Hey guys, finally got my SA aligned, but I see the steering wheel is a tooth or two off center. Alignment guy (who’s a rotorhead himself) says he can’t fix other than to grind down a section of the adjustment, alignment is spot on.
If I try to recenter the steering wheel, the signal cancel tab isn’t in the slot.
All suspension, tie rods, bushings etc brand new. Interesting part is the car was this way when I bought it 3 years ago, suspension was trash. Once replaced I figured this issue would be solved.
Any possibility I have a FB wheel?

 

The toe needs to be adjusted equal amounts in and out respective to the direction the steering wheel is off without changing the total toe. Don't recommend pulling the steering wheel to remedy this.

 

I've done this before, adjusting the outer tie rod ends. I marked the adjusting shaft with a paint stick for reference, then loosened both jam nuts (one has a LH thread). They work like a turnbuckle. Depending on which way the steering wheel is off, just adjust one side in (to toe that side out) and adjust the other side out (to toe that side in) equal amounts until the steering wheel is centered. I'd have the front wheels up in the air when doing this to make the adjusting easier.

I'd also do it in steps, something like 1/2 turn adjustments at a time, using your reference marks on the shafts as a guide. Then snug the jam nuts back up again.

 

it might go without saying but step one is to find the center of the steering box, then you can align the wheels, and then you can put the steering wheel straight

 

If the steering wheels been changed, might have been installed off center.

 

+1 its just a splined shaft, so you can move it around

 

If your "Alignment guy" can't fix this for you, you need a NEW alignment guy.... Facts

 

Sometimes there is not uniform splines. For instance, on my SRT 4 and BMW, you can’t index the steering wheel because among the splines there is a land with a corresponding gap in the splines on the steering wheel so you literally can’t just index the steering wheel like these guys are suggesting. However, I just when out and took a look at my steering shaft coming out of the column since I took our steering wheel off recently. Indeed there are only splines, I think these guys are right you can pull the steering wheel and index it to fit.

That said, it’s worth measuring the distance between the inner and outer tie rod ends. If they are the same distance on each side, great. BUT if they are different lengths, then I would do Banzai is suggesting, Turn each side opposite turns to offset the toe to recenter the wheel.. OR both. Cheers!

 

In the initial post, the OP stated he did not want to adjust it by indexing the steering wheel on the splines. They indicated some sort of trouble with the alignment of a cancel tap to a slot. Personally, I'm not sure what this issue is exactly as I have made slight corrections before via indexing the wheel on the shaft, never encountering any misalignment complications. To me, that's the simple solution.

I did have one car however that the wheel could not be properly centered using the splines. It was always just a smidge off to the left or the right. I corrected it by adjusting it at the tie rod ends. I did not want to get into a discussion with the OP on their additional problem, so I simply supplied the tie rod correction as an alternate solution w/o using the splines since that was their initial question.

 

Yes, I reread the post. You’re right, I think he’s saying if he indexes the steering wheel it will cause the signal cancel tab to be off. The tie-rod adjustment IS what I do for my BMW and my SRT4 in the past. This works and keeps the alignment the same as long as you adjust it equally. It’s also something you can do, mwpayne. Doesn’t take motorhead skills.