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[aoliver]

My steering wheel is misaligned. Is it straightforward to remove and realign it ?. The Haynes manual is vague as usual and I'm a bit wary of the airbag.

[Marks DTM Calib]

Before you do anything......you need to determine if its the wheel thats not centred or the track rod ends are in-correctly adjusted.

This involves centering the steering wheel and then turning it to full left lock followed by full right lock.....the end stops should be the mirror image of each other e.g if at full left the wheel is pointing at 10 Oclock then on full right is should be at 4 Oclock..

If they are the mirror image then its the trackng, if there not then its the wheel.

Sorry if you have already done this.

[aoliver]

That's interesting. The wheel was aligned until I had the front lower suspension arms replaced which included tracking. The car drives ok and doesn't pull left or right but the steering wheel is now turned slightly left when going straight. Do you think it needs retracking ?

[davlad22]

.....the end stops should be the mirror image of each other e.g if at full left the wheel is pointing at 10 Oclock then on full right is should be at 4 Oclock.

not 2 o'clock? Or opposite?

[hotel21]

That's interesting. The wheel was aligned until I had the front lower suspension arms replaced which included tracking. The car drives ok and doesn't pull left or right but the steering wheel is now turned slightly left when going straight. Do you think it needs retracking ?

Yes.  Squint steering is due to incorrect work when wishbones replaced.  Too much tracking on one side, not enough on the other...

[Glyn]

I took my steering wheel off for the same reason.Just had tracking done at
VX main dealer and steering was slightly left.
Ok I thought, followed instructions, disconnected battery left for 1 minute.to allow
bag to discharge.Two torx screws remove airbag.Then lots of banging with rubber mallet.
Then when its off You will find just one turn on the splines is too far,so then the wheel is slightly
right.So ok put it back as it was,then airbag light will not go out.Had too reset using cheap tech2.
Ended up getting under car and adjusting both tracks half a turn.Drove up road and now a nasty pull to the left
Bugger!!!.Back under turned them back quarter turn,and now all is well,drives in a straight
line with the wheel straight as well.
Anoyed with vx,60 odd quid and still had too get under myself. Its like to them near enough is good enough.
So its worth bearing in mind the tracking only has to be slightly out to start pulling to one side.

[aoliver]

Very many thanks for all the above, it's interesting that the main dealer is no better than the likes of quick fit. Will try to get car tracked by someone trustworthy.

[aoliver]

Glyn. I had a go at the tracking myself afer rereading your post and, after eventually realising that one side seems to be on a l/h thread, the car goes straight with the wheel in the middle. Very many thanks for saving me the pain of removing the steering wheel for nothing.

[chrisdb]

If you remove the steering wheel do not reconnect the battery until the airbag is reconnected, otherwise you'll have to get the warning light reset.

[TheBoy]

I full geometry is worthwhile on Omegas, rather than wasting money of tracking/4 wheel alignments.

Additionally, my understanding is that a pull to one side cannot be a tracking issue.

[davlad22]

Anoyed with vx,60 odd quid and still had too get under myself. Its like to them near enough is good enough.

Just take it back the next day and ask them to do it again  :-?

[hotel21]

I full geometry is worthwhile on Omegas, rather than wasting money of tracking/4 wheel alignments.

Additionally, my understanding is that a pull to one side cannot be a tracking issue.

Think it can...    :-/

If one front wheel is worn in, tread wise, at straight ahead and the other is the 'secondary' and is too far toe'd out, it will tend to drag the car to that side as it is being turned partially sideways and always trying to be the 'dominant' wheel, if you follow.

[adnan]

all u need to do is to get the car realigned, they'll fix the steering wheel too

[hotel21]

all u need to do is to get the car realigned, they'll fix the steering wheel too

Close, but not quite....

Getting the steering aligned is one thing, getting the car geometry set up properly is completely another.....  

[OMEGA VXR]

That's interesting. The wheel was aligned until I had the front lower suspension arms replaced which included tracking. The car drives ok and doesn't pull left or right but the steering wheel is now turned slightly left when going straight. Do you think it needs retracking ?

Me & my dad had the exact same problem and like some i took my steering wheel off thinking a quick fix and it still isnt right now! steering wheel to the right
it drives straight with no pulling so what will cure it then? a full geometry set up?? who does this in Leicester?