Straightened my steering wheel WITHOUT changing alignment?

[clickscrazy]

Lift put in last week. Had it aligned.

The steering wheel was very slightly off.

I brought it back, they said they fixed it without having to throw it on the alignment machine. Wouldn't they have to adjust the tie rods?

They said they adjusted something in the steering column? Sounds fishy to me.

[bartonmd]

You can pull the steering wheel off and move it over one spline. Having said that, by the time you get the airbag out and pull the steering wheel, I'd think it would be easier for them to just throw it on the rack and adjust toe.

Mike

[larryk]

Nah....you just turn one side in say half a turn, and the other side out half a turn. Keeps your alignemnt the same.....but moves the steering wheel. They dont do anything in the column.

Also, Mike, Im not recalling 100%, but Im pretty sure the splines on the wheel and shaft have that "one missing" spline thing, where they can only go oon one way? That's what I recall....as most GM columns are like that.....but I may be wrong.

[clickscrazy]

So I talked to a friend with some GM repair experience. He said there is a way to adjust the steering column spline at some location in the engine bay.

Basically he says you can pull it out, move it one ridge over on the spline and that is probably what they did.

I doubt highly they pulled the steering wheel.

So there are 2 options:
1. They probably did just a half turn on each side of the tire rods and told me they made a steering column adjustment.
2. They actually where able to adjust the column.

[larryk]

Im 99% sure, on the universal joint that attaches the rack to the column, there is the "misisng spline" thing also where there is only one way to mount it. I changed my rack out to an SS one a few months back, and recall the universal went on only one way.

Seriously, the move both side tie rods in opposite directions is what they did. It is SUPER easy to do, as when I staightened my steering wheel, thats how I did it. Drove downt he block with wrenches....and was able to adjust them with the truck running in park, and didnt have to remove a wheel/jack it up, etc. Two wrenches..2 minutes...and voila, straight wheel with perfect alignment retained

[Berettaspeed]

sometimes you can move tie rods over just a hair, or swap a tire from side to side if there is a faint pull.

i have seen some people also, force the wheel after lock. sometimes it will flex... i hope this was not done. ouch.

[larryk]

Just confirmed, for the record, there are no splines on the steering column or rack in the engine compartment. Its a double D design, so there is no way to adjust the steering wheel by a spline.