AndreasWS6

All: had an alignment done at NTB after I had noticed that my steering wheel was slightly off to the left-hand side when driving straight. (Note that there was no play in it before the alignment, though -- it was just cocked to the left.)

After the alignment, my steering wheel is now slightly off to the RIGHT when going straight -- AND more annoyingly, I have a significant amount of "play" (i.e., looseness, with no reaction from the wheels to minimal steering-wheel input) in my steering wheel. I'd say about 8-10 degrees -- that is, I can now easily turn my steering wheel with my little finger about 4 degrees to left and right without having any effect on the actual rack.

In other words: it seems loose! Took it back to TWO DIFFERENT NTBs, none of which could help me. They did re-alignments of the wheels, but they had no effect on the annoying loose play in the steering wheel.

Can anyone help?

Thanks much!

Bow94z

iTrader: (3)

LT1 car or LS1?

how do the outer tie rods look?

lynx853

iTrader: (8)

im gonna also go with loose inner or outter tie rods. If it were my car, I would replace both on each side as preventive maint. jack the car up and shake the wheel side to side. (not the steering wheel, but the front wheels... just to be clear). if it has play, then you need tie rods

2002_Z28_Six_Speed

iTrader: (19)

Tie rods cost maybe 11 a piece and you can change them without affecting ur alignment. Keep that in mind.

01SSRMS

iTrader: (7)

I sincerely hope that they checked the steering/suspension system for any loose parts before aligning it. That's the first thing you do when doing an alignment. However, I can't think of much else that would cause that "freeplay" in the steering. Not really anything they could have done to cause it either.

AndreasWS6

Thanks for all the helpful replies. (It's an LS1, by the way.) Given that I've never changed tie-rod ends on a car, should I take it to the shop? The most I've ever done on my car is (a) change alternator, (b) change water pump, (c) change oil.

staringback05

iTrader: (8)

i work for the company that owns NTB...if they didnt check your parts before hand and they did the alignment...they did that wrong, the tie rod ends can be a bit of a pain to change but its not impossible, your looking at 200-300 bucks for a shop to do it or several hours depending on tools for you to do it...did they adjust the stearing wheel when they did the alignment?

AndreasWS6

I don't know -- you mean, akin to the old-school steering wheel nut (which I now no longer have any idea where that might be, given the airbag assembly etc.) I doubt it, frankly. I saw them just doing their usual thing with the "Hunter II" mirrors on the wheels etc.

Marc 85Z28

iTrader: (8)

Play in the wheel can only be caused by a few things, and I'll list them in order of likelyhood:

1. Worn tie rod ends. Inner or outer is possible.
2. Worn rag joint or slip joint in steering shaft.
3. Worn steering rack&pinion.

An alignment will not fix play in the steering wheel.

Replacement of a tie rod end, be it inner or outer, absolutely DOES change the toe setting. An alignment MUST be performed after a tie rod replacement.

Finally, "clear vision", or leveling of the steering wheel is not performed by removing and reinstalling the steering wheel. Most cars you couldn't do this even if you wanted to as the column is keyed. Clear vision is adjusted by changing toe settings.

AndreasWS6

Thanks much, Marc, very helpful.

I see you're in MD -- where do you go when you have stuff done to your f-body? I'm in D.C. and need a good mechanic/shop who knows what he's doing ( -- as opposed to f***ing around and making things worse than they were when I brought the car in in the first place...)

staringback05

iTrader: (8)

i just noticed you said it was cocked off to the side...they are supposed to secure the stearing wheel and after the alignment adjust it to straight if needed

Marc 85Z28

iTrader: (8)

I'm a mechanic, so I do all of my own work. Of course, there are a very few things I prefer not to do (complex part fabrication, PCM tuning, etc), and depending upon the type of work I know a few good places around here. PM me if interested...

staringback05 - Most tire shops don't perform alignments like they should. Most are just "toe-and-go" adjustments. And even then they're not done right. Too many people rely on Hunter's WinToe program that calculates clear vision, eliminating the need to manually lock the steering wheel in place. It doesn't work very well

2002_Z28_Six_Speed

iTrader: (19)

You are correct. They never do it right. Everytime I have a new car the wheel is perfectly straight. After a couple of alignments the wheel is never correct.

I look at the sheets after alignments and the numbers are never dead on.

Why should they care? It isn't their car...

staringback05

iTrader: (8)

our policy in company is to adjust what is adjustable...some cars dont have adjustable rearends...if the caster and camber is out the mechanic is supposed to adjust it...while the tech does the toe...now that being said, im sure it doesnt happen everytime, but its suppose to...the guys who work for me do it...because they get a good bit for alignments, if they screw them up...i wont give them as many alignments

company also has several different alignment machines...hunter is just one

shaun

check the stearing shaft bolts. i had the engine swaped in my car and when it was done there was play side to side in the stearing wheel. i tightened the bottom bolt in the shaft and it went away. try that and see if it helps. i even had a suspention specialty shop look at it and they could not fix it till i did lol.

94TRANS

iTrader: (39)

thats wierd

kny3twalker

iTrader: (31)

my alignment feels really sloppy too, so how do i go about finding a shop that does the process correctly? I suppose what I am asking for is what software or device(s) should the shops have to do the alignment correctly?

2MuchRiceMakesMeSick

I personally never had any luck with NTB for alignments. I tried multiple shops before finally asking to either make it right or give refund. I then took my truck over to firestone where they made it right and gave a lifetime warranty on the alignment. (i can go back and get it aligned anytime for free) I realize it depends on the mechanic/alignment guy but after 3 different shops I start to wonder...

staringback05

iTrader: (8)

just go out and watch them...you should know what needs to be done and they should know what needs to be done...so make it happen...

i can obviously tell you how its supposed to be but i can speak for a shop or tech hundreds of miles away...

AndreasWS6

Shaun: Thanks. Can you give me a directional hint as to where the steering shaft bolt(s) is/are? How do I access them, what do they look like / size, etc.?

thanks much,
Andreas.