Crooked Steering Wheel

[Turbo-T Wannbe]

I just had new front tires put on, now my steering wheel is cocked to one side. It used to sit perfecty, as in, when I want to go straight, the wheel is straight up and down. It doesn't seem to be pulling to either side, it's just annoying. I'm not about to take it back to that place because they can't do anything right, but is there anything I can adjust? I know very little about how steering components work.

 

[Steve Wood]

somehow it seems as if the tie rods were played with....If you have not had an alignment lately, It would be a good time to do so and get the steering wheel straightened.

Sounds like the tie rods on both sides need to be turned a fraction of a turn to bring the wheel back straight.

 

[Turbo-T Wannbe]

Thanks, Steve. Haven't had an alignment recently, and I need to replace my center link and idler arm before I do. Is messing with my tie rod ends something an average gearhead can do?

 

[Steve Wood]

yeah...you can do it...you will have to decrease the length of one tie rod and increase the other side depending upon which way the wheel need to go.
Turn both sides exactly the same amount to maintain current toe.

 

[Roger]

Raise the front tires off the gound (one at a time is ok). Scribe the tire against a nail, screwdriver, whatever by holding the scribe erfectly steady & turn the wheel to scribe (mark) it.
Put th eTR back on the ground & very carefully (as close as you can get to axle - center cap height) the difference between the scribe marks - front to rear of the tires. Should be between 1/16 & 1/8" less distance in front than in the rear.
If this measurement is ok , go ahead & adjust the tie rods.
Hold the steering wheel steady in the position you want it ( use a pillow the boss lady , whatever). sight on outside & inside of tires to see they line up with the rear tires with a slight sighting to the outside of the rear tires. Adjust the tierods so everything lines up correctly ( slight toe in sighted to rear tires & 1/16 to 1/8" less distance front scribe measurement compared to rear scribe measurement).
You might be ahead to part with $50 at your local GM dealer for a front end alignment.
LOL