I noticed Monday while going home from class that my steering wheel was not level on the straight highway. I thought maybe it was the road , it is in need of repair. but thats not the case. I've driven on numerous other roads today. Any suggestions of what the issue may be? It doesnt feel like it pulls to the side or anything. though i do have a squeek on the front drivers side wheel a lil over speed bumps. My ball joints were replaced last fall along with an alignment.
steering wheel not straight?
- Thread starter 601hotboy
- Start date
HyeLifeLS
Dedicated LVC Member
another alignment.
gcwimmer
Dedicated LVC Member
Unfortunately everyday I drive on the road toward my college. The road is hideous. It does not matter what speed you drive. The 18 wheelers going to the plant has demolished the roads and I dont know why the city hasn't repaired them. The road is used heavily each day.I will have to take it to the alignment shop tuesday and let the guy check it out.
Where do you go to school at? Because I live in Hattiesburg near USM and have never seen your car around the burg. Sounds to me like your ball joint nut has loosened up (prolly because whoever changed them didn't use loctite on that nut and it vibrated loose). Check that first, I bet it's loose.
I attend Southwest community college in Summit (mccomb). I'm about 45 minutes west of hburg, I stay in Tylertown... I actually used to come to hburg a few weekends a month. Don't recall seeing yours either. I will get that checked though.
Oh I see, I thought tylertown was closer than that. All you have to do to check it is look at the bottom of the ball joint and see how many threads are showing. If there are 4 or less showing then it needs to be tightened. If more then you are good. Good Luck!!
Can you do this,pull the steering wheel and reset it? I thought it was a keyed shaft? I have the same issues as the OP my car goes strait down any road but the steering wheels off center about a 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch to the right.
FASTLLS
Dedicated LVC Member
Get it realigned.. It would be less time consuming..
I don't know if its a keyed shaft, but I do know that it has to go on a certain way because of the aligning of the clockspring. I would suggest tightening up the ball joint nut (free) and if that doesn't help then try the alignment like Fast said.
joegr
Dedicated LVC Member
There are many reasons to do it the correct way (fix the alignment/suspension issue), and no good ones that I can think of to do it the wrong way.
One of the reasons to do it the right way is AdvanceTrac (if you have that). When you were steering straight, it would think you were steering to the side. It might use the brakes to try and point the car in the direction it thought you wanted it to go. (There is a steering angle sensor...)
Andrizzle
Dedicated LVC Member
When I got my alignment after my new toelinks, the guy aligned it with the streering wheel not straight. I hopped into the car when he was done and did a U-Turn back into the shop's parking lot... Like really that isn't the first thing you check?
Wicked Ace
Well-Known LVC Member
Surprisingly not. It has happened to me a few times over the years with different vehicles. I had a battle with a Ford dealer over my 87 T-bird when I did an about face like you. Cars had just changed over from splined steering shafts to keyed and they thought it was too much to adjust the tie rod ends.
05 LS8
Dedicated LVC Member
Same sh#t happened to me a two months ago, when i got the car aligned. I had to go back the next day for realignment.
Most of the mechanics out there think with their a55.
my ball joints were replaced 6000 miles ago by the previous owner i have receipts and i just had a shake down on the front end a couple weeks ago in preparation of a trip i just went on and the Lincoln stealer said it was all good
so i guess ill pay for an alignment and see what that does for me. Truth is if i recall correctly my they had a hell of a time getting the wheel strait on that one too......