Undoing Centre Nut On Steering Wheel?

[benl1981]

Just trying to realign my steering wheel so it is sitting straight when I'm going straight...

How do I undo the biggish centre nut. I didn't want to lock the steering to do it as I think I could break the lock mechanism with the torque required??

I had a big breaker bar and got someone to hold the steering wheel firmly and try and turn it clockwise while I went anti clockwise...

No good - it didnt' budge.

Any good ideas?? Is the lock mechanism strong enough to not break??

Thanks

[michael87]

try lube? always makes things more fun ;-)

if you get someone to hold the steering wheel fermly and its not moving i cant imagine it could do any damage

[benl1981]

Yeah - I'll spray some wd40 style stuff on it...proably better than vas - for this anyway.

I got my brother to hold it but wasnt doing the best job - had big breaker bar but would turn wheel before it undid nut

[grim32]

i always lock the steering wheel to undo the nut, maybe not the best way but ive never had a problem

[siksII]

are u sure your wheel alignment is correcT?

the steering wheel would not be off centre unless someone has removed it and put it back on wrongly, but if your wheel alignment is off the wheel will not be straight when u are going straight.

[benl1981]

No I'm not sure if it's correct. I know someone has taken it off before as you can see the nut has been undone at some stage..

Someone mentioned something about a high spot on centre... How do I make sure I get theis right?

Even a wheel alignement place won't really know..If the steering wheel is one or 2 teeth out on the spline theyll probably just adjust the tie rods to make it centre the wheel..then the high spot wont be in the right spot. Should I measure the distance to the thread on the tie rod myself...

[siksII]

take it to a suspension place they can physically measure your wheel alignment regardless of the steering wheel position, and tell u if something is bent or out.

in sydney, heasmans can do this.

[siksII]

sorry double post

Edited October 16, 2005 by siksII

[Duncan]

The big bar method is right, they can just be really tight sometimes.

I don't think adjusting the tie rods to straighten it is a good idea if you have HICAS, you will get a fault light since the car will think you are always turning left or right

[benl1981]

So what are you thinking Dunan - rotate the wheel?

There is a snesor near the steering wheel right? Is there one down on the front rack aswell??

Thanks

[Duncan]

yeah exactly, undo that big nut and rotate the wheel until it is straight, then realign the tie rods. I think that is the only way to keep HICAS happy.

[benl1981]

Thanks Duncan.

Although why would I then need to realign the tie rods if I got the steering wheel centred when I'm going straight ahead?

[Duncan]

hahaha sorry I am not explaining myself very well tonight. Assuming that the wheel was crooked all along, when you got your last wheel alignment the shop will have adjusted it so it was centred using the tie rods.

The problem is that the wheel (and sensors) are still crooked, so if you straighten the wheel you would need to adjust the tie rods again.

[benl1981]

Not quite sure if I get it.. The car stays straight on the road just the wheel is off centre. If I roatate the wheel one tooth or so to get this in the centred position then I shouldn't really need the tie rods adjusted right?

Where is the sensor..At the steering wheel?

Edited October 16, 2005 by benl1981

[Duncan]

yep the sensor is behind the steering wheel.

And if you take the wheel off and rotate it and put it back on, then turn it so it is straight, the wheels will be pointing a little off centre, right? because you've turned the wheel compared to where straight ahead used to be. Thats why you need to adjust the tie rods after you rotate the wheel, assuming the wheel used to be straight when driving straight ahead.

Anyway....point is all you need is a wheel alignment after you straighten the wheel.