# how does dealer fix cocked steering wheel?



## Magna (Jan 4, 2002)

had an alignment done but now the steering wheel has to turned to the right for the car to go straight. i am bringing it back to dealer to fix problem. will they re-align my car or just adjust the tie rods by sight?

how do they fix a cocked steering wheel, or perhaps my car is actually mis-aligned. in any case, thanks everybody for any info on subject.


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## The HACK (Dec 19, 2001)

Magna said:


> *had an alignment done but now the steering wheel has to turned to the right for the car to go straight. i am bringing it back to dealer to fix problem. will they re-align my car or just adjust the tie rods by sight?
> 
> how do they fix a cocked steering wheel, or perhaps my car is actually mis-aligned. in any case, thanks everybody for any info on subject. *


They'll just take the steering wheel off and re-align that, no need to mess with the tie-rods.


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## bmw325 (Dec 19, 2001)

*Re: Re: how does dealer fix cocked steering wheel?*



The HACK said:


> *
> 
> They'll just take the steering wheel off and re-align that, no need to mess with the tie-rods. *


Well-- they could do that-- but that is a bit of a hack 

The tie rods should be adjusted equally--and they'll probably need to use the alignment machine to help w/ this-- although you could also do it by trial and error.

I guess it doesn't matter too much-- but BMW did go thorugh the trouble of putting a centering mark on the steering column and the steering wheel- so that it can be mounted in a certain position relative to the lateral position of the rack. I think it might be preferable to have the rack centered perfectly when the car is going straight ahead-- this help "straight-ahead" feel a little bit. I guess for a small margin of error you could fix this problem either way-- it just seems like a "kluge" to move the steering wheel when its the unequal tie rods that are causing the wheel to be off-center. Now, on some cars (like the Dodge Neon), you can only adjust 1 tie rod, so the only way to center the wheel is by moving the steering wheel-- but fortunatley, we don't drive neons. I know, its a splitting hairs and a bit anal-- but this car was designed and built in a very precise manner-- and it just seems to me that the dealer could atleast get everything even--its not that big a deal.


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## bluer1 (May 30, 2002)

When I've had it done before on other cars, they've adjusted the tie rods.

Some shops went so far as to center the wheel, then put a "special"
lever wedged between the bottom of the wheel and the floor/seat
to hold it on-center while doing the alignment.


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## jk330i (Aug 13, 2002)

Mine just likes to pull slightly to the right still... :dunno:


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