPC manufactures both 86250 and 86252 cam kits for this F150. There are probably other makers of kits.

[@Quinny.K]

Trying to explain to google that my steering is skew, but not this kind of skew? Anybody, please help!!!

[@SPCAlignment]

Donny, if you are in the US or Canada, please call me at 800-525-6505 as there are some questions I need to ask. Thanks, Tom (in Tech)

[@jacksonmathauser1504]

Willow bur

[@irisbaez1972]

I like it from 0:36 to 0:40. Can you listen to that? EASIER AND FASTER TO PERFORM, REALLY. What about the Charge for it? If it's easier and faster why do they charge so much? FUCKERS.

[@ron4413]

I think he should move them the opposite way to accomplish straightening the steering wheel.

[@jamie91433]

I go to breaks plus and they don't seem to know how to get anything done without trying to sell bs