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Posted by: NARP74 Sep 1 2022, 09:35 AM

The car had an alignment just before I bought it but the steering wheel is a bit off center. What is the best way to move that back without messing anything else up?

Posted by: 930cabman Sep 1 2022, 09:43 AM

Pull the wheel and shift it a spline or two

Posted by: Cairo94507 Sep 1 2022, 09:56 AM

The only other way, depending upon how close it is to being centered is to adjust the tie rod ends to center wheel. Take off 1/4 turn at a time and add 1/4 turn to the other side, depending upon which way the wheel needs to go.

Make the adjustment, take it for a ride and see what you have. The key is to make small adjustments until you get it centered exactly. Just had mine aligned and watched the guy center the wheel perfectly.

Posted by: NARP74 Sep 1 2022, 10:08 AM

Is this easiest at the steering wheel or the u-joint?

Posted by: mgphoto Sep 1 2022, 10:39 AM

As long as the car is tracking straight, doesn’t pull to either side and tire wear is good.

Easiest at the steering wheel, if the car has been aligned don’t touch the u-joints or tie rods.
Remove the batwing, being careful with the connector. Remove the nut, mark the position of the wheel and spline with a sharpie, pull the wheel, it might need some persuasion, rubber mallet works. Move the wheel in the direction it needs to be corrected. Tighten the nut and test drive.

Posted by: NARP74 Sep 1 2022, 10:56 AM

Sounds good, thanks all.

Posted by: Jamie Sep 1 2022, 11:08 AM

How is the "batwing" best removed?

Posted by: burton73 Sep 1 2022, 11:14 AM

It’s a bayonet mount. Turn it CCW hard and it will release after a few degrees and then it just pulls off


Bob B

Posted by: orthobiz Sep 1 2022, 11:33 AM

Beware the horn wire when pulling the batwing off! And the little tab the wire connects to. And the rubber bushing between the batwing and the column (replace if hard and weathered).

And have a 27mm socket on hand.

Paul

Posted by: TheCabinetmaker Sep 1 2022, 12:15 PM

I was a Chrysler factory trained alignment specialist in the '70s.

If the alignment place had done their job you wouldn't have this problem. Centering the steering wheel is part of an alignment. If they didn't do it they're just being lazy. It needs to be done. You can do it yourself. like was said before, turn it a little at a time. you make one side longer the other side shorter by the same amount You're moving both Wheels the same direction as you want the steering wheel to go. When we did an alignment, we would leave the tie rod clamps loose enough that we could turn them barely by hand. Then we find a nice level road and keep adjusting until the steering wheel stays where you want it.

Posted by: mepstein Sep 1 2022, 12:43 PM

If or when you remove the steering wheel, loosen the nut but leave a couple threads engaged. Then when you pull on the wheel to remove it, you don’t hit yourself in the face when it finally lets go.

Posted by: mepstein Sep 1 2022, 12:43 PM

Sorry, DP.

Posted by: dr914@autoatlanta.com Sep 1 2022, 12:50 PM

I would worry about how well they did the alignment and take it back there. Could be that the toe in is off and the tie rods are now not adjusted to the same length. Turn the steering wheel lock to lock, count exactly how many turns, then turn back half way and see where the steering wheel is sitting, then adjust the steering wheel to sit there when centered. If you then drive the car and the steering wheel is off, you MUST take back and get the alignment checked

Posted by: Superhawk996 Sep 1 2022, 01:16 PM

Getting harder and harder to find competent alignment shops

Make them do the job properly!

In your case it sounds like alignment was done by prior owner before you bought it and you have no recourse to the original alignment job.

Do not start shifting steering wheel or u-joint splines to try to compensate for workmanship

I think there are something like 40 splines on the steering wheel. That is 9 degrees per spline. Your just going to end up off center in the other direction by shifting splines.

I’m going to post a link to a TSB from Toyota - not that you can follow it and have it work exactly the same for a 914 - but so you can get an overview of what it takes to finesse it to perfection as a DIY as suggested by @http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=9712 by tweaking the tie rods.

I’m a perfectionist about steering wheel centering and I am rarely satisfied with what the alignment techs accept and try to send out the door. Usually I force them to redo it on the spot. If I end up with an exceptionally incompetent tech - There really is little you can do other than DIY or waste a ton of time trying to get it done properly!

https://attachments.priuschat.com/attachment-files/2020/02/182990_T-ST003-01_1.pdf

Note: the Toyota TSB directions to turn tie rods are affected by whether the steering system is a leading or trailing tie rod set up. See the note within the Toyota TSB that says this works opposite on some Toyota products. Do not assume the Toyota direction to turn the tie rods applies to a 914.

@http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=24549

Note: I just checked - 2002 Toyota Prius is a trailing tie rod set up same as the 914. I’m not going to try to figure out if the 914 and Prius tie rods are threaded in the same directions and whether they have the same thread pitch. I’d bet they probably are same direction and very close on thread pitch. So as a starting point - you could follow their direction recommendations and probably be moving in the right direction 1st try.

Posted by: Superhawk996 Sep 1 2022, 02:14 PM

Tip: put a paint line on the tie rod before you start adjusting so you:
1) have a reference to gauge how much you’ve turned the tie rod
2) have a known location to return to
3) can gauge that you’ve moved each side the same amount - thereby not disturbing the toe setting.

Posted by: Ansbacher Sep 1 2022, 02:29 PM

Yes, the problem with adjusting the steering wheel to the shaft splines is that it is only by happenstance luck that you find the perfectly centered position. On my car, it comes close but no where near perfect. I might give the other methods mentioned here a try.

Ansbacher