Steering Wheel Not Centered?

[badge49]

My steering wheel is not centered anymore (turned a bit to the right). The alignment is not off and the tires are evenly inflated. It's been like this for months at every speed. What else could cause the steering wheel to be off center when the truck is driving straight?:navajo:

 

[enfalrdy]

Copied from an alignment explanantion website:

Steering center is simply the fact that the steering wheel is centered when the vehicle is traveling down a straight and level road. A crooked steering wheel is usually the most common complaint that a customer has after a wheel alignment is performed. Assuming that the steering wheel stays in the same position when you let go of the wheel (in other words, the car is not pulling), then steering center is controlled by the front and rear toe settings. When setting steering center, the rear toe should be set first bringing the Thrust Angle as close to the vehicle centerline as possible. Then the steering wheel is locked in a straight ahead position while the front toe is set. Before locking the steering wheel, the engine should be started and the wheel should be turned right and left a couple of times to take any stress off the power steering valve. After setting the toe, the engine should be started again to be sure that the steering valve wasn't loaded again due to the tie rod adjustments. Of course, you should always road test the vehicle after every alignment as a quality control check.

 

[south59]

From my understanding, the best way to get rid of this is to adjust the outer tie rod ends.

 

[gijoecam]

The bottom line is that if the steering wheel is not centered, the alignment was not completed correctly. While the wheels may be aligned with each other, someone forgot to (or was lazy and just didn't) align the wheels with the steering wheel.

-Joe

 

[MONMIX]

The bottom line is that if the steering wheel is not centered, the alignment was not completed correctly. While the wheels may be aligned with each other, someone forgot to (or was lazy and just didn't) align the wheels with the steering wheel.

-Joe

Yes
and the soulution does NOT involve removing the steering wheel and moving it over one click.

 

[badge49]

Lol...I think I just bashed the heck out of everything so much that it must have thrown the alignment...or at least loosened a steering tie-rod? Is it really so simple as adjusting the steering tie-rods? (I did replace both front hub assemblies not too long ago....) It doesn't pull to one side when moving.

 

[Willard]

My steering wheel is that way too, except I know it happened when I got ran off the road and took a big ditch at speed. Didn't break anything, just threw the alignment off a good amount. I haven't gotten it aligned since then, I should do that.

 

[badge49]

Now I'm thinking that's what happened with mine. I took the truck headfirst into a hidden ditch in a field at night...that probably threw the alignment? Does anyone know if I can just adjust the steering tie-rods to "fix" it for now?:navajo:

 

[parad1mg]

getting an alignment should fix this.. i had an offset wheel when i changed the UPA and balljoints and just told the mechanic not to forget to center my steering wheel before alignment. now she rides true and straight...
if you have a lifetime alignment thing ( the pay once then free alignments as long as you own the car..) then just pass by your registered shop and tell them to center your steering wheel for you..