re aligning steering wheel !?

CSK_423 · Post by **CSK_423** » Sat May 19, 2007 1:00 pm

car was in at Kenny browns for tracking and geo.

It came back with the steering wheel sitting left hand down, now don't get me wrong they kept me up to date with all progress and made may well aware of this issue and offered to sort as it was due to the rack being fitted wrong

there words

It was my personal mechanic who done the rack and he is "sh*t hot" so I don't doubt his workmanship. Kenny browns suggested to fix the prob they would disconnect the rack from the column and from the housing, push it forward, align the wheel, put the rack back in place and reconnect column, then RE-DO ?? tracking

. They offered to do this but I declined as I wanted the opinion of my mechanic first. (also extra £60+vat)

He said leave it and that he would re-align it by loosening the lower column UJ joint strighten the steering wheel then reconnect, opposed to moving rack ect. and also no tracking would need redone.

What's your views on the above ????

robin · Post by **robin** » Sun May 20, 2007 8:06 am

If you do it the way your mechanic says the rack will have more lock one way than the other.

If you want the wheel perfectly straight you will still need to tweak the toe on both sides I think, unless it so happens the wheel is an exact number of teeth out on the spline.

Kenny's way is "better" because it preserves the teeth count lock-to-lock, but unless you like to take the car to its absolute limit, you won't notice this other than as a parking oddity.

Kenny's way will require the toe to be tweaked in just the same way, unless the steering wheel happens to be an exact number of rack teeth out, as it were.

Finally, remember that some of the steering angle at the steering wheel is caused by the steering from the rear, i.e. if your rear toe is not balanced then you will need to correct this by turning the wheel whilst driving. So setting a perfect wheel stationary will not always result in a perfect wheel whilst rolling. Before spending more money, make sure your rear toe has been set (I assume your geo at KB included rear toe, so you should be OK, but mention it just in case it wasn't).

Cheers,
Robin

CSK_423 · Post by **CSK_423** » Mon May 21, 2007 12:52 pm

Cheers Robin for the info, it's painted a clearer picture.

Another way of re aligning the wheel is to adjust it at the boss, this is more than likely the easiest way, were really only talking about 5 or 6 mm ??? like you say unoticable.

RB done a full geo including rear toe so that should be ok, I had it out yesterday and it has transformed the car ! I've owned it 3 yrs and thought it handled well but since the GEO it's made a significant difference.

Martin

timmsky · Post by **timmsky** » Mon May 21, 2007 12:56 pm

CSK_423 wrote:Cheers Robin for the info, it's painted a clearer picture.

Another way of re aligning the wheel is to adjust it at the boss, this is more than likely the easiest way, were really only talking about 5 or 6 mm ??? like you say unoticable.

RB done a full geo including rear toe so that should be ok, I had it out yesterday and it has transformed the car ! I've owned it 3 yrs and thought it handled well but since the GEO it's made a significant difference.

Martin

Still selling though?

(only having your best interests in mind, i.e. selling your exhaust and induction to me

)

jj · Post by jj » Mon May 21, 2007 1:06 pm

CSK_423 wrote:Cheers Robin for the info, it's painted a clearer picture.

Another way of re aligning the wheel is to adjust it at the boss, this is more than likely the easiest way, were really only talking about 5 or 6 mm ??? like you say unoticable.

RB done a full geo including rear toe so that should be ok, I had it out yesterday and it has transformed the car ! I've owned it 3 yrs and thought it handled well but since the GEO it's made a significant difference.

Martin

Going to put mine into Kenny Browns next week hopefully as I have had the car in bits and the new suspension is now on. What was the cost?

CSK_423 · Post by **CSK_423** » Mon May 21, 2007 1:23 pm

timmsky wrote:
CSK_423 wrote:Cheers Robin for the info, it's painted a clearer picture.

Another way of re aligning the wheel is to adjust it at the boss, this is more than likely the easiest way, were really only talking about 5 or 6 mm ??? like you say unoticable.

RB done a full geo including rear toe so that should be ok, I had it out yesterday and it has transformed the car ! I've owned it 3 yrs and thought it handled well but since the GEO it's made a significant difference.

Martin
Still selling though? (only having your best interests in mind, i.e. selling your exhaust and induction to me )

lol yes I will be but it's a bit hectic at the moment with wedding guff !!!

timmsky · Post by **timmsky** » Mon May 21, 2007 1:38 pm

CSK_423 wrote:
timmsky wrote:
CSK_423 wrote:Cheers Robin for the info, it's painted a clearer picture.

Another way of re aligning the wheel is to adjust it at the boss, this is more than likely the easiest way, were really only talking about 5 or 6 mm ??? like you say unoticable.

RB done a full geo including rear toe so that should be ok, I had it out yesterday and it has transformed the car ! I've owned it 3 yrs and thought it handled well but since the GEO it's made a significant difference.

Martin
Still selling though? (only having your best interests in mind, i.e. selling your exhaust and induction to me )
lol yes I will be but it's a bit hectic at the moment with wedding guff !!!

Good man

All the best with the nuptials!

CSK_423 · Post by **CSK_423** » Mon May 21, 2007 1:43 pm

timmsky wrote:
CSK_423 wrote:
timmsky wrote: Still selling though? (only having your best interests in mind, i.e. selling your exhaust and induction to me )
lol yes I will be but it's a bit hectic at the moment with wedding guff !!!
Good man All the best with the nuptials!

Cheers, I may need it !!!!!!

timmsky · Post by **timmsky** » Mon May 21, 2007 1:47 pm

CSK_423 wrote:[
Good man All the best with the nuptials!

Cheers, I may need it !!!!!![/quote]

Having an Elise convoy? It's de rigeur for these things you know

CSK_423 · Post by **CSK_423** » Mon May 21, 2007 1:52 pm

timmsky wrote:
CSK_423 wrote:[
Good man All the best with the nuptials!
Cheers, I may need it !!!!!!

Having an Elise convoy? It's de rigeur for these things you know

[/quote]

Cheers for the offer but I like my testicles the way they hang at the moment thanks

timmsky · Post by **timmsky** » Mon May 21, 2007 2:37 pm

CSK_423 wrote:
timmsky wrote:
CSK_423 wrote:[
Good man All the best with the nuptials!
Cheers, I may need it !!!!!!
Having an Elise convoy? It's de rigeur for these things you know

Cheers for the offer but I like my testicles the way they hang at the moment thanks

[/quote]

Gotcha - Same reason I'm not doing TT this year

Wimmin - gotta love em or you'd cry...

Brunty · Post by **Brunty** » Tue May 22, 2007 10:05 am

CSK_423 wrote:Cheers Robin for the info, it's painted a clearer picture.

Another way of re aligning the wheel is to adjust it at the boss, this is more than likely the easiest way, were really only talking about 5 or 6 mm ??? like you say unoticable.

RB done a full geo including rear toe so that should be ok, I had it out yesterday and it has transformed the car ! I've owned it 3 yrs and thought it handled well but since the GEO it's made a significant difference.

Martin

If the steering wheel is only a tiny amount out then I'd get the tracking re-checked while the steering wheel is clamped into place.

You could check if the rack is in correctly by leaving the wheels dead straight and measuring the amount of steering arm to the rack body.

Brunty