Steering Wheel Needs Recentering

[AcID ZeR0]

Okay lads, had my tracking done at Kwik-Fit, for my sins lol.
They've set my Clio up to -1.
But now when I go along the wheel is at 10'oc, I took it back they redone it i watched and they did use a steering wheel lock.

They're thinking somethings bent on it, I have had a bit or work done in the name of replacing shocks and hubs, I'm wondering is it possible to just recenter the steering wheel?

As the car no longer pulls and travels in a straight line.

Only problem is the car has airbag and PAS how hard would it be to adjust it?

 

[u33db]

PAS makes no difference and its an easy job;

disconnect battery for about 15 mins, then undo the bolts on the rear of the wheel holding the airbag on. Once thats done, ease it out of the wheel (it's all enclosed so your not going to have a big bag flapping about) and unclip the airbag ribbon from the wheel. The wheel nut should now be exposed...remove it and align the wheel properly on the splines then refit.

Max 30mins to do.

 

[AcID ZeR0]

Would anyone in and around the Surrey area be willing to do this for me for a small fee of course? I could drive down to you.

Even though it's only a few bolts I really don't want to attempt it myself as I'm scared of ballsing it up. Plus I don't know where my wrenches are.

 

[EVOgone]

Take it back to KwikFit and get them to do it properly with the wheel straight. I woiuldnt have paid them...!

 

[AcID ZeR0]

They did do it, I watched them clamp the wheel staight and adjust the tracking matey then called me over and explained he's adjusted the tracking to -1 or something like that.

He thinks something might be bent, but like I said I'm not too fussed as Clio MK2 is coming April so I just want the wheel straight as it's annoying.

 

[u33db]

I'd have done it for you mate but i'm up in Aberdeen...bit far to drive!

 

[Friction]

doesnt sound like anythings bent - sounds a bit weird as a diagnosis, since you'd notice if anything was bent when the geometries were checked. were the wheels straight when it went on the ramps, or was the wheel turned in order to put the lock on?

 

[AcID ZeR0]

tbh mate dont really know all i saw is the clamp on the steering wheel, I have recently replaced the suspension and hubs with 54mm spacing ones off a 1.2 if that could have anything to do with it?

 

[Friction]

nah

for the wheels to be perfectly tracked, but the steeringwheel to be sitting offset, it cant really be much other than the steeringwheel not being set straight to begin with.

 

[AcID ZeR0]

can it be sorted by removing and reseating the steering wheel?

 

[EVOgone]

They did do it, I watched them clamp the wheel staight and adjust the tracking matey then called me over and explained he's adjusted the tracking to -1 or something like that.

He thinks something might be bent, but like I said I'm not too fussed as Clio MK2 is coming April so I just want the wheel straight as it's annoying.

Kwikfit fobbing you off mate...up to you but its not because somethings bent it due to the fact you need to road test your car for the s/wheel position.

When i had all my geometry done they had to do 1 or 2 little tweeks so the steering wheel was dead center. Just moving the steering wheel is not the way to do it..!

 

[u33db]

If he just wants the steering wheel straight it is!

Look at it this way - 30mins DIY to fix yourself or a load more time back at that bunch of cowboys arguing wether or not they were doing it right and whether or not they should do it again FOC - i know which i'd do.

Shifting the wheel round a few splines IS the easiest way and WILL cure it...theres no downside to doing it.

 

[Friction]

nah, wouldnt be me. I wouldnt be going to any extra hassle i didnt have to, because they dont know what they're doing.

Surely with the wheel turned slightly, and the tracking set up, the steering rack sits slightly to one side? (meaning full lock one way will be slightly more than the other, in theory)

So then, surely the best way to correct it, is to have everything centered, and the track rod ends adjusted accordingly?

 

[AcID ZeR0]

Is it a myth that if the car has PAS the engine needs to be running to align the wheels correctly?

 

[Fred@BTM]

yup

 

[EVOgone]

If he just wants the steering wheel straight it is!

Look at it this way - 30mins DIY to fix yourself or a load more time back at that bunch of cowboys arguing wether or not they were doing it right and whether or not they should do it again FOC - i know which i'd do.

Shifting the wheel round a few splines IS the easiest way and WILL cure it...theres no downside to doing it.

Our survey say's XXX

 

[EVOgone]

nah, wouldnt be me. I wouldnt be going to any extra hassle i didnt have to, because they dont know what they're doing.

Surely with the wheel turned slightly, and the tracking set up, the steering rack sits slightly to one side? (meaning full lock one way will be slightly more than the other, in theory)

So then, surely the best way to correct it, is to have everything centered, and the track rod ends adjusted accordingly?

Exactly, its worth the efforst to know its done right...and not a bodge..

 

[nick_b]

Exactly, its worth the efforst to know its done right...and not a bodge..

Quite right, there should be absolutely no need to take the steering wheel off to take it to the straight ahead position. (unless it's been off before for some reason and wasn't put back on straight...?)

If Kwikfit are doing their job properly, and lock the steering wheel in the straight ahead position, the "tracking" will not be correct. In actual fact the "tracking", ie, the individual toe angles, will be correct only when the front wheels are pointing forward eg when you are driving in a straight line; and we know this because you say the cars drives correctly. So what Kwikfit are not doing correctly is setting the toe angles equal side to side. So for example, when the steering wheel is straight, the wheels are now pointing to the left, giving toe angles of -4 and +5 (for example). So basically, as Friction summed up in one line, one of your track rod ends needs to be wound out, and the other wound in.

Hope this helps. And makes sense.:S

 

[AcID ZeR0]

Yeah it makes sence mate, but they showed me it on there lazer thingy (dont make me get all technical on you lol) all reading -1.

Might cut my losses and get it done at Hi-Q they've always done me good at my local branch, only reason I didnt go with them today is their ramps broken.

 

[EVOgone]

Yeah it makes sence mate, but they showed me it on there lazer thingy (dont make me get all technical on you lol) all reading -1.

Might cut my losses and get it done at Hi-Q they've always done me good at my local branch, only reason I didnt go with them today is their ramps broken.

Dont wimp out just go to kwikfit and say to re-do it (with the wheel straight) i hate people getting fobbed off.

Just say you will be making a formal complaint to their head office if it is not done satifactory or you want your money back. People in this country tend just to let things go and thats why we have poorly skilled cheep labour doing technical jobs.

You would never get this in Germany for example, if the jobs not done right then all hell would break loose. Hence technically even tyre fitters are respected people as they are all good at their job.

Stick up for yourself, you will feel better for it.

 

[u33db]

nah, wouldnt be me. I wouldnt be going to any extra hassle i didnt have to, because they dont know what they're doing.

Surely with the wheel turned slightly, and the tracking set up, the steering rack sits slightly to one side? (meaning full lock one way will be slightly more than the other, in theory)

So then, surely the best way to correct it, is to have everything centered, and the track rod ends adjusted accordingly?

Yes thats true but in reality you're not going to notice it...the only time you use full lock is when parking and TBH a few degrees here and there won't make much difference.

 

[u33db]

Exactly, its worth the efforst to know its done right...and not a bodge..

Taking the wheel off is not a bodge!

Its a fact that that most mk1's come from the factory with the steering wheel not 100% straight. It's also a fact that when the steering lock goes on, the steering wheel is never 100% straight.

Chances are that kwikfit did it right, probably with the wheel centred according to the lock on the column and the car suffers the above points...hence its tracked right but the wheel is wrong.

For arguements sake, I've had 2 R5's, 1 megane, 3 clios and they've all suffered this...in each case i've had to reseat the wheel and never noticed any problems afterwards. The boys on retro-renault look like they're saying the same thing...

 

[AcID ZeR0]

Thats what I'm getting at too, KwikFit are pretty much Sh*tFit in most cases but I do believe they've got it right as they done it for me three times and showed me the levels and steering wheel being locked along the way on the second times, nothing else they could do I don't think.

If I think I have a case I'd fight it trust me, I'm that sort of person who don't let things lye or people get the better of me in cases like these.

So I'm going to reset the steering wheel I think, one thing I did rememeber someone saying is that the indicators would need to be manually cancelled?

 

[u33db]

No, indicators will cancel fine.

The steering wheel has a fork that goes into the column to cancel them but what it fits into is a plastic attachement on which you can adjust up or down...likely you won't need to bother though...

 

[stevo123]

Might be worth centering the rack also. Put wheel on straight and count turns to right lock and left lock. eg 2 1/2 turns or there abouts. Put the wheel on when rack is centred then get "qwick dicks" to track it, leave the premises and never ever return there again.

 

[AcID ZeR0]

Will do mate cheers everyone, I tell you what I have noticed though. the car is a lot less willing to lockup in the wet; Has getting it tracked improved that?

 

[nick_b]

Taking the wheel off is not a bodge!

It's also a fact that when the steering lock goes on, the steering wheel is never 100% straight.

Chances are that kwikfit did it right, probably with the wheel centred according to the lock on the column and the car suffers the above points...hence its tracked right but the wheel is wrong.

The reason the steering wheel is not straight when it is on the ignition lock is because there are about 3 or 4 recesses for the lock to engage into in the column which are never postioned in the straight ahead position.

In my previous post, when i refered to the "steering lock" I was refering to the equipment kwikshit should use that holds the steering wheel in the straight ahead position, not the ignition lock. How can you possibly set the toe using the ignition lock to hold the wheel sraight? As you point out it never locks in the straight ahead position, and when it is locked, there is still a small amount of movement.

If kwikshit set the tracking attempting to hold the steering straight on the ignition lock, they really shouldn't be in the business of basic geometry setting.

And taking the wheel off to straighten it, is a bodge.
The reason all cars come from factory with the wheel off centre is because the manufacturer doesn't compensate for camber on the road, so technically your wheel is straight, but are are constantly steering into the camber of the road.

And that's all I have to say on the subject.

 

[u33db]

The reason all cars come from factory with the wheel off centre is because the manufacturer doesn't compensate for camber on the road, so technically your wheel is straight, but are are constantly steering into the camber of the road.

?

 

[Friction]

who cares? topic seems to be an excuse for an argument now, lol.

Taking the steeringwheel off and centering that, thus having the rack offset, is a bodge to most people, including myself.

As for being less easy to lock up in the wet, it could be helped by the tracking.

 

[u33db]

Right now, Frictions right - stop this arguing folks! I blame AcID ZeRO...it's his fault, he started it...

;-p

 

[EVOgone]

Its not an argument its a case of....

If you need a job doing its worth doing it right.....i think that the majoritys feeling.

 

[crooky1986]

how much did it cost for them to do this?