Clocking steering wheel

[Frankenchevy]

Good afternoon!

I’m wanting to clock my steering wheel so it’s going straight with the wheels. Is this accomplished at the pinch bolt below the rag joint/above steering box?

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Looks as though everything else is clocked or keyed specifically...

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

Is your toe aligned properly? When mine are clocked wrong, that’s been a sign for me to go get them aligned. Not that’s necessarily a tell all, but it might not hurt if it’s been a while.

 

[HotRodPC]

I agree with Jesse. What is the reason it got out of the right time? If it's parts wear or adjustment, I wouldn't change the clocking to correct it and mask a problem, I'd try to fix the problems causing it. Now if someone has the steering wheel off, or the steering shaft out and didn't put back together correctly, then that's a different story.

 

[Frankenchevy]

Is your toe aligned properly? When mine are clocked wrong, that’s been a sign for me to go get them aligned. Not that’s necessarily a tell all, but it might not hurt if it’s been a while.

The truck was in pieces. I think I married them incorrectly. I measured front and back of tires track width and it’s spot on. Truck drove perfect before I rebuilt everything. I put the drag link and tie rod back on without changing the adjustment.

I agree with Jesse. What is the reason it got out of the right time? If it's parts wear or adjustment, I wouldn't change the clocking to correct it and mask a problem, I'd try to fix the problems causing it. Now if someone has the steering wheel off, or the steering shaft out and didn't put back together correctly, then that's a different story.

I’m confused. The steering wheel and shaft can only go on one way. They’re both specifically keyed. I couldn’t put the steering wheel on wrong if I wanted to.

 

[HotRodPC]

The truck was in pieces. I think I married them incorrectly. I measured front and back of tires track width and it’s spot on. Truck drove perfect before I rebuilt everything. I put the drag link and tie rod back on without changing the adjustment.



I’m confused. The steering wheel and shaft can only go on one way. They’re both specifically keyed. I couldn’t put the steering wheel on wrong if I wanted to.

Unless I'm missing something, I don't recall them being keyed on either end. Now the shaft at the firewall is keyed, but the splines on the ends can be put together anyway you set them. Unless they're different by year model.

 

[Frankenchevy]

Unless I'm missing something, I don't recall them being keyed on either end. Now the shaft at the firewall is keyed, but the splines on the ends can be put together anyway you set them. Unless they're different by year model.

The steering wheel has an asymmetrical fastener pattern...

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...and the intermediate shaft coupler has a big bolt/small bolt so they can’t be mixed up.

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And it’s not 180 out, more like 45 degrees out

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[Frankenchevy]

I just pulled the wheel to do the ignition switch and lock. I can go rent the puller again if you think it can be put back together wrong. But I remember it only going back together one way with the horn ring/button and everything...

 

[K201979]

Adjust the drag link

 

[K201979]

Straighten the wheels, loosen the bolts on the drag link sleeve(pitman arm to steering arm) and turn the sleeve until the wheel is straight. Lock the bolts down. Hope this helps

 

[bucket]

Straighten the wheels, loosen the bolts on the drag link sleeve(pitman arm to steering arm) and turn the sleeve until the wheel is straight. Lock the bolts down. Hope this helps

Exactly

 

[Frankenchevy]

Straighten the wheels, loosen the bolts on the drag link sleeve(pitman arm to steering arm) and turn the sleeve until the wheel is straight. Lock the bolts down. Hope this helps

This is where I’m thrown off. Drag link was never adjusted and it was clocked straight before tear down. Wouldn’t adjusting the steering wheel clock through the drag link pull my pitman arm out of that ideal perpendicular position when the wheels are straight forward?

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[K201979]

This is a condition that just came on all of a sudden? I was under the impression it was existing since the build up. If it was sudden then i would check all of the steering/suspention components up front. Drag link ends, tie rod ends, ball joints. If it happened all of a sudden, or over a short period of time, then something has gone out of specs, either from wear or drag link sleeve is loose and moving.

 

[Frankenchevy]

I’m open to trying it. Just wanted to clarify that i didn’t adjust tie rods or drag link and before I pulled the steering box and intermediate shaft, everything was straight...

 

[K201979]

As far as ideal angles, others probably know better, but if this condition existed since build up i would just adjust it out at the drag link

 

[K201979]

Hmmm. Same steering box/pitman arm/ect.?