steering wheel off center | FerrariChat

steering wheel off center

Discussion in '348/355' started by darrenliu, Oct 10, 2016.

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  1. darrenliu

    darrenliu Formula Junior

    Jun 24, 2008
    447
    Melbourne Australia
    Full Name:
    Darren Liu
    My steering wheel has become off center. Its normally dead straight when going in a straight line. I don't recall hitting anything to make this happen. How does this happen? Does it need a wheel alignment to correct this?
     
  2. itsablurr

    itsablurr Formula 3

    Dec 9, 2005
    1,006
    Carlisle, MA
    Full Name:
    Matt
    Yes. Resolved through alignment, and replacement of any worn or damaged components. Given the sensitivity to setup that this chassis exhibits, alignment should be a regular aspect of maintenance, by a shop well versed in racers or older Ferraris. It's not an in and out process at your local tire and alignment franchise to dial it in.
     
  3. Dave rocks

    Dave rocks F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Nov 23, 2012
    16,047
    Orchard Park, NY
    Full Name:
    Dave Lelonek
    This is often the results of a lack of care during an alignment where the car is aligned with the wheel slightly off. My 98 is the same and has bee since I've owned it.
     
  4. Mitch Alsup

    Mitch Alsup F1 Veteran

    Nov 4, 2003
    9,252
    Err, not so fast.

    Alignment on normal cars means putting the wheels straight and adding a touch of toe.

    Alignment on a Ferrari includes ride height setting and corner weight adjustments prior to setting the wheels straight (caster and camber) and setting toe.

    If you mean the former you are incorrect, if you meant the later, you are correct.

    Ferraris are sensitive enough that a few pounds of air pressure difference can change the steering angle. So check this first.

    Since we are in the 348/F355 section, no car here is less than 17 years old. If they have not been ride height adjusted (springs sag) and corner weighted (sagging springs have different spring constants than new springs) then setting the wheels straights will NOT solve the real problem, but you just might get the steering set straight.
     
  5. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    99,174
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap
    Don't even get me started on this topic. :(

    Had 2x wheel alignments done on 2x different cars of mine and both of them came back with the steering wheel sitting off center *to the left*.

    But I wanted to have my wheel alignment checked, they checked and adjusted it and got it wrong.

    One car has been sorted after 5x attempts and I am going to pick the other car up in around 10 mins to see if that has been sorted after 3x attempts. How hard can it be right? :rolleyes:

    In regards to the Ferrari......

    My Ferrari steering wheel also went off center many years ago. I only just fixed it a few months ago.

    The car would drive dead straight, but the wheel would sit a few inches off center to the left now for some reason.

    I ended up finding I had a collapsed steering rack bush on the left hand side. I recently just fixed this and the car drives dead straight with the steering wheel dead straight again also.

    Not saying this is what happened to your car Darren, but I would jack the car up mate and check each wheel by moving/shaking left and right and see if you can see/feel/hear any worn parts in there.

    If everything is nice and tight in the front end, then hopefully it's just a wheel alignment issue.

    If you can't manage this, then take it to a mechanic who can take a quick look for you. It won't take long to jack it up and take a look mate.

    Please be sure to let us know what happens.
     
  6. darrenliu

    darrenliu Formula Junior

    Jun 24, 2008
    447
    Melbourne Australia
    Full Name:
    Darren Liu
    ok thanks Pap. its just strange. The wheel is normally dead straight but the car has been to the paint shop and mechanic recently, and in both cases the wheels were removed. I wonder if something was disturbed during the process.
     
  7. WATSON

    WATSON Two Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Sep 9, 2010
    21,611
    WI
    The wheels are seated properly on the hub? I had an old brit car where the left hand wheel was off center on the lugs by just a tad and they just cinched in place. Pulled like crazy.
     
  8. itsablurr

    itsablurr Formula 3

    Dec 9, 2005
    1,006
    Carlisle, MA
    Full Name:
    Matt
    As said, alignment/replacing worn or damaged components is the resolution for an off-center steering wheel, the focus of the question from the OP. The balance of items in a chassis setup will not resolve that issue. As stated, this chassis is quite sensitive to setup specifications (setup being more than just alignment spec), however specific alignment settings are more subject to running out of spec over seasonal mileage and use than ride height and corner weight. Check it in the course of alignment, of course, but it's doubtful that adjustment will be needed every time. A full chassis setup consists of alignment in conjunction with ride height and corner weighting with a driver load and half tank of fuel.
     
  9. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    99,174
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap
    No worries mate.

    I can't think of anything that would have been disturbed or 'thrown out' of whack, unless the paint shop or mechanics did some work in there with the suspension?

    If they removed a tie-rod end/s they perhaps did not put in back in the right place which is causing an issue now. Too much toe-in or toe-out on one or both sides perhaps??

    What work was performed? That might give us a little more info to help nut this one out.

    I just got my other car back from the wheel alignment shop. They got it right this time, the RH toe was out 1mm.

    Why or how they missed this the first 3x times is beyond me! It was the same person who did all 3x wheel alignments!!!

    What I have learned in the last 20 years of wrenching on cars mate, like Butchers and Mechanics...........if you find a GOOD wheel alignment guy NEVER go anywhere else.
     
  10. darrenliu

    darrenliu Formula Junior

    Jun 24, 2008
    447
    Melbourne Australia
    Full Name:
    Darren Liu
    the paint shop just took the wheels off to get them refurbished and the mechanic took the front wheel off to change the battery. im going to check the air pressure first to see if that might be the problem. Thanks for all the advice guys, really appreciated it.
     
  11. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    99,174
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap
    No worries then mate. Doesn't sounds like they did anything wrong then, as long as the wheels are bolted on correctly.

    Let us know what the tyre pressure does for you. Normally with low tyre pressures the steering wheel will still be straight but the car will veer left or right depending on which tyre pressure is low.

    I just serviced and drove a Commodore yesterday with the RHF tyre pressure at 12 psi. The rest were at 36 psi.

    Steering wheel was dead straight, but car pulled to the right like a demon. Lol

    Talk soon mate.
     
  12. KingSteve

    KingSteve Karting

    Jan 16, 2015
    55
    Maranello
    I'm surprised nobodies mentioned this before, lots of talk about alignment and tyre pressures, etc. And this is true IF the car is tracking off to one side, but if its just the steering wheel thats not straight, that would be the first place I would look! If you have the classyer later 4 spoke wheel, pop the airbag off and you will find 4 allen screws, chances are that the outer rim has moved slightly from the mounting spigot. Undo those 4 screws and you see how much the play the mounting hardware has!
     
  13. KingSteve

    KingSteve Karting

    Jan 16, 2015
    55
    Maranello
    #13 KingSteve, Oct 11, 2016
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017

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