My steering wheel is crooked?

[outlawjay]

Instead of my steering wheel being straight up and down, it points towards the left. Instead of 12 o-clock it is at 10 o-clock(when going straight). Any ideas?

NOTE: The integrity of the steering wheel is fine, it just looks like it hasn't been screwed on all the way....I know they don't screw on, but that's how it looks. It isn't that big of a problem but I have to lean up to see my temp gauge, and it may also be a sign of bigger problems. It is a 92' GT hatch and has never been in a front end wreck as far as I and carfax know.

 

[PoopDawg]

Edit: Uhhh, wrong thread. lol

 

[BlownFiveLiter]

Sounds like you need an alignment

 

[PoopDawg]

Alignment problem. The steering wheel is keyed like the crank/harmonic balancer is. It only goes on two ways... the right way, or 180 degrees out (up side down). Have them check the front end, and get an alignment.

 

[outlawjay]

It was like that when I had it aligned, and my tires don't wear at an awesomely fast pace.

 

[outlawjay]

Maybe I don't remember right, I guess I will take it too the alignment shop.

 

[PoopDawg]

Toe problems (what usually makes the steering wheel crooked) doesn't normally cause bad tire wear. If it is way out it can cause feathering (or chopping) of the front tires, though.

 

[HISSIN50]

It kinda sounds like your alignment shop didnt bother to straighten the wheel during the alignment (they do a toe jockey on the left and right so the absolute toe remains the same, but it gets the wheel straight).

That's my take anyhow, but Nick has a lot of experience doing alignments for Ford so he would know better.

Good luck.

 

[oldman]

My '93 hatch has a splined shaft for the steering wheel. If it's 1 or 2 splines off, it will be crooked. If yours is like that, pull the steering wheel, rotate 1 or 2 splines till straight, put steering wheel back on. Easy fix for mine. (92's must be different)

 

[TomCat]

My '93 hatch has a splined shaft for the steering wheel. If it's 1 or 2 splines off, it will be crooked. If yours is like that, pull the steering wheel, rotate 1 or 2 splines till straight, put steering wheel back on. Easy fix for mine. (92's must be different)

My 92 has that type deal going on with it. Many different settings it could be put on.

 

[HISSIN50]

I thought the 88 had splines, but one side was cammed, so the wheel could only go on one way. It's been too long since I looked.

 

[PoopDawg]

Easy way to tell... Turn the wheel one way, and then the other way. Measure a certain point and see if it is the same when turn the opposite way. If the wheel turns one way more then the other, more then likely the wheel is not on straight.

I am with JT, I thought the steering wheels were cammed (or keyed) where they only went on one way or 180 out.... Never had the 90's steering wheel off, but my 83 was like that.

 

[Roland69]

My 95 was cammed

 

[oldman]

Ya'll are going to make me pull that stupid steering wheel off to see, are'nt ya? I did mine a while back when I was having airbag issues. Now ya got me second quessing myself. You're mean.

Randy

Better idea. I'll look in my shop manual tonight and see what it is.

 

[outlawjay]

The 92 is definately not splined, I bought a leather covered steering wheel at a swap meet and it did not work because mine was "cammed" and did not fit the mutli-point star pattern that was on the steering wheel I bought.

 

[Roland69]

I thought all mustangs were cammed steering wheels.

 

[Hissing Cobra]

The '79-'82 steering shafts were splined and can only accept those steering wheels that were manufactured to fit those splines. In '83, Ford switched over to the "D" shaped steering shaft. Of course, the steering wheels had to change to fit this new design.

Is it just your steering wheel that's positioned at the 10:00 position or is it the entire column too? On my '79, the entire column is angled toward the driver's door and doesn't match up with the cutout on the dash too well. After conferring with other '79-'86 owners, their columns have this same problem too. It must have been a design flaw straight from the factory.

My car has never been in a front end crash and the tires do not wear prematurely. It drives straight as an arrow despite the cocked steering column and wheel.