Steering Weheel out 45 Deg

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The steering wheel on my 2002 LS v6 is about 45 degrees out when driving in a straight line. It seems to drive OK but is just 45* off center. It looks like previous owner may have replaced the power steering rack and I'm wondering if he installed the steering column off center. Is it possible to install the steering column off center or does it only go on one way? Is it possible to remove the steering wheel and move it over a couple of splines to return it closer to 0 or does it only go on one way?

Other than that it seems to drive OK and I don't want to take it in for an alignment. I just want to get the wheel closer to zero
 
AKA: True Centered.

I would imagine you should be able to removed it and place it back on a bit over to one side. I would think it's cut or rolled splines like you mention.

Maybe search this forum for Clock Spring and have a look at some pics. Sorry I've never had the steering wheel off. (yet)
 
I don't think there's any way to attach the column 45° off. However, it is possible to adjust the tie rods to where the wheel is not correctly centered. A good alignment should correct it.*

*: I have been amazed when getting my car back after an alignment to find the steering well off center, and they test drove it. (It was centered when I drove in.) They were just as amazed that I wanted it corrected.
 
BigRigLS said:
...I would imagine you should be able to removed it and place it back on a bit over to one side. I would think it's cut or rolled splines like you mention.... (yet)
Click to expand...

At the rack end, it only connects one way. At the steering wheel end, I don't know.
 
DSC04141.jpg


Yeah, like I said, I haven't had mine off so I can't say for certain but if the LS is like any other steering wheel should be with splines.
I'm sure it can be removed and placed on correctly centered without having to mess with a front end alignment to get it true centered.

<shrugs>
 
Well, you really need to know where the problem is. If the tie rods are set wrong, then they need to be adjusted correctly, instead of changing the steering wheel position. If, instead, the steering wheel was removed and put back in the wrong position, then it needs to be removed and put back in the correct position. Doing either one when the other is at fault, will just cause problems (break a clock spring, mess up AdvanceTrac, ...).

If the rack was replaced, then almost certainly the tie rods is where the problem is.
 
Or as you said, it was brought in for an alignment and some Tech didn't give a crap about true centering the steering wheel prior to adjusting down below.

I've always made it a point to explain real carefully to any service managers, that when the alignment is done, the steering wheel better be straight or it's coming back within 2 minutes so they can do it correctly. Had a guy once get frustrated with me, telling me that he wasn't going to adjust for any crown in the road. I laughed at him and explained how funny he was but if he could possibly let me know before he started the work, that he could assure me a true centered steering pad align with a front end that goes straight down the road. If not I could take it elsewhere to someone that could do a real proper alignment.

It's one of my biggest pet peeves, get an alignment, leave shop with steering wheel off centered.
Fun to turn wrenches down below not giving a crap what's going on, on top. Morons!
 
I don't know about the LS steering wheel because I've never had mine off, but any car with an airbag that I have had the wheel off has had a flat spot in the splines that only allows the steering wheel to go on in one position because the clock spring has to be lined up correctly in relation to the wheel. Can't see any reason why the LS would be different though. I'm almost 100 percent that it's an alignment issue. Could be a damage issue as well, which is why I won't say 100 percent.
 
The LS steering wheel has splines, no flat spots.

OP...you said you don't want to get an alignment, why? That makes you a not-so-innocent fool. Take it to the alignment shop, get it aligned, and have all the suspension checked out. Then, if your steering wheel isnt straight, pull it off and straighten it. Problem solved.
 
I'm pretty sure there are no splines, only a keying flat spot on the steering shaft, sorry to disagree. I have done 3 clock springs and never recalled worrying about re-aligning the wheel as if it was splined.

The OP probably has a bad tie rod end, either one, and also this could be a ball joint issue. It could even be the lower control arm being out of whack. Normal driving isn't going to make it that far off unless there is a mechanical failure involved. One other possibility is the back end of the car. I changed my rear subframe a few months back and did not realize that the alignment of that is very critical. The rear wheel hubs were almost a half inch off in length comparisons measured from the same point on each front wheel hub to the same side back wheel hubs. The steering wheel just happened to be around 45-60 degrees out of whack but the car ran straight with no hands.
 
Ha, I originally didn't want to take it in for alignment because it would handle OK and drive straight with no hands. Ball joints, etc seem good but I never thought about the back end. After reading these posts I'm going to take in.

Thanks for the feedback everyone, That's good info!
 
Someone named Sully posted this up. Looks splined to me, don't see a flat spot but then I can't see the top. Anyone have a better picture?

DSC04141.jpg
 
Telco said:
Someone named Sully posted this up. Looks splined to me, don't see a flat spot but then I can't see the top. Anyone have a better picture?

DSC04141.jpg
Click to expand...

It is splined but I believe there is a key-way....
 
Steering wheel will only go on in one position - at least on my 01. Even my 55 Ford had an index in the splines so that wheel would only go on in one position. As Joe said, wheel centering has to be done on tie rod ends.
 
BigRigLS said:
Or as you said, it was brought in for an alignment and some Tech didn't give a crap about true centering the steering wheel prior to adjusting down below.

I've always made it a point to explain real carefully to any service managers, that when the alignment is done, the steering wheel better be straight or it's coming back within 2 minutes so they can do it correctly. Had a guy once get frustrated with me, telling me that he wasn't going to adjust for any crown in the road. I laughed at him and explained how funny he was but if he could possibly let me know before he started the work, that he could assure me a true centered steering pad align with a front end that goes straight down the road. If not I could take it elsewhere to someone that could do a real proper alignment.

It's one of my biggest pet peeves, get an alignment, leave shop with steering wheel off centered.
Fun to turn wrenches down below not giving a crap what's going on, on top. Morons!
Click to expand...
I have to agree with that. Steering wheel should always be straight!
 
Had a guy tell me ... (while on the hoist, halfway up) ... get in, tell me where you want it, I'm not doing it again.
This was on a return after alignment when the steering pad was not true centered. I mean COME ON !!!!

Getting a wheel alignment, does not mean I have to put up with a crooked steering wheel, Seriously !!! ... and they look at you all dumb as if this is difficult for them or something.

I've driven some older trucks going down the highway where the steering is to one side, Fn bothers me holding all off centered like that all day, call me SPECIAL but people with OCD need to drive also.
 
BigRigLS said:
Had a guy tell me ... (while on the hoist, halfway up) ... get in, tell me where you want it, I'm not doing it again...
Click to expand...

And all they needed to do was to center the wheel and hang a weight from it. I guess that was too much work...
 
I would have told him to just drop the car down, cause if he doesn't understand what "centered" means, then he definitely isn't smart enough to work on my car...
 
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