My steering wheel is 1/2 turn out. I can't adjust the position of the wheel because it only goes one way on the columm with the horn.

What is the best way to align my wheel?

Can I remove the pitman arm or does it only go on in one position?

Do I need to have it aligned and set the steering with the tie rods?

Thanks

http://www.chevelles.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=7004&stc=1&d=1177771939
DSC07623.jpg

Try this thread might help you out? (http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=160280&highlight=Wheel+Alignment)

Looks like a quarter turn to me.

Your right Dean. I don't know where I thought 1/2.

According to the thread I was refererd to, I need to have an allignment done then. Right?

Car drives nice and straight but the wheel is located as the picture. And if I remember the SS wheel will only go on the spline one way because of the horn pin, right?

Thanks

It has to adjusted with the tie rods. If your alignment is good, and you don't need to get an alignment, turn each tie rod sleeve, the same number of turns, in the same direction, till the steering wheel is straight, and you won't change the alignment set-up.

Yes but you may screw up the amount the car turns in both directions. There are bump stops in the gear. It may turn a lot one way and less the other. Look and see if you can take as much out of it as possible at the Intermediate shaft. (the shaft that connects the column and the gear
). The connection at the column end is not keyed usually. You may be able to turn it a few splines and still get the lock bolt in it. This would help minimize the amount you need to adjust the tie rods.
Bill

First, pull your horn pad and make sure the line on the wheel is aligned with the line on the column. If so, then as Bill said. Your problem is not the steering wheel or column. Its in the linkage. It must be adjusted with the tie rods.

So if I center the wheels and have the steering wheel 1/4 out like the picture I should be able to put a piece of tape on the wheel and turn it left and then right to see if it is the same distance.

I thought about adjusting it at the rag joint or the upper joint but they have a flat spot on the shaft and only go on one way. I would need a full revolutuion to put it back on.

It looks like its a quarter turn off to the right. The thing with the tie rods is. Your going to want to move the wheels to the left a tad. Loosen the tie rods and rotate each about a 1/4 of a turn. But not the same direction actually.

You want to thread the left side outer tie rod inwards. Turning clockwise. The drivers side you have to turn it the opposite direction since its essentially the revers procedure. You turn the drivers side tie rod counter clockwise.

Not really sure how to explain it but since its all righty tighty, lefty loosey. Passenger side outer tie rod is basically getting tightened a little and the drivers side outer tie rod is getting loosened. If you see what I mean by that. The right side wheel needs to be brought inboard a tad and the left side outboard the same amount.

The right side wheel needs to be brought inboard a tad and the left side outboard the same amount.

Thanks, I think I got it. I went out a bought all new inners and outers and new sleeves. Will be putting them on tomorrow.

This is a pretty complete paper on steering wheel centering. I would suggest that you read the paper so that you can better understand how each of the steering components contribute to the centering procedure.

http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/05/StrgSystemCenteringChevelleRev19MY06.doc

Also, you need to rotate the left and right tie rod adjuster tubes the SAME direction and the exact same number of revolutions to center the steering. The outside tie rods should both have left hand threads. The inside tie rods should have the right hand threads. When you rotate them the same direction and the same rotation amount - one tie rod will shorten and the other will lengthen by the same amounts. Therefore your front end toe setting will not change.

JIML82

Can't you just pull the rag joint off the steering box input shaft and rotate it a bit? Seems like that's how I centered mine a while back...

Can't you just pull the rag joint off the steering box input shaft and rotate it a bit? Seems like that's how I centered mine a while back...

Nope, it only goes on one way

If you have a flexible coupling where the flange that attaches to the gear does NOT have a flat, then the flexible coupling can be clocked around the input shaft. If the flange does have a flat, that flexible coupling will only attach to a gear that has a flat on the input shaft. That combination will only assemble one way.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y38/JIML82/FlexCplgFeatures.jpg

JIML82

If you have a flexible coupling where the flange that attaches to the gear does NOT have a flat, then the flexible coupling can be clocked around the input shaft. If the flange does have a flat, that flexible coupling will only attach to a gear that has a flat on the input shaft. That combination will only assemble one way.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y38/JIML82/FlexCplgFeatures.jpg

JIML82

I recently swapped my 69 from power steering to manual, using a manual box from a 69 Camaro. The shaft coming out of the gear does not have a flat, but rather is narrowed the full 360 degrees where the coupler goes. Thus, no matter how you clock the rag joint, the through-bolt goes through the narrow part of the input shaft and keeps the rag joint from moving up or down the shaft. So yes, if you have a steering gear like mine, you can simply re-clock the rag-joint, or flexible coupling as Jim is calling it.

Update,

I replaced all inner and outer tierods and sleeves and aligned the steering wheel.

Everything looks good now. Thanks for the help on this one.