Steering wheel alignment

[Stainless]

I come from the Jeep world where the steering is very easy to adjust. There is a straight tie rod from tire to tire and a draglink from the steering box to the knuckle. I can adjust the steering wheel without changing the alignment of the tires by lengthening or shortening the draglink.

Is there a way to change the alignment of the DeLorean steering wheel without affecting the alignment of the tires? The D drives straight and true with even tire wear, but the steering wheel is turned to the left going straight down the road, which is something that I want to fix. On my Jeep, it's just a matter of turning a couple of nuts in my own garage. I am hoping that this is possible to do myself as well for the D.

[DMCMW Dave]

Works the same as long as you turn each side exactly the same amount. Assuming that the toe-in is in-alignment when you start.

BUT - before you do that make sure the wheel is centered. If the steering wheel is off-center to the rack, after you adjust it you'll find that you are capable of making sharper turns to the left than to the right. Or vice-versa. You may just need to pull and re-center the wheel.

Also check for bent steering knuckle arms. (Check the space between the outer tie rod end and the brake backing plate - the two sides of the car should be the same.) They will bend a surprising amount without breaking. Generally, though, if one is bent and you've never had the front end re-aligned, toe-in will be way off, in fact the tires may even be toe-ed OUT.

[jawn101]

Can any old shop do an alignment on the D, considering some of it is fixed geometry? I've felt I needed one for a while (since my new steering rack, ironically) but wasn't sure if a shop would turn me away or worse, screw it up.

[TTait]

You could also pull off the steering wheel and re center it... You can get the puller free at auto zone, but yiu will have to hunt to find the proper metric bolts in a long enough length. You might use coupling nuts and cut the heads off some bolts to get there.

[jawn101]

You could also pull off the steering wheel and re center it... You can get the puller free at auto zone, but yiu will have to hunt to find the proper metric bolts in a long enough length. You might use coupling nuts and cut the heads off some bolts to get there.

I did this too, Ace Hardware had the bolts. The process also fixed my turn signal reset mechanism!

[David T]

Any good shop can do an alignment. It will boil down to the skills and experience of the tech and knowing how to use his equipment. It is easier and faster on the modern machines but it can be done on older mechanical racks. Take the specs with you in case the shop does not have them in the database. They can enter them manually if necessary.
David Teitelbaum

[DMCMW Dave]

Can any old shop do an alignment on the D, considering some of it is fixed geometry? I've felt I needed one for a while (since my new steering rack, ironically) but wasn't sure if a shop would turn me away or worse, screw it up.

There are only really two adjustments. The front toe (tie rod ends) and rear toe (trailing arm shims). It is possible to slightly adjust front caster by shimming the sway bar or slotting the clamps, but it is not a factory-designed adjustment.

If you are taking it to a shop you should make sure the trailing arm bolts can turn in the arms and bushings (i.e. not rusted in place), make sure they are not bent, make sure that the tie rod ends will turn on the links, and bring along some extra shims for the rear. The generic shims that the shop will want to use tend to fall out.

shims:
http://www.delorean.com/store/p-7391-washer-shim.aspx

or the kit:
http://www.delorean.com/store/p-10230-trailing-arm-bolt-kit.aspx

[jawn101]

There are only really two adjustments. The front toe (tie rod ends) and rear toe (trailing arm shims). It is possible to slightly adjust front caster by shimming the sway bar or slotting the clamps, but it is not a factory-designed adjustment.

If you are taking it to a shop you should make sure the trailing arm bolts can turn in the arms and bushings (i.e. not rusted in place), make sure they are not bent, make sure that the tie rod ends will turn on the links, and bring along some extra shims for the rear. The generic shims that the shop will want to use tend to fall out.

shims:
http://www.delorean.com/store/p-7391-washer-shim.aspx

or the kit:
http://www.delorean.com/store/p-10230-trailing-arm-bolt-kit.aspx

Thanks for the tips! TABs are new in the last 6 months, and I reused the same number of shims as was there before - so I would hope it's not too far out. I have several that came with the DMCH kit I bought though, so I'd throw those in the car. Steering rack and tie rods are also brand new, so should be no worries there either. I will find a smaller shop, a family one perhaps, rather than going to a box chain.

[Canon20DFan]

I also have a slight adjustment necessary on the steering - the alignment is fine, the steering wheel is not quite level.

[TTait]

If the rack and tie rods are brand new, if they were installed by someone competent, and the alignment is good; then they didn't straighten the wheel before they started the alignment. The shaft doesn't have a key orientation, the only top and bottom to it is where the wheel ends up positioned, and it is easily repositioned.

Pull off the center pad with your hands, You will see one nut to remove, and two threaded holes. Remove the bolt and borrow a steering wheel puller. Take off the wheel, put it on straight, replace the nut and the center pad. 10 minutes and $2.

[Canon20DFan]

How fine an adjustment does the steering wheel allow? Mine isn't off much, just enough to notice and annoy...

If the rack and tie rods are brand new, if they were installed by someone competent, and the alignment is good; then they didn't straighten the wheel before they started the alignment. The shaft doesn't have a key orientation, the only top and bottom to it is where the wheel ends up positioned, and it is easily repositioned.

Pull off the center pad with your hands, You will see one nut to remove, and two threaded holes. Remove the bolt and borrow a steering wheel puller. Take off the wheel, put it on straight, replace the nut and the center pad. 10 minutes and $2.

[David T]

You do not adjust the steering wheel just to get it centered. It may take adjusting BOTH tie rod ends. Raise the front wheels off the ground. Center the wheel and then turn it each way. It should turn EXACTLY the same amount to each side. If it doesn't THEN you remove the steering wheel and reinstall it on the center so when you turn it you turn it the same amount to each side. NOW you drive the car. If the steering wheel is not centered you must adjust BOTH tie rod ends till the wheel is centered and the toe is correct for both front wheels. Doing it any other way and you will not get the same turning radius for both sides.
David Teitelbaum

[Canon20DFan]

Radius Schmadius. I'm pulling the wheel, putting it on straight, and if I can't turn left, I'll just keep turning right until I get where I need to be...

You do not adjust the steering wheel just to get it centered. It may take adjusting BOTH tie rod ends. Raise the front wheels off the ground. Center the wheel and then turn it each way. It should turn EXACTLY the same amount to each side. If it doesn't THEN you remove the steering wheel and reinstall it on the center so when you turn it you turn it the same amount to each side. NOW you drive the car. If the steering wheel is not centered you must adjust BOTH tie rod ends till the wheel is centered and the toe is correct for both front wheels. Doing it any other way and you will not get the same turning radius for both sides.
David Teitelbaum

[TTait]

How fine an adjustment does the steering wheel allow? Mine isn't off much, just enough to notice and annoy...

Not sure how many splines, maybe 6 degrees or so (1 minute on a clock face)? I have not had it off it several years.

[David T]

Two wrongs don't make a right but 3 lefts DO! You really do want the wheel centered on the rack for several reasons, one being to keep the turning radius equal side-to-side.
David Teitelbaum

[TTait]

I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey...

If he's sure, he's right, cuz he's a lot smarter than me...

(by the way, if you can't turn left, you won't be able to take the car out at Talladega...)

T

[DMCNY]

I would not suggest pulling your steering wheel to try and correct an alignment problem.

Your not correcting a problem at all and you are simply trying to mask a problem and most likely are going to get tire wear. Just because your car may seem to track down the road well (doesn't pull one way or the other) doesn't mean your alignment is correct. Excessive toe-in or toe-out can make a vehicle track down the road straight without pulling one way or another.

In fact, the reason your steering wheel is off center is a good indication your front end is in need of an alignment. When you pull the steering wheel and try to correct it by "clocking" it, you create a problem not only for yourself, but for any future alignment technician that may try to do a proper job.

The way a proper alignment is done on this type of car is to align the wheels to the steering wheel position, not align the steering wheel to the wheels positions. During assembly on rack and pinion type steering units, the center of lock to lock is located and then the steering shaft and wheel are positioned straight in relationship the racks center.

Once you pull the wheel and try to turn it to a different position, you screw up that clock setting (as some have mentioned). Now imagine your the alignment technician. Once you get the car up on the rack and do the runout procedure, you do a caster swing, next you center the steering wheel and lock it into a straight position. The proper procedure is to make any adjustments in the rear first.

There is no front factory camber or caster adjustment, so the next step he will most likely do is the toe setting in the front. He starts to adjust one side into spec and then adjust the other. Depending on how far off clock setting the steering wheel has been set, he may either run into a situation where he runs out of threads on one side to complete the adjustment and may even run the threads completely out of the outter tie-rod on the other side until it falls out. This is where you can run into the situation as previously mentioned where you have a tighter turning radius one way and not the other (different steering wheel lock to lock turn counts).

The rack, steering shaft and wheel will have to be reclocked correctly in order to do a proper alignment. Extra labor costs, time and many times, confusion for the technician.

Another thing you have to consider is the possibilty that the technician may not catch this. Yes, it can and does happen and can create a very dangerous situation. Believe it or not, I've seen people doing alignments in shops who have no place doing alignments and will not catch that one side has 15 threads showing on an inner tie-rod and two showing on the other. The customer takes the car, maybe he or she relises the steering is strange now with different lock to lock turns, but may or may not bring it back for correction. Lets say on the side where 15 threads are exposed, only three threads are screwed into the outter tie-rod. This is a VERY dangerous situation. The jam nut could become loose and the two tie-rods could come apart. Don't pull your wheel to correct an alignment issue.

BTW. Every Hunter Alignment machine I've used has specs already programed in for the DeLorean. I've noticed that the Bear machines do not. User specs can be used in all alignment machines, but not everyone knows how to do this. Just FYI.

[Bitsyncmaster]

Pulling the steering wheel and moving it does not change the rack movement. There is nothing on the steering wheel that move the stops.

Who knows, maybe the PO pulled it and moved it the wrong way.

It's a pretty fine spline but if you don't get it close enough then you can fine adjust it moving both tie rod ends.

[Canon20DFan]

I have perfect alignment. Absolutely even tire wear, straight tracking at highway speeds with your hands off the wheel. The steering wheel is just off a bit. I'm going to pull the wheel off entirely and drive the car using a Vicegrip attached to the steering column...

[thegovernor9912]

What size are the bolts on the steering column needed to remove the steering wheel. I know that they ae M6 but what is the pitch? I am in the middle of changing the rack and steering column bushing, so I am going to have to remove the wheel.

Thanks in advance

[David T]

Driving the car with a vise grip is a GREAT idea. That is till you squeeze it the wrong way and it pops off!!!!!!!! Then things will get exciting quickly!!!!!!!! It will also mess up the splines making it difficult to remove and replace the steering wheel. Centering the wheel is no measure of whether the toe is correct or not. I can set perfect toe and the steering wheel (and the rack) can be WAY off center. If you do not understand how this can happen I suggest you take the car to a shop that does. Most pullers that you can buy will not fit. I made one up. All it takes is a small plate with one tapped hole and 2 drilled holes, 2 puller screws that go into the wheel and one "jack screw" to pull.
David Teitelbaum

[Bitsyncmaster]

I got mine off with the M6 studs I made for my puller but others I have done required a hole drilled (into the M6 threads) and tapped for a larger bolt. I think it was 5/16".

You want to be sure your puller bolts are fully seated using all the treads in the wheel casting. So get long bolts and use a nut to set the length.

You test if your rack is centered by noting the steering wheel position when you drive straight. Then you can do the turns to lock each way from that position and they should match.

[TTait]

Most pullers that you can buy will not fit.
David Teitelbaum

I've used the one from Auto Zone, but its very difficult to find m6 bolts that are long enough. I'd buy 4 of the longest M6 you can find (www.metricspecialties.com) AND two long coupling nuts. Cut the heads off two of the bolts and use the coupling nuts to extend the other two...