Member Since: 10 Aug 2013
Location: Livingston
Posts: 551
need my steering wheel recentered
ok guys so my steering wheel Is annoyingly at five past midnight when going straight ahead.I've asked about it ad input suggests I need to re align my steering wheel as had alignment done etc.,but as im aware I need to remove the airbag etc. to do this which requires a special tool? soooo I need help as this is so frustrating can anyone help me out with this job ? im not brave enough to even try and I certainly don't have the correct tool but I need this done so any help would be a massive help .thanks guys in advance
29th Dec 2013 1:22 am
Alan B
Member Since: 12 Feb 2013
Location: Fife
Posts: 6528
My first port of call would be ask
Disco _Mikey
If he can't do it I'm sure he will know someone who will
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Chances are the steering wheel to column is correct but it's the track rod ends that are out, get a good four wheel alignment done Altox GSM FBH controller thread
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29th Dec 2013 2:12 am
Flapjack
Member Since: 10 Aug 2013
Location: Livingston
Posts: 551
ok thanks for the replies. I spoke to mike about this a few months back , ive had four wheel alignment done but im not convinced its been done correctly , however the general view was best to move the steering wheel a few notches. so it will be centred,and to do this you need to remlve the airbag etc . its just taken me a while to get round to dealing with this . its so annoying driving with it as it is a five past twelve . im not sure whats best to do as some say its alignment and some say maybe not . hopefully mike will pipe in blessed are the losers ,for they determine the winners
29th Dec 2013 9:15 am
NickJ
Member Since: 11 Oct 2010
Location: there's no f in point
Posts: 2137
Have just done a quick search and found this, look at the link to the gallery on the first post to remove the steering wheel if it turns out this is what you need to do
Member Since: 17 Aug 2013
Location: Herefordshire
Posts: 1918
I would say moving the steering wheel is the last resort. Unless your steering wheel has been off before and put back in a different position. I've seen people do this with Defenders,Discovery and Range Rovers after fitting lift kits and they become horrible to drive because the geometry becomes biased in one direction(this doesn't apply as much with steering racks)
It's very easy to sort this your self without affecting your alignment assuming it is the front where the issue is as an incorrectly aligned rear can cause the steering wheel to be out as you correct with realising.
Make sure you have a spanner for the track rod end,the locking nut and the track rod.
Slacken the lock nuts and then nip them with your fingers only then go somewhere where you can drive straight for a distance and stop. If the steering wheel is 5 past midnight then you need to shorten the drivers side and lengthen the passenger(assuming RHD).
If you do it 1/4(you may need to do less) turn at a time and do both sides exactly the same then drive it again you will get the wheel centred.Just be carefull to do both sides the same.Also remember that even a small amount can make quite a difference.
Also be aware you may need to get the steering angle reset.
If you have other vehicles and/or do your own maintenance then one of these is a great investment,DIY laser tracking. They work really well and cost the same as 3 front wheel only alignments
trackace.co.uk/
When I got my D3 the steering was all over the place, after fitting new arms I spent a lot of time setting it up and when I had finished the track rods had pretty much the same amount of thread showing on both sides.
It always surprises me what a difference having a straight wheel makes to the driving experience.
29th Dec 2013 9:50 am
Disco_Mikey
Member Since: 29 May 2007
Location: Dundee, Scotland
Posts: 20795
You should really check the steering wheel is centred on the rack before starting an alignment. Easiest way to ensure the rack is at its centred position before starting the alignment.
If the car has already been aligned, and it is not shredding tyres, then undoing the wheel and turning it a spline is the easiest option all round. Be aware that you may need your steering angle sensor recalibrated after doing so My D3 Build Thread
Member Since: 05 Feb 2006
Location: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Posts: 17932
If a car came back to me after an alignment with an offset steering wheel I would send it back. A properly set steering wheel is a pretty basic check and would make you wonder about the rest of the work.
If the steering wheel alignment marks are in line and the car is straight the 4-wheel alignment process should leave you with everything in line.Land Rover - Turning Drivers into Mechanics Since 1948
Yep agree totally with Robbie, it should have been done on the original 4 wheel check, I had mine done a few weeks back and I pressed the operator that when he is happy with the settings to then check that my steering wheel was central..
Flack
29th Dec 2013 11:51 am
Robbie
Member Since: 05 Feb 2006
Location: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Posts: 17932
The maximum acceptable limit on steering wheel offset is 3 degrees from the straight ahead position.
Land Rover - Turning Drivers into Mechanics Since 1948
Member Since: 10 Aug 2013
Location: Livingston
Posts: 551
thanks again for the input. so now im not sure what's best to do ?! I am unsure off the four wheel alignment done by the garage who put on my two new rear tyres, he said it was way off and needed a lot of adjustment ,cant remember if the wheel was off centre before but pretty sure it wasn't ,but rear tyres were heavily worn on the inner edge , when I bought it. this would suggest something off somewhere , its possible they had been rotated so cant say for sure they were always on the rear etc . the service history said the alignment had been done last Jan by a garage ,but I figured id get the tyres changed and do four wheel alignment and all would be well! I rate the garage as mechanic's but not sure they fully knew how to do alignment correctly on the d3 !? I may be wrong and it was done correctly but all I now is my steering wheel is now probably five degrees out to the right !
not sure if I should to check steering wheel ?,try to adjust track rods myself? get a proper four wheel alignment done ? also what about steering angle sensor ? would this be done with four wheel alignment ? blessed are the losers ,for they determine the winners
Proper four wheel alignment is the only answer. If you move the steering wheel relative to the colum the rack will then extend more on one lock than the other. Perhaps someone has already done that and caused the problem?A vaccine does not stop you catching a virus, or passing it on, or getting ill from it, really ill. It does reduce the likelyhood of you dying when really, really ill. Stay Alive - KEEP AWAY FROM PEOPLE.
29th Dec 2013 4:08 pm
Robbie
Member Since: 05 Feb 2006
Location: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Posts: 17932
Best to find a place with Hunter alignment gear, preferably at a place that can put the car into tight tolerance mode (unless you have this ability yourself). There is a website that shows where the nearest one is - I'm sure someone will be along soon with the web address.
Land Rover - Turning Drivers into Mechanics Since 1948
Member Since: 26 Mar 2007
Location: Chandler's Ford
Posts: 3460
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29th Dec 2013 4:22 pm
Flapjack
Member Since: 10 Aug 2013
Location: Livingston
Posts: 551
great so I gather proper four wheel alignment done with hunter equipment and tight tolerance mode will sort out everything ? this should put track rods right? steering wheel straight ahead? what about steering angle sensor alignment? thanks for the help so far blessed are the losers ,for they determine the winners
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