Steering Wheel Alignment

[gary miller]

There was a thread a few weeks ago concerning aligning the steering
wheel so that the wheel was in the correct position when the coach was
going straight ahead. I just finished installing one of the beautiful
leather bound GMC steering wheels from Jim Bounds but due to the horn
wire position, the wheel had to be installed 180 degrees upside down.
The fix was real easy. Open the driver side access hood, unbolt the 6
bolts that hold the flange at the top of the CV joint (just below the
clamp that clamps the splined shaft to the steering column. Rotate the
steering wheel to the desired position and re-bolt the flange in the new
position. 15 minutes max!!
Gary
'77 Kingsley
North Bend, Oregon Coast (sunshine at last)

 

[hawk ii]

Phil

Will you be at the M/B rally -- I can't believe that there is not an
easier way to modify the steering wheel to achieve that results you
want.

May i take a look at the problem in M/B -- look me up -i'll be there
late Sunday afternoon

I used a steering wheel from a small GMC truck and just modified the
horn connection to work



==
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. Home Phone- (904) 672-0571
.1973 GMC Painted Desert---She's old..but she sure is PRETTY
.1976 Aniversary Iron Head Harley Davidson M/C
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.
.Home Page> http://members.tripod.com/~mehawk_ii/index.html
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[gary miller]

Phil,
That's correct---you can choose any 60 degree increment you desire.
Gary
'77 Kingsley
North Bend, Oregon Coast ( spring must be here - lots of RV's on our highways - all SOBs)

> > Open the driver side access hood, unbolt the 6 bolts that hold the flange at the top of the CV joint (just below the clamp that clamps the splined shaft to the steering column. Rotate the steering wheel to the desired position and re-bolt the flange in the new position. 15 minutes max!!
>
> Gary,
> Thanks for the information. My steering wheel is not out as much as the
> 180 degrees off you had. Mine is probably only 10 to 15 degrees. Can
> the alignment adjustment you reported correct this small amount or is
> the change in 60 degree increments since there are six bolts and holes
> in the CV joint flanges (360/6 = 60)?
>
> Phil Stewart
> '76 Transmode, TN

 

[travis martin]

Hi, Guys,

I hate to be a nag, but what you are doing is introducing a BIG problem!

For starters, the steering gearbox is limited in its travel...depending on
the application, it will have something on the order of three and a half
turns lock to lock of travel at the steering wheel. Straight ahead should be
somewhere close to the center of this travel, or you won't be able to turn
as sharply in one direction.

Also, and this is a biggie, the gearbox is designed to only be tight--that
is, with no slack in it--at one position; this is the straight ahead
position. If you change the relationship of the wheel to the gearbox, you
are losing that. You will have slop in your steering when you are going
straight and a tight spot when you turn one way or the other.

Please, if you don't believe me, look at the shop manual yourself; this is
pretty easy to understand if you'll look.

In the case of the guy that turned the shaft 180 degrees to put the upside
down steering wheel back on top, he won't have any of these problems since
his wheel is still synchronized with the straight ahead position on the
gearbox, but he will have turn signals that won't cancel as they should.
Maybe it's worthwhile to him; at least it isn't dangerous.

The only place to correctly set the relationship of the steering wheel to
the vehicle going down the road straight is at the tie rods...and it's not
at all hard to do.

Travis, lurker/wannabe GMC'er

- -----Original Message-----
From: Phil Stewart
To: gmcmotorhome
Date: Saturday, March 20, 1999 7:56 PM
Subject: Re: GMC: Steering Wheel Alignment

>> Open the driver side access hood, unbolt the 6 bolts that hold the flange
at the top of the CV joint (just below the clamp that clamps the splined
shaft to the steering column. Rotate the steering wheel to the desired
position and re-bolt the flange in the new position. 15 minutes max!!
>
>Gary,
>Thanks for the information. My steering wheel is not out as much as the
>180 degrees off you had. Mine is probably only 10 to 15 degrees. Can
>the alignment adjustment you reported correct this small amount or is
>the change in 60 degree increments since there are six bolts and holes
>in the CV joint flanges (360/6 = 60)?
>
>Phil Stewart
>'76 Transmode, TN
>

 

[philip l. stewart]

> Open the driver side access hood, unbolt the 6 bolts that hold the flange at the top of the CV joint (just below the clamp that clamps the splined shaft to the steering column. Rotate the steering wheel to the desired position and re-bolt the flange in the new position. 15 minutes max!!

Gary,
Thanks for the information. My steering wheel is not out as much as the
180 degrees off you had. Mine is probably only 10 to 15 degrees. Can
the alignment adjustment you reported correct this small amount or is
the change in 60 degree increments since there are six bolts and holes
in the CV joint flanges (360/6 = 60)?

Phil Stewart
'76 Transmode, TN

 

[gary miller]

Travis,
Not so. Turn signals cancil after a few degrees of rotation in the direction of
the turn no matter what the position of the wheel. Mine works just fine.
Gary
'77 Kingsley
North Bend, Oregon Coast

> Hi, Guys,
>
> I hate to be a nag, but what you are doing is introducing a BIG problem!
> (snip)
>
> In the case of the guy that turned the shaft 180 degrees to put the upside
> down steering wheel back on top, he won't have any of these problems since
> his wheel is still synchronized with the straight ahead position on the
> gearbox, but he will have turn signals that won't cancel as they should.
> Maybe it's worthwhile to him; at least it isn't dangerous.
>
> (snip)
>
> Travis, lurker/wannabe GMC'er
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Phil Stewart
> To: gmcmotorhome
> Date: Saturday, March 20, 1999 7:56 PM
> Subject: Re: GMC: Steering Wheel Alignment
>

> >> Open the driver side access hood, unbolt the 6 bolts that hold the flange
> at the top of the CV joint (just below the clamp that clamps the splined
> shaft to the steering column. Rotate the steering wheel to the desired
> position and re-bolt the flange in the new position. 15 minutes max!!
> >
> >Gary,
> >Thanks for the information. My steering wheel is not out as much as the
> >180 degrees off you had. Mine is probably only 10 to 15 degrees. Can
> >the alignment adjustment you reported correct this small amount or is
> >the change in 60 degree increments since there are six bolts and holes
> >in the CV joint flanges (360/6 = 60)?
> >
> >Phil Stewart
> >'76 Transmode, TN
> >

 

[john dolan]

I'm not an expert by any means on this subject, but let me ask a
dumb, simple question that possibly a few other readers are wondering
about...

This thread seems to suggest a lot of work and potential problems just to
align a steering wheel and get around a horn-wire problem. Could someone
explain why it would not be easier to rewire the horn-wire-thing so it
would fit and then adjust the tie rod ends turn-for-turn which has been
suggested several times and seems to be, at least, straight forward and
not linked to other potential problems.

- --
John
74 Glacier