Steering Wheel off Center

This is a good time for a wheel alignment. Have the tech center your steering wheel in the process.

 

I would also check your lower arm forks for stress cracks. My independent mechanic stated that having the wheel off center is the first sign of lower fork problems. Mine have yet to replaced after the recall was put out. I haven't had the time to take it the 100 miles to the dealer, drop it off, get a ride back to my house, etc.. I hope it is just an alignment issue.

 

When you have the front alignment done/checked, they can (and normally do) adjust the steering wheel centering.

 

Not sure what part of Florida you're in but I've noticed the roads here in South Florida are crowned pretty heavily.

 

This happened to me when i put the QV wheels. Alignment should do the trick.

 

Can you point me to a thread or info on this recall? I'm not aware of it and I'd like to find out. Is it still a valid repair for Dealers to perform on the 308 series? If so, FoDenver is just down the road from me.

Thanks in advance for any info on the recall.

James in Denver
84 308 QV US

 

The 1st question is did this just happen or did you buy the car this way. If the wheel was straight when you bought the car and it is now off you most likely knocked it out of alignment. A tie rod adjustment will fix this so assuming you can't do this take it to a front end place and get an alignment. There is nothing unique about the alignment and most good shops will have the spec's to do the job.

 

James, the recall was specific to a run of 328's only. And this recall campaign was started about 19 years ago, I am in disbelief a low production car like a 328 could make it this far and never had been updated. First thing I do with any new used car purchase is call or stop by the local dealer and have them run the VIN to see if there are any outstanding campaigns. So far I have never had anything found...though I have been contacted later when a new campaign starts.

 

OK so better to take it to a good alignment guy and look under it to see if something got bent during the transportation process. These things just don't go out by themselves and it would take a hard hit to shift the wheel. Maybe they tied down or towed the car into the transporter by hooking on to the tie rod. Do a visual inspection. Good luck

 

By the way, the alignment guys just adjust the steering wheel center by tweaking the tie rod ends threads.

 

As long as the tires are good (even wear) and tire pressures are correct, the alignment should fix it.

 

When I bought my 328 in 02, it had not had any of the recalls done. Just a data point.

Still, the OP has a 308 and this recall isn't relevant.

 

OK there you go. Simple process. Did they just adjust the tie rods or did they do a complete alignment check. Also was it a front end alignment or was it a 4 wheel alignment. If so what did the results look like. Was everything in spec. Just asking .

 

With the steering locked (key out) the wheel should be centered. If its not, you may not have full swing to one direction or the other, or over swing (tire rub) the opposite direction. In addition the turn signals may not cancel correctly after swing back from the turn (too early or wont function in one direction, or wont cancel the other way).

If the rack has been removed, its incredibly easy to reconnect the steering shaft at the rack and have it be off a spline or two. If they assmeble it that way, even if they turn the wheels back straight with the tie rods, the rack isnt centered and your back to more steer in one direction, less the other.

Before spending money at an alignment shop, if your the DIY type, take some time to determine if the car is assembled correctly. With the wheel locked, steering shaft centered, the wheel should be straight ahead. If its not, remove it and you can recenter it with the steering shaft. Now measure the rack ends protruding from the rack. Not the tie rod ends at the wheels, but the inner ends. Just a tape measure to the frame or to the rack body itself should tell you thier distance and if the rack is close to being centered. If they are not equal, you will need to disconnect the the steering shaft at the rack, re-center the rack, and re-attach the steering. Then focus on correcting the wheels straight ahead position. Another way to check the rack center, is to swing the wheel fully one direction, then count turns fully the other direction. now turn the wheel back exactly half way. If the tires wernt up bumping up against the chassis on either side, holding the steering from turning, then the mid point of travel is the physical rack center point. The ignition key should "lock" the steering in that position, the steering wheel should be centered in that position, and the wheels should be pointing straight ahead there as well.

There is a thread currently running on DIY wheel alignment, its really very simple for most DIY types once you study it a little bit. And the results are often times far more accurate than what you will achieve on a $40K rack with Bubba doing the job. Its really not that difficult, it just takes patience.