Column alingnment question,

[ericarmstrong]

My recent column swap went without a hitch except for one thing, the steering wheel and rag joint flange on the new column didn't line up like the old one.  Will the little 12 point bolt above the rag joint flange allow pivoting of the intermediate shaft and therefore align  the steering wheel? Or is it notched to be in one position like the pitman arm? Right now with the wheels straight the new column places the wheel 1/4 turn off.

[priya]

I think steering wheel alignement in such situations is normally done at wheel alignment time by adjusting the tie rod ends to straighten the wheel, but  I'll ask my husband when he gets home (he's a wheel alignment expert) if someone else hasn't answered definitively by then.

[ericarmstrong]

The previous column's wheel was straight as could be. There must be some way to adjust it.

[El Matador]

My '81 Concord is the same way.

The car tracks down the road straight and true, so I don't think there's an alignment problem.  However, with the front wheels pointed straight ahead, the steering wheel is angled about 30 degrees to the right.  It doesn't affect the driveability of the car, but it really bugs me to know that something isn't lining up correctly.

There's obvious evidence that this car took a frontal hit at some point, so I suspect that's a factor.

Anyway, I'll be curious to see what the potential solutions are.

[ericarmstrong]

The green circle seems to be the bolt holding the flange to the shaft. The shaft is grooved all the way around. If it doesn't have a random offset groove or alignment section it should allow straightening the steering wheel. I wouldn't try this if I wasn't 100% sure the car is in line.   I'll find out in person on Saturday unless someone here tells me otherwise.

[mudkicker715]

This is the only alignment thingyi know of. Had no problems with tink715's eagle when I swapped it.
Anyway this is from theend of the column going into the ragjoint

[ericarmstrong]

Thats the grooved part I spoke of.  Does the dip on the left have to go in one spot or is that damaged?

[mudkicker715]

Not understanding on the damage thing

[priya]

I guess I was wrong.  Hubby says turn the steering wheel all the way to one lock, put a piece of masking tape on the top of the steering wheel.  Now turn it all the way to the other lock but count the turns every time the tape comes to the top.  If its for example, 3 and 1/2 turns go back 1/2 the number of turns or 1 and 3/4 turns.  Now you know the steering gear is centred.  Now if its off 1/4 or 1/2 turn or whatever you change where the steering column hooks to the steering box.  You have to remove the rag joint where it splines to the steering box and move the wheel 1/4 turn and then re-assemble.

[priya]

Hubby had a look at the service manual and he noticed a flat spot on the end of the worm shaft  where the rag joint bolts to the worm shaft.  If the rag joint has a corresponding flat then you cannot change the relationship of the two.  If the rag joint will go on 90 degrees over (no flat spot on rag joint) then put it on 90 degrees over and you're done.  If you can't do that then only option you have is 180 degrees at the rag joint.  If its a tilt column the steering wheel has a fixed relationship to the shaft at the top and you can't change it.  If its a standard column he doesn't know if this is the case but assumes it is the same, you'd have to take it apart to see for sure.

[68AMXGOPAC]

am I missunderstanding the issue ? or can't you just pull the steering wheel and put it back on centered ??

[ericarmstrong]

The steering wheel has a notched section that only allows it to go on one way. I think my best bet is to try the intermediate shaft to rag-joint flange thing.