Is my steering centered?

[bignosejim]

Can someone tell me if this picture depicts my steering rack being centered? I'm getting ready to do a string alignment after putting on coilovers and want to be sure before I do something I might regret



Cuz if it is my steering wheel is off by a lot. My wheels look pretty straight though.

Thanks

Jim

[RossBMWZseries]

Did you ever figure this out? My wheels look straight and car drives perfectly straight but my steering wheel must stay rotated a bit to the right. This happened after my mechanic replaced my tie rod ends and did a string alignment. Is it possible that he somehow installed the tie rods ends incorrectly?

[longress]

Originally Posted by RossBMWZseries

Did you ever figure this out? My wheels look straight and car drives perfectly straight but my steering wheel must stay rotated a bit to the right. This happened after my mechanic replaced my tie rod ends and did a string alignment. Is it possible that he somehow installed the tie rods ends incorrectly?

The steering wheel must be centered during the toe adjustment. The procedure is to start the car and center the steering wheel, shut the car off and lock the steering wheel in this centered position (a special spring lock tool is better then using the cars steering lock as far as accuracy is concerned). Then the toe is adjusted on the tires. If someone is using a string then they have to have good eyes because essentially your sighting down the side of the vehicle making sure the front tires line up with the rear tires. The string is used to determine the toe angle from the center front of the front tires as compared to the center rear of the front tires.

Your toe was not set correctly this is why your steering wheel is off center. I suggest taking it to someone for a proper 4 wheel alignment. The steering angle sensor will most likely need reset using a scan tool to avoid a fault with the DSC but any reputable alignment shop will do this as part of the procedure now a days.

[unluky]

Originally Posted by longress

The steering wheel must be centered during the toe adjustment. The procedure is to start the car and center the steering wheel, shut the car off and lock the steering wheel in this centered position (a special spring lock tool is better then using the cars steering lock as far as accuracy is concerned). Then the toe is adjusted on the tires. If someone is using a string then they have to have good eyes because essentially your sighting down the side of the vehicle making sure the front tires line up with the rear tires. The string is used to determine the toe angle from the center front of the front tires as compared to the center rear of the front tires.

Your toe was not set correctly this is why your steering wheel is off center. I suggest taking it to someone for a proper 4 wheel alignment. The steering angle sensor will most likely need reset using a scan tool to avoid a fault with the DSC but any reputable alignment shop will do this as part of the procedure now a days.

Does the steering wheel being off have to mean your toe is not set properly? If they did not have the wheel centered when they did the toe - could the toe still be correct, but the wheel is off center?

[bignosejim]

I ended up taking mine in for an alignment. It was pricey, but worth it.

[RossBMWZseries]

Originally Posted by longress

The steering wheel must be centered during the toe adjustment. The procedure is to start the car and center the steering wheel, shut the car off and lock the steering wheel in this centered position (a special spring lock tool is better then using the cars steering lock as far as accuracy is concerned). Then the toe is adjusted on the tires. If someone is using a string then they have to have good eyes because essentially your sighting down the side of the vehicle making sure the front tires line up with the rear tires. The string is used to determine the toe angle from the center front of the front tires as compared to the center rear of the front tires.

Your toe was not set correctly this is why your steering wheel is off center. I suggest taking it to someone for a proper 4 wheel alignment. The steering angle sensor will most likely need reset using a scan tool to avoid a fault with the DSC but any reputable alignment shop will do this as part of the procedure now a days.

Interesting. Thanks for the feedback. I plan on removing my steering wheel to clean the cables behind it. When I put it back on, should I install the wheel as straight as possible? Should I get the alignment before or after removing the steering wheel?

Originally Posted by bignosejim

I ended up taking mine in for an alignment. It was pricey, but worth it.

How much? Here it's about $60 for an alignment.

Originally Posted by unluky

Does the steering wheel being off have to mean your toe is not set properly? If they did not have the wheel centered when they did the toe - could the toe still be correct, but the wheel is off center?

My question also

[longress]

Originally Posted by unluky

Does the steering wheel being off have to mean your toe is not set properly? If they did not have the wheel centered when they did the toe - could the toe still be correct, but the wheel is off center?

The total toe can be correct but the steering wheel not centered. So yes your front wheels can be within the proper spec but the reason why the steering wheel is off center is because one tire is toe'd in or toe'd out more than the other side and when you drive down the road both tires automatically equalize their individual toe and in the process turn the steering wheel to the position in which the tires are equally toe'd.

So centering the steering wheel is done by locking it in the center position and then turning the tie rods to bring each tire to an equal toe setting so when you drive down the road the steering wheel stays straight.

[longress]

Originally Posted by RossBMWZseries

Interesting. Thanks for the feedback. I plan on removing my steering wheel to clean the cables behind it. When I put it back on, should I install the wheel as straight as possible? Should I get the alignment before or after removing the steering wheel?

How much? Here it's about $60 for an alignment.

My question also

The steering shaft has a blind spline so the steering wheel can only go on in the same position that it came off.
The only way to center it is to adjust the toe so it doesn't matter when you pull the steering wheel with regards to getting an alignment.

[dc_wright]

You can have total toe set, but have a pull which causing the steering to be off center when you're rolling if the toe is uneven side to side. You can also have total toe and toe each side correct and have the steering wheel offset if the final adjustment wasn't to center the steering by counter adjusting the tie rods.

[bignosejim]

My alignment was around $300 at an Indy place. It was the only place that could get to me in a reasonable timeframe.

[RossBMWZseries]

Originally Posted by longress

The steering shaft has a blind spline so the steering wheel can only go on in the same position that it came off.
The only way to center it is to adjust the toe so it doesn't matter when you pull the steering wheel with regards to getting an alignment.

Good to know, thanks again!

Originally Posted by dc_wright

You can have total toe set, but have a pull which causing the steering to be off center when you're rolling if the toe is uneven side to side. You can also have total toe and toe each side correct and have the steering wheel offset if the final adjustment wasn't to center the steering by counter adjusting the tie rods.

This is something that any shop specialized in alignments should know, right?

Originally Posted by bignosejim

My alignment was around $300 at an Indy place. It was the only place that could get to me in a reasonable timeframe.

WHAT?! Alignments here go for $50-$100

[dc_wright]

Originally Posted by RossBMWZseries

Good to know, thanks again!



This is something that any shop specialized in alignments should know, right?



WHAT?! Alignments here go for $50-$100

Yep, but it's the last step in the process and it gets overlooked sometimes.

[inTgr8r]

Originally Posted by longress

The steering wheel must be centered during the toe adjustment. The procedure is to start the car and center the steering wheel, shut the car off and lock the steering wheel in this centered position (a special spring lock tool is better then using the cars steering lock as far as accuracy is concerned). Then the toe is adjusted on the tires. If someone is using a string then they have to have good eyes because essentially your sighting down the side of the vehicle making sure the front tires line up with the rear tires. The string is used to determine the toe angle from the center front of the front tires as compared to the center rear of the front tires.

Your toe was not set correctly this is why your steering wheel is off center. I suggest taking it to someone for a proper 4 wheel alignment. The steering angle sensor will most likely need reset using a scan tool to avoid a fault with the DSC but any reputable alignment shop will do this as part of the procedure now a days.

Hey bud, how goes??? its been a while.

You're on the right track but there are a few more details to the procedure.
Check out the thread I put together on string line setup and alignment.
It's in the M3 section but the procedure is the same.

https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1540077

[longress]

Originally Posted by inTgr8r

Hey bud, how goes??? its been a while.

You're on the right track but there are a few more details to the procedure.
Check out the thread I put together on string line setup and alignment.
It's in the M3 section but the procedure is the same.

https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1540077

Hey Ian,

I checked out your thread and I had no clue of what a string line alignment could be. Outstanding fabrication and a true inspiration for DIYer's!

[inTgr8r]

Originally Posted by longress

Hey Ian,

I checked out your thread and I had no clue of what a string line alignment could be. Outstanding fabrication and a true inspiration for DIYer's!

Thanks Jack,
Ive been doing this for a long time now.
I've always liked tweaking my track setup, and alignment shops were costing me a fortune.