codymingus Posted January 15, 2008 Report Share Posted January 15, 2008 Hey guys, I replaced my steering rack last summer, but I @#$ed up and it's now the wheel isn't straight. I pulled the steering wheel off to fix it, but I can't rotate it back because the shaft is keyed. So I'm looking at removing the linkage from the rack. My question is whether there is another coupler that is easier to get to than the one on the rack. If there isn't, is there enough slack so I can take the coupler loose at the rack and rotate it around without having to drop the subframe? Thanks in advance. p.s. If anybody wants to buy this car, it's for sale. 225k miles $800obo. zip 97401. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q-Ball Posted January 15, 2008 Report Share Posted January 15, 2008 Dont know about the steering wheel rotation, never had that problem, as for sale post some pics of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codymingus Posted January 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2008 Here's the CL ad. More pics later: http://eugene.craigslist.org/car/514299355.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManicMechanic Posted January 15, 2008 Report Share Posted January 15, 2008 How far is it off? I assume you had it aligned? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codymingus Posted January 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2008 Yup, had it aligned long ago. Everything is fine, except the wheel. I don't care how it looks, but I'm trying to sell the car, and I want it to look right. It's about 120 degrees off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManicMechanic Posted January 15, 2008 Report Share Posted January 15, 2008 If i recall, there's 2 flats on the coupler at the end of the steering column to the rack, you should be able to undo it at the end of the column, spin the wheel and put it back together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codymingus Posted January 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2008 You mean where the column meets the rack or some place else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManicMechanic Posted January 16, 2008 Report Share Posted January 16, 2008 Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManicMechanic Posted January 16, 2008 Report Share Posted January 16, 2008 It's been awhile since I worked on that part of a W body...So I could be very wrong, but I do recall what I was was true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psych0matt Posted January 16, 2008 Report Share Posted January 16, 2008 mine has been about an inch off since I bought it kind of annoying, but not the end of the world. You are trying to sell it though, and that's a pretty good reason to want to straighten it, especially if it's as far off as it sounds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codymingus Posted January 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2008 So does anybody know if there is a coupler *BESIDES* the one on the rack? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted January 16, 2008 Report Share Posted January 16, 2008 NO NO NO. the coupler at the base of the wheel and the intermediate shaft and the intermediate shaft to rack connections are fixed position linkages. they CANNOT be rotated. but this is a 93 GP, the wheel should be rotateable as I think the 93 should not have a spline lock key. (check again!) the 94+ round columns have a spline key, but the wheel on those can be flipped 180 degrees. I can only assume that we have the wrong info or that 93 changes. maybe your wheel can only flip 180 degrees. the ONLY place where you can adjust the problem is the tie rod ends. please inspect to make sure you are not using a bent tie-rod end or anything of that nature. if a part is broken. fix it. WHAT TO DO: turn the wheel until it (but not the tires) is straight. go beneath the car and determine if the rack it centered. the measurement of the left and right boot would be equal. if not... rotate the wheel left or right 180 degrees until it the rack it centered and re-measure. next. staighten the the steering wheel if needed (flip 180 degrees?) then. loosen the lock nuts on the tierod adjusters. adjust until the wheels are facing forward. you may need to occasionally restaighten the wheel or rock the car too for changes to take effect. On our cars, front tire toe should be ZERO; They should be parallel. I check my toe using a helper and a measuring tape. have the helper hold one end of the tape on the same line of thread for the front and the rear measurement of toe. measure to a set thread line on the opposite tire. Adjust as necessary. tighten the nuts and test drive. I usually have to repeat the adjustment three to four times for it to leave the wheel correctly straight, with a straight steering wheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codymingus Posted January 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2008 Thanks man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codymingus Posted January 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2008 Oh, to confirm...I took the wheel off and it was keyed in one position only, so it wasn't rotatable at all. It had a plastic piece in there that the horn plugged in to. This is a 93 LE if that makes a diff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted January 16, 2008 Report Share Posted January 16, 2008 Oh, to confirm...I took the wheel off and it was keyed in one position only, so it wasn't rotatable at all. It had a plastic piece in there that the horn plugged in to. This is a 93 LE if that makes a diff. ok. I forgot about the horn peg, but I think that might flip too. time to go under the car! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xtremerevolution Posted January 16, 2008 Report Share Posted January 16, 2008 Not sure if this is relevant at all, but I had this problem at one point and the steering wheel would sit too far to one side, i forget which one. It was pretty annoying because it was never straight. Then one day I went to change my brakes and found that the subframe had a clean tear through it and that it was just dangling around there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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