Observation: Steering Wheel Turns Lock-to-Lock, 1 Full Turn - Left, 1.5 Turns-Right

[DeloreanJoshQ]

I made a new observation today:
The steering wheel turns lock-to-lock, 1 full turn to the left and 1.5 turns to the right...
I understand that this makes sense because turning right requires a more tight turn than turning left on roads, but doesn't help in drive-thrus that always turn left and when in parking lots. Why wasn't the car designed to make tighter turns or have a variable speed gear-box(turns faster the more you turn the wheel with the worm gear)?
Is it possible to do any mods to the steering rack and steering components?
Just wondering....
The turning circle has been my only slight pet peeve when driving the car....

Josh Q

[tyb323]

You may need an alignment to set it back to normal, it should be even on both sides. As for turning radius, yeah... Just yeah...

[DeloreanJoshQ]

You may need an alignment to set it back to normal, it should be even on both sides. As for turning radius, yeah... Just yeah...

I had the car aligned already....doesn't mean it isn't correct, but how would you correct that?

So it should be 1.25 turns from center to left and center to right?

Can anyone turn their wheels from center to left and center to right to confirm?


Thanks!

[David T]

Something is not properly centered. A good alignment shop should have fixed that.
David Teitelbaum

[DeloreanJoshQ]

Something is not properly centered. A good alignment shop should have fixed that.
David Teitelbaum

How many turns can you make from center to left and center to right on your car David?

[David T]

With the steering wheel centered straight-ahead I can turn 1 1/4 turns either side to the "lock". That gives a total of 2 1/2 turns from full right to full left. And when the wheel is centered the car should go straight. And when the car goes straight it should not "lead" to either side on a flat (not crowned) road. There should be NO detectable looseness or play in the steering wheel. If you watch the wheels and properly inflate them you should notice even wear across the tread. You have the correct amount of turns, you just have too much on one side. You need to have the steering centered. Somehow the rack is mispositioned or they have the tie rod ends WAY misadjusted. A good alignment shop should be able to fix this.
David Teitelbaum

[tyb323]

It's fixable. My car was only doing 3/4 turn to the left for a while there...

[DMCMW Dave]

The alignment shop needs to center the rack. This will probably leave your steering wheel aimed the wrong direction when going straight forward. You will then need to pull the wheel off and center that. Then you will probably find it off a little, i.e. 1/2 spline one way or the other. THEN you can center the wheel by tweaking the front end alignment in tiny increments.

What has happened is that someone centered the alignment in favor of the wheel by adjusting the rack, and didn't pay attention to the fact that in one direction the tire is hitting the sway bar and in the other it can't turn far enough.

[DeloreanJoshQ]

The alignment shop needs to center the rack. This will probably leave your steering wheel aimed the wrong direction when going straight forward. You will then need to pull the wheel off and center that. Then you will probably find it off a little, i.e. 1/2 spline one way or the other. THEN you can center the wheel by tweaking the front end alignment in tiny increments.

What has happened is that someone centered the alignment in favor of the wheel by adjusting the rack, and didn't pay attention to the fact that in one direction the tire is hitting the sway bar and in the other it can't turn far enough.

The rack and pinion was replaced with a rebuilt rack by the previous owner.

Can't I just center the rack with the steering wheel, unhook the steering column intermediate shaft from the rack, then turn the intermediate column shaft so that the steering wheel is straight again, hook it back up, and then adjust the tie rod ends?

[jbreeden]

As for turning radius, yeah... Just yeah...

On the Jay Leno's Garage episode about the Delorean, Leno made a comment about the car having a good turn radius.

Sure, uh-huh, right.