Thank you! I'm glad it's still helping people out. I tried to make it quick and hit all the points. I should of probably used a headmount for the GoPro, but I just ran what I had lol.
This worked like a charm. I recently did an at home alignment on my lifted 4runner. It drove just fine but going straight down the road, the wheel was crooked. I gave each side a single turn in the appropriate direction and now it's as close to perfect as you could get. Super easy, makes sense.....
Had both lower ball joints, one lower control arm, and an outer tie rod end replaced on my 07 Jeep XK. It still tracks down the road straight as an arrow but the steering wheel is in just about the same position as yours. I'll be trying your method to get everything lined up again. Thanks for posting this! Probably saved me $150.
Thanks for making this. I needed to do it since the alignment shop i went to said my tie rods were bent and i had to replace the whole thing. It only took me one turn and a half on each side to straighten it. Thank you very much for making the clearest vid out there on how to do it!!
Yes and no. Having it straight or crooked wont make a difference when you are adjusting. What I like to do is go to an empty leveled parking lot. Then Drive straight with the steering wheel crooked, but your cars going straight. Stop. Then you can guess how much you need to adjust it.
Thank you for your video! I just had an alignment done, and they gave it back to me with my steering wheel to left just slightly. It was bugging the crap out of me, so instead of going back to the shop, and them getting annoyed with me, I searched it on CZcams, and your video was the second to pop up. Very good explanation. I did it, and turning it your way actually made the steering wheel go more to the left, so I got back underneath again, and went opposite turn per your instructions, and voila, the steering wheel is perfectly centered. TY!!!
lol perfect!!! Yeah your situation is exactly who/why I made this video. I was trying to help someone on the forums and typed everything out in this video. Then decided to just make a video for him.
I recently had a 4 wheel alignment done on a 2018 Lexus RX350 after getting new tires. The technician told me my steering wheel was not straight, which I had never noticed. Anyway, after doing the alignment, he reviewed a Hunter alignment printout with me and said that only one wheel was out of alignment. On the way home I now noticed the steering wheel was not straight. I am thinking of doing the procedure in this video, but wouldn't it possibly foul up the alignment that was just done?
lol thanks man. Yeah I learned how to do alignments and a friend needed help with his crooked steering wheel so instead of typing all this out I figured it was easier to just make a video. I also couldn't find a good video explaining it at the time I posted it for 2nd gen Tacomas.
Dude. I just got an alignment done and the steering was off to right and pull ever so slightly to the right. So I had to go the opposite way you did by a quarter to half turn on both sides. So much better!!!! Thank you much
THANK YOU VERY MUCH SIR, you were of very much help , l took my truck 6 times to correct this problem, like the proverb says, "lf you want something done right , do it yourself. 👍
Thanks for this write up! I have the same issue with my 2007 Corolla. I want to do it myself but I'm kinda confused on which direction I should turn. In the video, you turned the tie rod both counter clockwise. What I'm reading from car forums is that you turn the passenger side clockwise and the driver side counter clockwise or vice versa. I really want to fix my crooked steering wheel because it drives me crazy! Alignment guys don't want to fix it. They say its straight.
That sucks that they wont properly align it... Alright. I think those corolla's tie rods are behind the hub. So it will be a little backwards than the video. *If the steering wheel is tilted to the left and going straight, Driver side tie rod needs to screw into (Clock wise) the tie rod end and passenger side tie rod needs to be screwed out (Counter clock wise) of the tie rod end. *If the steering wheel is tilted to the right and going straight, Driver side tie rod needs to be screwed out (Counter clock wise) of the tie rod end and Passenger side tie rod needs to screw into (Clock wise) the tie rod end.
I paid tire shop/inspection station to fix my alignment. My jam nut was absolutely stuck. I figured they could get it out and it would save me the trouble of trying to break it loose. They didn't fix it. Didn't even test drive it. Used a machine, I believe all they did was balance the tires. I left, immediately knew it wasn't fixed. Went back next day. They test drove it on the road. I watched closely this time, and all they did was hammer more weights on the rim. Test drove came back and tell me they can't align it. They then proceed to tell me that the car was in an accident. So they are telling me it was in an accident I don't know about and repaired before I drove it somehow. I was pissed. I never once saw them adjust a tie rod. I paid them to fix the alignment. They balanced the tires. I gave this place a good review one time but have changed it. This video was simple to understand and I am sure I am not crazy now about straightening the wheel. They never tried. Good Tires on Monroe Rd Charlotte NC will steal your money
Man that's a bummer... When ever I tell people to get an alignment I always tell them to call and ask if they can get a print out before they even take the car. At the end the shop can print out your alignment specs of before and after. So you can actually see what/if they adjusted it.
Remember folks, this procedure is only done after the alignment is done, otherwise you could be making the steering wheel straight on a car with a bad alignment. Not what we want... 😊
Really appreciate the help, J Dawg. I used adjustable wrenches just like you and the nut loosened fairly easily. I soaked the nut with penetrating oil for a while before attempting this. The tie rod ends on my 2010 Nissan Versa hatchback are aft of the McPherson struts on the driver and passenger sides (opposite of your vehicle) so I had to extend the tie rod end outward more to move the aft end of the wheel outward to straighten the passenger side. After the adjustment, my steering wheel is very close to level - not perfect. I am going to get a four wheel alignment. Also, I needed to remove the clamp from the boot so I could turn the tie rod. Not sure how you were able to rotate the tie rod with the clamp still on the boot and not twist the boot like I did before noticing that I needed to remove the clamp.
@@johndelapena3484 he's talking about something that doesn't directly apply to this video, in fact it's useless info here because were only focusing on fixing steering wheel angle in relation to the wheels and not a full frontal alignment.. This video assumes you have had a proper alignment done but that the steering wheel is still crooked. As long as you turn the same distance for both tie rods (let's say 1/4 clockwise and 1/4 turn counter-clockwise), then you should end up with same toe angle for both wheels with just an altered steering wheel position (which is what this video demonstrates).
@@johndelapena3484 yes to track straight on a road you want each wheel toed inward 1/16th of an inch or roughly .15 of a degree inward on each side. But it doesn't apply to what's shown in the video.
Yes!! I followed the steps you laid out and my steering wheel is mostly straight now! I added my own step just because of how my brain works, so I wouldn't get confused - I used a silver Sharpie paint marker before I started adjusting anything to put a reference line from the tie rod end to the tie rod itself. I used the silver line to index my turns. Worked great. Thanks again!
@@JDawgBuilds - it keeps getting better, my brother. I never mentioned that I had traction control and ESP/BAS faults that I thought were unrelated to my off center steering wheel. After driving a few dozen miles with my newly straight steering wheel, these faults cleared. I found out on a forum that a crooked steering wheel is 100% related to the traction control fault! Again, thank you!
@@wes11bravo Ah yeah sometimes if the alignment is off it will trip those too. The Subaru I rebuilt kept having that code since my lower control arm was bent. I bought a used LCA and pressed in some new busing on both sides and boom no more traction control light lol.
lol It's a long story, but my truck was to wide to fit on the alignment machine. So I learned how to do alignments. Then someone asked how to fix a crooked steering wheel and I made a video since it was easier than trying to type everything out.
@@JDawgBuilds respect, its amazing even people at the alignment shop don't know what they are talking about. In my opinion (having worked in the trade for 35 years) a lot of people talk and do rubbish. I have now retired, bought me a nice car, the salesman said oh it still feels nice and tight in the steering (it's low mileage), I test drove it and the alignment was way off, I said feels like toeing out, they lied when they said they would get it aligned before I picked it up, they didn't. I took it too an alignment shop and he said " it's way of, its toeing in badly, I looked at the screen and said no it's toeing out but he would not believe me, he then had to abandon it as he could not get the bolts undone. I took it home, squared it up with pieces of string WITH THE STEERING WHEEL STRAIGHT, took it back to be checked and it was more or less spot on with only minimal adjustment needed. I've lost count in the past of coming out of alignment shops with the steering wheel not straight. The motor trade is full of baloney. Greetings from the uk
@@bonkeydollocks1879 I've never worked in the auto industry before. It's more of a hobby for me. I have figured out a ton of stuff along the way though. Toe out is scary! My truck was toed out and drove decently straight on the road, but when one tire hit a bump or even the little lines on the freeway it would try to turn. I had to keep a death grip on the wheel lol. I know the feeling I've taken mine to alignment shops and decided I'm going to learn how to do this myself and if it's not perfect I'll deal with it. I try to get it as perfect as I can and take multiple trips around the block and on the freeway with the tools to readjust over and over.
I don't always wear sandals but when I do I make sure my alignment is on point. Thanks brother. I recently got an alignment done and the shop didn't straighten my wheel properly. I told them but they blame my aftermarket lift and I know damn well that has nothing to do with it because my other lifted truck steering is straight like a damn arrow.
😂 My day off! My truck is over 7" wider plus the lower backspacing on aftermarket wheels. They said it wouldn't fit on the alignment machine... So I learned and do all my alignments now.
@@JDawgBuilds yeah that seems now what I have to do. Thanks for making the video. Surely did help me understand it properly on how the correcting the wheel works.
Thanks for video. I adjusted my crooked steering wheel after installed new suspension on my Tacoma and after the alignment. Alignment shop said I needed the SPC UCA’s to correct the crooked steering wheel. I didn’t understand that. Otherwise everything aligned perfectly with my TC UCA’s
@@mullaway5746 Adjusting the tie rods will fix the crooked steering wheel, but they will also adjust the toe so make sure they are evenly turned. I'd suggest getting a good alignment at a shop that will print out the numbers.
Thank you for a great video. Had new tires put on my F-150. Idiots couldn't get the alignment correct at the tire place. Steering wheel was the same way yours was in the video. Went back 3 times and finally got a refund after the tech at Mavis told me there must be something wrong with my truck. Wrong!...found your video and had my truck perfect in 5 minutes. Thanks again for the no nonsense video. This is how they all should be made!
Wasted money going to tma told them to straighten my steering wheel. I don't think they even turned s fucking wrench. Went home did it myself. 2009 f150. Perfect.
Added to my list of maintenance items. My 4runner has been aligned so much in the past year, but they get my wheel straight. Also truck seems to wander to the side the wheel is crooked to. going to try this first see if it helps, at the very least straighten my wheel!
Did you ever try this fix and did it stop your car from wandering? The dealer says my alignment specs are perfect but the steering is off center to the right and wanders in that direction also, just as you mentioned.
Thanks for the great video. I Will also try DIY. I have the same situation as u are and a alignment workshop didn't manage to fix it. I was already thinking that someone fixed the steering wrong....well maybe he was 😄
If you got it done recently most shops should have a guarantee. I'm very picky about how I do full alignments. When I drive the seat position, mirrors and alignment have to be perfect otherwise I'll be super annoyed driving lol.
Thanks for this, just got an alignment but my wheel is still off so it FEELS like the alignment didn't help but it drives way smoother so it did. Just gotta adjust these so my wheel is straight and I should be good. Right now taking a curve to the left on the hwy barely needs any movement of the wheel past center to the left and taking a right curve needs to be quite a bit past center to the right lol.
Sounds like your alignment is off could also be worn bushings/steering components. Maybe try another shop. I tell people call and ask if they print out the alignment. The printout will show what it was when you brought it and what they adjusted. At the alignment shop they will also tell you if anything needs replaced.
Thank you for the simple, detailed explanation. Another to think about this: the steering wheel will ALWAYS point in the direction of the SHORTER tie rod (with wheels pointed forward).
@@bradleypark1936 not true. It's self-explanatory it'll be opposite when the rack is opposite side of axle. If the rack is behind the axle the side the steering wheel points towards is too long & needs shortened(inner rod needs screwed into outer) & the opposite side is too short & needs lengthened(screwed out of outer rod). This was the case on my Acura CL-S.
@@katmanluke7187 he's talking about before adjustments are made and yes he's correct. It's only making the adjustments clock wise or counter-clockwise that are dependent on if the the rack is in front or behind the axles.
Ill also chime in and thank you for posting this. I have a 4runner and after 2 alignments my wheel was still just slightly off to the left. Not as much as yours but enough to be annoying. While I know this method isnt as exact as a Hunter alignment, I went ahead and did this and only had to adjust about 1/4 a turn. I actually went too much the first time.
lol no problem glad it helped! Yeah I kinda over exaggerated it for the video so people can see it. Usually it's just slightly off just enough to be annoying. I used one of those computer alignment machines I honestly couldn't remember the name of it though.
You can also run a string from the back tires to the front to check the toe in or out and make sure its the same side to side before doing this steering wheel adjustment . About an 1/8 toe in should be good from back to front.
Yeah I've used the string method before there's just a couple things I found out. Some cars have different WMS to WMS front and rear so my measurements and toe were off lol. It's a good starting point though gets them square-ish. Then you can measure across front and rear of the front tires and front and rear of the back tires to find a good toe for the car. Then also the 1/8 is pretty good rule of thumb, but different via tire size 1/8" on a 35" is a small amount degree of toe vs 24" car tire 1/8" is a big degree of toe. If you want to know more message me. I've learned a ton over the years doing alignments myself.
I think something that should be noted is that the position of your tie rod end on the knuckle matters. For example, I have a car that has the tie rod end mounted aft on the knuckle, so adjusting it in or making it shorter pulls the passenger side wheel out for a toe-out condition and vice versa. The opposite would be true on the left side. So I had to do everything opposite of this video for my crooked wheel to be fixed.
Yeah. Originally made the video for another guy with a Tacoma on the forums. I was typing all these instructions out and ended up making a video. Then other people started watching it. I try to respond to everyone that has trouble though.
lol this is just how I learned and passing the info along. My truck is "modified" and couldn't fit on an alignment rack so I learned how to do my own alignments.
Pretty much the same thing on a 4 wheeler which I’ve done a few times before…. My neighbor will be happy once I show him this video cause his steering wheel is off almost by 90deg to the left. Tryin to help him out. 👍🏼
Good video but I would like to add to it. BEFORE you do anything, take a marker and draw a horizontal line across the 2 pieces the you will be adjusting. This will allow you to see how far you’ve turned one side so you will know far to turn the next side. This needs to be done because the whole tie rod end will pivot even before you loosen the jamb nut which will mess you up when trying to eye ball it.
Super cool. I little rock jumped out and bit my front end when off roading and I have the same issue. Drives perfectly straight yet my steering wheel is barely crooked. HAHA, just like yours (drives me nuts). So I will have fun and adjust it shortly. Thanks!
1LifeLive lol! Yeah that happens to me a lot. I had to learn how to do my whole alignment because my truck didn't fit on the alignment machine at 2 different places!
Awesome to learn and do it yourself! I just keep buying tools and I sit my arse down and do it myself. Saves so much money and best of all, you know how to fix your rig! So thanks again and I love how you treated us like newbies and showed us over and over, nice! Makes it VERY easy to understand! Thanks again! Happy driving!
1LifeLive yeah I know how hard it can be to learn something new and if I skipped a step lol. My truck has only been in a 2 shops tire mount and balance and the dealership to change the motor oil for a free 5 point inspection once lol. Everything else was done in my driveway or my friends driveway. 😁
Alignment wise, if toe, caster, and camber are all good on paper, but the steering wheel is off center (I've gotten it realigned at the dealership before but it still felt off center before my lift at the time), does doing your method affect the said 3 in turn?
This video is awesome! I have the same problem with my kia rio 2005. Can I just pull out the steering wheel and put it back in right position? Thanks for the answer!
Yeah you can, but the tie rods wont be centered so you might get lower turning radius on one side than the other. I would take it to an alignment shop. If you do take off the steering wheel disconnect a battery terminal (air bags kinda scare me). 1st take off battery terminal. 2nd take off air bag.(disconnect wires if needed). 3rd Impact and loosen the steering wheel nut. Only loosen it till it's flush so when you wiggle the steering wheel and pull it you don't smack yourself in the face or pull out the wires. 4th take off steering wheel nut and reinstall steering wheel. Again I'd take it to an alignment shop.
great video! thanks! my tacoma wheel is exactly crooked like yours. one question, when you do a half turn, roughly how much did it move your steering wheel?? can i do a full turn?
Everytime I go to a track day and attack the curbs my steering wheel is off centre to the left, a tyre shop fixes it for me usually but this video seems helpful and I'm gonna do it myself now, quick question, do I need those big wrenches (I don't really know the proper name for them) or I can use a normal wrench?
"adjustable wrenches" No you don't need them. If you know what size you can use regular wrenches. I just use the longer ones for more leverage those jam nuts are on there tight if on correctly. Recheck all torque specs too! I took my truck off road and found out my lower control arm bolt wasn't at the right torque and it kept throwing my alignment off. On my STI my lower control arm bushing was tearing so my alignment was always off too. It now has urethane bushings and feels like it's on rails, but a little more bumpy feeling on the street.
Did you ever get a reply? I think yes you have to have your wheel straight before making the adjustments. Just makes it easier. I assume the same about having it jacked up (although I don't have a jack so I'm hoping I can do it while it's on the ground!)
This video is really informative but I have a Subaru legacy and we replaced the rack and pinion and the guy who did it left the steering wheel upside down, while the wheels drive straight. Can I do the same thing you did for my situation?
lol I just did a full alignment on my 08 sti today! What I would do first is count/measure the threads on the inner tie rods. -If they are the close to the same then when you installed the rack and pinion wrong. (Happens often) -If they are not the same lets say one side has way more threads then you can use this method. If you installed the rack and pinion wrong then you either need to unbolt the rack and pinion, turn the steering wheel straight, tie/lock the steering wheel and reinstall. The other and probably easier way would be to take off the steering wheel. Just make sure you don't smack yourself in the face, disconnect battery and careful of the wires.
Thanks for putting this together. Your Tacoma has plenty of space without lifting the front. Does it matter if you put it on stands? And do you have to straighten the steering wheels before working on it?
Yeah my Tacoma isn't stock anymore lol. I'm pretty sure you have enough room, but it will be tight squeeze. It's better to have it straight, but not needed on this. If you do an alignment you need to have the steering wheel straight otherwise this exact problem will come up at the end.
Hi, how can i make sure both sides turn is matching to each other? I kinda forgot how much i turned one side. Can i measure from the locking nut to the other end of the tire rod, and make sure the length is same on the other side? Also i did alignment with engine on and turning wheel completely to one side and the adjusting. Is this method correct ? Now my steering wheel is almost straight with the tyres but car eventually drifts to the right.
lol Alrighy. So generally you want an even turning radius. So lets say you turn your steering wheel to the left 1.75 full turns and it locks then you turn your steering wheel 1.75 full turns to the right and it locks. That means your steering rack is centered and so is your steering wheel. So you will turn left as sharp as you turn right. If it was off it could be like 2 full turns left and 1.5 turns right. The car may drive straight, but you wont get full turning turning radius equally. "Also i did alignment with engine on and turning wheel completely to one side and the adjusting. Is this method correct ?" This is more like centering the steering rack it will not do a toe alignment unless you get real lucky and land on the perfect thread. For a driveway alignment you can use the "Alignment String Method" I start with that. Drive around the block, zig zag quickly, pull into my driveway as with the wheel straight. Then I get a measuring tape. Get a buddy. Then you go to the front tire. On the front of the front left tire pick a tread that's horizontal and stick with it! Go to the front right front tire use the same tread and measure it lets say 65 1/4". Now go to the left front tire again pick the same line/tread on the back of the left front tire. Go the the front right tire and on the back same tread measure it. 65" This means you have 1/4" of toe out. You have to adjust tie rods to adjust your toe I either do 0 toe or 1/16" of toe in. I can't tell you if the tie rods needs to go in or out because some cars have the tie rods in front of the hub and others have them behind the hub. Man this is a lot to write... I might just make a video on how I do driveway alignments...
So this is what’s wrong on my Trailblazer I just recently did my entire front end suspension upper and Lower CA’s Full Strut job and Upper and Lower Ball Joints and of course the Control Arms had to be replaced because the bushings were so bad. So the lower CA’s don’t connect to the Frame they connect to these removable brackets that have bushings built it so those had to be replaced and that’s where I messed up the alignment they’re adjustable and I didn’t realize it. I didn’t do my Tie Rods yet.
Update on my earlier comment. With vauxhall it's easier cause the steeringaxle is " serrated ". So it's easy to adjust the steeringwheel just a couple of degrees. Found out that Ford uses what looks like a "hexagon " type mounting on the steering axle on the focus mk1. So that makes it almost impossible to make minor adjustments. Regards
Old video, but it really is still the best video demonstrating and explaining this process. Very straightforward, easy to follow and understand.
Thank you! I'm glad it's still helping people out. I tried to make it quick and hit all the points. I should of probably used a headmount for the GoPro, but I just ran what I had lol.
Its almost 2024 and this video is still the best out there describing this procedure.
lol thanks man! Not bad for an old GoPro, flip flops and hardly knowing what anything was called. 😂
Might be the best most well explained walkthrough on CZcams
XP thanks!
No
Agreed, video really helped and well walked through
This worked like a charm. I recently did an at home alignment on my lifted 4runner. It drove just fine but going straight down the road, the wheel was crooked. I gave each side a single turn in the appropriate direction and now it's as close to perfect as you could get. Super easy, makes sense.....
lol awesome! Glad it helped!
Just had a 6inch lift installed and they left my steering wheel crooked. Thanks for posting this. It really helps!!
Great vid. Thanks for making it. Changed all my ball joints, shocks, and links and now need to straighten wheel and get an alignment.
Nice step by step demonstration.
The more beers you drink the Straighter it's going to look
It bugs me the crap out that my steering wheel is not straight,I will need 2 cases
yeah, straight to heaven.
😂😂😂😂
😂😂😂
I fixed my crooked steering wheel by just angling my instrumental cluster to match it. = P
This video is very helpful. I used it every year for the past 2 years
Finally! Thanks to you and your video, I managed to get the wheel straight. Just half a turn was perfect for my car.
Awesome glad it helped!
Awesome instructional video. Thank you!
Thank you bro. After two times on tire store to have alignment done , I did by myself after watch your post.
lol Awesome glad it worked out man!
Had both lower ball joints, one lower control arm, and an outer tie rod end replaced on my 07 Jeep XK. It still tracks down the road straight as an arrow but the steering wheel is in just about the same position as yours. I'll be trying your method to get everything lined up again. Thanks for posting this! Probably saved me $150.
Sweet! Just keep an eye on tire wear.
Thank for this great video. It really came in handy after I replaced my inner tied rod
Great simple and to the point video. Couldn't get it sorted out on my truck at a bunch of alignment shops so went under and did it myself.
Thanks for making this. I needed to do it since the alignment shop i went to said my tie rods were bent and i had to replace the whole thing. It only took me one turn and a half on each side to straighten it. Thank you very much for making the clearest vid out there on how to do it!!
Lol no problem glad it helped!
how bad was your steering wheel
J Dawg when making the adjustments does the steering wheel have to b straight
In the video it was pretty close I just turned it a little more for the video so you could actually see what I'm talking about.
Yes and no. Having it straight or crooked wont make a difference when you are adjusting.
What I like to do is go to an empty leveled parking lot. Then Drive straight with the steering wheel crooked, but your cars going straight. Stop. Then you can guess how much you need to adjust it.
Thank you for having just a easy simple straight to the point video. this helped me out a lot.
No problem, glad the video could help you out!
Thank you for your video! I just had an alignment done, and they gave it back to me with my steering wheel to left just slightly. It was bugging the crap out of me, so instead of going back to the shop, and them getting annoyed with me, I searched it on CZcams, and your video was the second to pop up.
Very good explanation. I did it, and turning it your way actually made the steering wheel go more to the left, so I got back underneath again, and went opposite turn per your instructions, and voila, the steering wheel is perfectly centered. TY!!!
lol perfect!!! Yeah your situation is exactly who/why I made this video. I was trying to help someone on the forums and typed everything out in this video. Then decided to just make a video for him.
I recently had a 4 wheel alignment done on a 2018 Lexus RX350 after getting new tires. The technician told me my steering wheel was not straight, which I had never noticed. Anyway, after doing the alignment, he reviewed a Hunter alignment printout with me and said that only one wheel was out of alignment. On the way home I now noticed the steering wheel was not straight. I am thinking of doing the procedure in this video, but wouldn't it possibly foul up the alignment that was just done?
Awesome! Finally a video that explains it all.
=]
Thanks!!! Solved my problem bigtime! Gr8 video.
James Lang awesome!
Thanks man my brother just drove my eclipse over a curb and messed up my allignment thanks so much.
This dude out of all the videos I watched know what he is talking about your method fixed my car th and man
lol thanks man. Yeah I learned how to do alignments and a friend needed help with his crooked steering wheel so instead of typing all this out I figured it was easier to just make a video. I also couldn't find a good video explaining it at the time I posted it for 2nd gen Tacomas.
this was the best video so far. lucky its still here two years later. thanks bro u earned new sub and ofcourse gave thumbs up. keep it going. :)
Awesome thanks! Yeah I made this video to help someone, it was to confusing when I typed it all out so I made a video for him lol.
Thanks bud 👍
Exactly what I was looking for!
You literally had the exact problem I had ....thanks man helped alot
Dude. I just got an alignment done and the steering was off to right and pull ever so slightly to the right. So I had to go the opposite way you did by a quarter to half turn on both sides. So much better!!!! Thank you much
Awesome glad it helped!
This video should be in a museum.
Lol it a good way or bad way 😂🤔
@@JDawgBuilds haha GOOD!!
@@jordanpeters940 😂😂
Solid video. Short and sweet.
Thanks !!! Bro I just did my whole suspension. I was not able to drive my alignment was crazy off until I watch this video.
lol awesome glad it helped!
The best experience and explanation ever .very clear
lol not bad with an old gopro and a stick while holding wrenches huh 😆
THANK YOU VERY MUCH SIR, you were of very much help , l took my truck 6 times to correct this problem, like the proverb says, "lf you want something done right , do it yourself. 👍
Glad it worked out for you!
Thanks for this write up! I have the same issue with my 2007 Corolla. I want to do it myself but I'm kinda confused on which direction I should turn. In the video, you turned the tie rod both counter clockwise. What I'm reading from car forums is that you turn the passenger side clockwise and the driver side counter clockwise or vice versa. I really want to fix my crooked steering wheel because it drives me crazy! Alignment guys don't want to fix it. They say its straight.
That sucks that they wont properly align it...
Alright. I think those corolla's tie rods are behind the hub. So it will be a little backwards than the video.
*If the steering wheel is tilted to the left and going straight, Driver side tie rod needs to screw into (Clock wise) the tie rod end and passenger side tie rod needs to be screwed out (Counter clock wise) of the tie rod end.
*If the steering wheel is tilted to the right and going straight, Driver side tie rod needs to be screwed out (Counter clock wise) of the tie rod end and Passenger side tie rod needs to screw into (Clock wise) the tie rod end.
I paid tire shop/inspection station to fix my alignment. My jam nut was absolutely stuck. I figured they could get it out and it would save me the trouble of trying to break it loose. They didn't fix it. Didn't even test drive it. Used a machine, I believe all they did was balance the tires. I left, immediately knew it wasn't fixed. Went back next day. They test drove it on the road. I watched closely this time, and all they did was hammer more weights on the rim. Test drove came back and tell me they can't align it. They then proceed to tell me that the car was in an accident. So they are telling me it was in an accident I don't know about and repaired before I drove it somehow. I was pissed. I never once saw them adjust a tie rod. I paid them to fix the alignment. They balanced the tires. I gave this place a good review one time but have changed it.
This video was simple to understand and I am sure I am not crazy now about straightening the wheel. They never tried.
Good Tires on Monroe Rd Charlotte NC will steal your money
Man that's a bummer... When ever I tell people to get an alignment I always tell them to call and ask if they can get a print out before they even take the car. At the end the shop can print out your alignment specs of before and after. So you can actually see what/if they adjusted it.
Thanks man for taking the time to make this video
No problem hope it helps!
Remember folks, this procedure is only done after the alignment is done, otherwise you could be making the steering wheel straight on a car with a bad alignment. Not what we want... 😊
100%. I think I said that in the video somewhere.
@@JDawgBuilds I may have missed that. Thanks for getting back.
Isn’t this just the same as alignment anyway?
@@nibblebytes No, not the same thing. The toe in, the castor, and the camber can be looking like a bad hair day but someone gave it a comb over.
Can I do this before alignment?
This video is very clear man i open to fix mine.
Thank you for this video. I finally fixed my steering wheel on my taco
lol No problem, glad it helped.
I just did this. Worked like a dream!
Awesome! Glad it helped!
Really appreciate the help, J Dawg. I used adjustable wrenches just like you and the nut loosened fairly easily. I soaked the nut with penetrating oil for a while before attempting this.
The tie rod ends on my 2010 Nissan Versa hatchback are aft of the McPherson struts on the driver and passenger sides (opposite of your vehicle) so I had to extend the tie rod end outward more to move the aft end of the wheel outward to straighten the passenger side. After the adjustment, my steering wheel is very close to level - not perfect. I am going to get a four wheel alignment. Also, I needed to remove the clamp from the boot so I could turn the tie rod. Not sure how you were able to rotate the tie rod with the clamp still on the boot and not twist the boot like I did before noticing that I needed to remove the clamp.
My boots are old and the clamps probably aren't tight anymore. I've noticed some of the boots will slip and others are on there to tight to slip.
Wow props to you man I saved big money now thank you!!!!
lol awesome man!
Important tip: you need to toe in 1/16" each side to go straight.
can someone explain more what this means? toe in what to go straight?
@@johndelapena3484 he's talking about something that doesn't directly apply to this video, in fact it's useless info here because were only focusing on fixing steering wheel angle in relation to the wheels and not a full frontal alignment..
This video assumes you have had a proper alignment done but that the steering wheel is still crooked.
As long as you turn the same distance for both tie rods (let's say 1/4 clockwise and 1/4 turn counter-clockwise), then you should end up with same toe angle for both wheels with just an altered steering wheel position (which is what this video demonstrates).
@@johndelapena3484 yes to track straight on a road you want each wheel toed inward 1/16th of an inch or roughly .15 of a degree inward on each side. But it doesn't apply to what's shown in the video.
Yes!! I followed the steps you laid out and my steering wheel is mostly straight now! I added my own step just because of how my brain works, so I wouldn't get confused - I used a silver Sharpie paint marker before I started adjusting anything to put a reference line from the tie rod end to the tie rod itself. I used the silver line to index my turns. Worked great. Thanks again!
lol I think I did the same when I 1st started too. Glad it worked out!
@@JDawgBuilds - it keeps getting better, my brother. I never mentioned that I had traction control and ESP/BAS faults that I thought were unrelated to my off center steering wheel. After driving a few dozen miles with my newly straight steering wheel, these faults cleared. I found out on a forum that a crooked steering wheel is 100% related to the traction control fault! Again, thank you!
@@wes11bravo Ah yeah sometimes if the alignment is off it will trip those too. The Subaru I rebuilt kept having that code since my lower control arm was bent. I bought a used LCA and pressed in some new busing on both sides and boom no more traction control light lol.
Finally somebody who knows what they are talking about
lol It's a long story, but my truck was to wide to fit on the alignment machine. So I learned how to do alignments. Then someone asked how to fix a crooked steering wheel and I made a video since it was easier than trying to type everything out.
@@JDawgBuilds respect, its amazing even people at the alignment shop don't know what they are talking about. In my opinion (having worked in the trade for 35 years) a lot of people talk and do rubbish. I have now retired, bought me a nice car, the salesman said oh it still feels nice and tight in the steering (it's low mileage), I test drove it and the alignment was way off, I said feels like toeing out, they lied when they said they would get it aligned before I picked it up, they didn't. I took it too an alignment shop and he said " it's way of, its toeing in badly, I looked at the screen and said no it's toeing out but he would not believe me, he then had to abandon it as he could not get the bolts undone. I took it home, squared it up with pieces of string WITH THE STEERING WHEEL STRAIGHT, took it back to be checked and it was more or less spot on with only minimal adjustment needed. I've lost count in the past of coming out of alignment shops with the steering wheel not straight. The motor trade is full of baloney. Greetings from the uk
@@bonkeydollocks1879 I've never worked in the auto industry before. It's more of a hobby for me. I have figured out a ton of stuff along the way though. Toe out is scary! My truck was toed out and drove decently straight on the road, but when one tire hit a bump or even the little lines on the freeway it would try to turn. I had to keep a death grip on the wheel lol. I know the feeling I've taken mine to alignment shops and decided I'm going to learn how to do this myself and if it's not perfect I'll deal with it. I try to get it as perfect as I can and take multiple trips around the block and on the freeway with the tools to readjust over and over.
Can we applaud him for doing this while being the camera guy?
I gave thumbs up was most clear video to adjust. Thank u
Very useful video thanks!
No problem =]
I don't always wear sandals but when I do I make sure my alignment is on point. Thanks brother. I recently got an alignment done and the shop didn't straighten my wheel properly. I told them but they blame my aftermarket lift and I know damn well that has nothing to do with it because my other lifted truck steering is straight like a damn arrow.
😂 My day off! My truck is over 7" wider plus the lower backspacing on aftermarket wheels. They said it wouldn't fit on the alignment machine... So I learned and do all my alignments now.
@@JDawgBuilds yeah that seems now what I have to do. Thanks for making the video. Surely did help me understand it properly on how the correcting the wheel works.
@@Ray00069 lol no problem glad it could help!
I had the same issue - Truck is lifted they wouldnt fix my wheel
I took the vehicle back to the shop and they corrected it fast and true, under warranty!
Sweet! That’s the best fast, free and they know what they’re doing.
Thanks for video. I adjusted my crooked steering wheel after installed new suspension on my Tacoma and after the alignment. Alignment shop said I needed the SPC UCA’s to correct the crooked steering wheel. I didn’t understand that. Otherwise everything aligned perfectly with my TC UCA’s
Hummm interesting lol. Glad it helped you 🤙🏽
video looks good, will try to adjust!
Thats how my steering wheel is when i got the car a month ago, great tip thanks bro
Bummer! Hope it helps.
@@JDawgBuilds thanks mate , do i straighten the steering wheel first or will the tierods do that
@@mullaway5746 Adjusting the tie rods will fix the crooked steering wheel, but they will also adjust the toe so make sure they are evenly turned. I'd suggest getting a good alignment at a shop that will print out the numbers.
Thanks for the info, perfect fix
No problem, glad it could help.
Great video mate , thanks for sharing 👍
No problem, hope it helped!
Awesome video 👍
Thanks 🙏
No problem, hope it helped!
Thank you for a great video. Had new tires put on my F-150. Idiots couldn't get the alignment correct at the tire place. Steering wheel was the same way yours was in the video. Went back 3 times and finally got a refund after the tech at Mavis told me there must be something wrong with my truck. Wrong!...found your video and had my truck perfect in 5 minutes. Thanks again for the no nonsense video. This is how they all should be made!
:lol: Mavis. They hire guys that McDonalds fired.
Wasted money going to tma told them to straighten my steering wheel. I don't think they even turned s fucking wrench. Went home did it myself. 2009 f150. Perfect.
Installing new tires has no effect on alignment.
You are awesome, thank you so much, you can explain very well!
lol no problem. Glad it helped.
The best video in tube.
Added to my list of maintenance items. My 4runner has been aligned so much in the past year, but they get my wheel straight. Also truck seems to wander to the side the wheel is crooked to. going to try this first see if it helps, at the very least straighten my wheel!
Did you ever try this fix and did it stop your car from wandering? The dealer says my alignment specs are perfect but the steering is off center to the right and wanders in that direction also, just as you mentioned.
Mark the nut and the parts you rotate with a marker. Makes it easier to know exact number of turns.
Thanks for the great video. I Will also try DIY. I have the same situation as u are and a alignment workshop didn't manage to fix it. I was already thinking that someone fixed the steering wrong....well maybe he was 😄
If you got it done recently most shops should have a guarantee.
I'm very picky about how I do full alignments. When I drive the seat position, mirrors and alignment have to be perfect otherwise I'll be super annoyed driving lol.
Thank you sir! Awesome tutorial!
No problem, Hope it helped!
Thanks for this, just got an alignment but my wheel is still off so it FEELS like the alignment didn't help but it drives way smoother so it did. Just gotta adjust these so my wheel is straight and I should be good. Right now taking a curve to the left on the hwy barely needs any movement of the wheel past center to the left and taking a right curve needs to be quite a bit past center to the right lol.
Sounds like your alignment is off could also be worn bushings/steering components. Maybe try another shop. I tell people call and ask if they print out the alignment. The printout will show what it was when you brought it and what they adjusted. At the alignment shop they will also tell you if anything needs replaced.
Thank you for the simple, detailed explanation. Another to think about this: the steering wheel will ALWAYS point in the direction of the SHORTER tie rod (with wheels pointed forward).
Good tip Mike this works if the rack is mounted forward or rear of the axle.
@@bradleypark1936 not true. It's self-explanatory it'll be opposite when the rack is opposite side of axle. If the rack is behind the axle the side the steering wheel points towards is too long & needs shortened(inner rod needs screwed into outer) & the opposite side is too short & needs lengthened(screwed out of outer rod). This was the case on my Acura CL-S.
@@katmanluke7187 he's talking about before adjustments are made and yes he's correct.
It's only making the adjustments clock wise or counter-clockwise that are dependent on if the the rack is in front or behind the axles.
Ill also chime in and thank you for posting this. I have a 4runner and after 2 alignments my wheel was still just slightly off to the left. Not as much as yours but enough to be annoying. While I know this method isnt as exact as a Hunter alignment, I went ahead and did this and only had to adjust about 1/4 a turn. I actually went too much the first time.
lol no problem glad it helped! Yeah I kinda over exaggerated it for the video so people can see it. Usually it's just slightly off just enough to be annoying. I used one of those computer alignment machines I honestly couldn't remember the name of it though.
This is a great excuse for me to get some big boy wrenches 🔧
Dude your the greatest I was able to fix my crooked ass steering wheel on my 2013 Tundra with a 10" BDS lift Good Vid
You can also run a string from the back tires to the front to check the toe in or out and make sure its the same side to side before doing this steering wheel adjustment . About an 1/8 toe in should be good from back to front.
Yeah I've used the string method before there's just a couple things I found out. Some cars have different WMS to WMS front and rear so my measurements and toe were off lol. It's a good starting point though gets them square-ish. Then you can measure across front and rear of the front tires and front and rear of the back tires to find a good toe for the car. Then also the 1/8 is pretty good rule of thumb, but different via tire size 1/8" on a 35" is a small amount degree of toe vs 24" car tire 1/8" is a big degree of toe. If you want to know more message me. I've learned a ton over the years doing alignments myself.
I think something that should be noted is that the position of your tie rod end on the knuckle matters. For example, I have a car that has the tie rod end mounted aft on the knuckle, so adjusting it in or making it shorter pulls the passenger side wheel out for a toe-out condition and vice versa. The opposite would be true on the left side. So I had to do everything opposite of this video for my crooked wheel to be fixed.
Yeah. Originally made the video for another guy with a Tacoma on the forums. I was typing all these instructions out and ended up making a video. Then other people started watching it. I try to respond to everyone that has trouble though.
this video is the correct way. many other videos are either wrong or unconventional way
lol this is just how I learned and passing the info along. My truck is "modified" and couldn't fit on an alignment rack so I learned how to do my own alignments.
Pretty much the same thing on a 4 wheeler which I’ve done a few times before…. My neighbor will be happy once I show him this video cause his steering wheel is off almost by 90deg to the left. Tryin to help him out. 👍🏼
Awesome glad it helped!
@J Dawg Hey thanks!! Now my steering wheel is to the right, do I turn my tire rods down?
Good video but I would like to add to it. BEFORE you do anything, take a marker and draw a horizontal line across the 2 pieces the you will be adjusting. This will allow you to see how far you’ve turned one side so you will know far to turn the next side. This needs to be done because the whole tie rod end will pivot even before you loosen the jamb nut which will mess you up when trying to eye ball it.
Yeah, that's a good tip so simple too lol.
Super cool. I little rock jumped out and bit my front end when off roading and I have the same issue. Drives perfectly straight yet my steering wheel is barely crooked. HAHA, just like yours (drives me nuts). So I will have fun and adjust it shortly. Thanks!
1LifeLive lol! Yeah that happens to me a lot. I had to learn how to do my whole alignment because my truck didn't fit on the alignment machine at 2 different places!
Awesome to learn and do it yourself! I just keep buying tools and I sit my arse down and do it myself. Saves so much money and best of all, you know how to fix your rig! So thanks again and I love how you treated us like newbies and showed us over and over, nice! Makes it VERY easy to understand! Thanks again! Happy driving!
1LifeLive yeah I know how hard it can be to learn something new and if I skipped a step lol. My truck has only been in a 2 shops tire mount and balance and the dealership to change the motor oil for a free 5 point inspection once lol. Everything else was done in my driveway or my friends driveway. 😁
Alignment wise, if toe, caster, and camber are all good on paper, but the steering wheel is off center (I've gotten it realigned at the dealership before but it still felt off center before my lift at the time), does doing your method affect the said 3 in turn?
No, as long as you are equal in turns and accurate. If you some how mess up it will only affect the toe.
This video is awesome!
I have the same problem with my kia rio 2005.
Can I just pull out the steering wheel and put it back in right position?
Thanks for the answer!
Yeah you can, but the tie rods wont be centered so you might get lower turning radius on one side than the other. I would take it to an alignment shop.
If you do take off the steering wheel disconnect a battery terminal (air bags kinda scare me). 1st take off battery terminal. 2nd take off air bag.(disconnect wires if needed). 3rd Impact and loosen the steering wheel nut. Only loosen it till it's flush so when you wiggle the steering wheel and pull it you don't smack yourself in the face or pull out the wires. 4th take off steering wheel nut and reinstall steering wheel.
Again I'd take it to an alignment shop.
Hi!
I have a Volkswagen Golf 4. How do I access the tie rods on my tires?
Do I need to do anything to the steering wheel before/after this?
great video! thanks! my tacoma wheel is exactly crooked like yours. one question, when you do a half turn, roughly how much did it move your steering wheel?? can i do a full turn?
I had the steering wheel more exaggerated for the video. Try a full turn then test drive it. Then adjust the amounts of turns accordingly.
Rule of thumb is 2 turn them 90 to 100 degrees for every clock hour the wheel is off by
Very good video,,, Thank you.
Thank you! Glad you liked it!
This method works on my 2022 Ram vehicle 👍🏽
Ah good to know thanks.
Everytime I go to a track day and attack the curbs my steering wheel is off centre to the left, a tyre shop fixes it for me usually but this video seems helpful and I'm gonna do it myself now, quick question, do I need those big wrenches (I don't really know the proper name for them) or I can use a normal wrench?
"adjustable wrenches" No you don't need them. If you know what size you can use regular wrenches. I just use the longer ones for more leverage those jam nuts are on there tight if on correctly.
Recheck all torque specs too! I took my truck off road and found out my lower control arm bolt wasn't at the right torque and it kept throwing my alignment off. On my STI my lower control arm bushing was tearing so my alignment was always off too. It now has urethane bushings and feels like it's on rails, but a little more bumpy feeling on the street.
Good work
Thank you!
For anyone wondering, that's a 22mm nut that you have to loosen and tighten against the tie-rod end there.
Nice!
Thank you SIR!
No problem! =]
Would this not shorten the the amount of turns on the wheel in one direction?
Do these adjustments need to be done while the truck is jacked up?Also do you make your wheel straight before making these adjustments?
Did you ever get a reply? I think yes you have to have your wheel straight before making the adjustments. Just makes it easier. I assume the same about having it jacked up (although I don't have a jack so I'm hoping I can do it while it's on the ground!)
This video is really informative but I have a Subaru legacy and we replaced the rack and pinion and the guy who did it left the steering wheel upside down, while the wheels drive straight. Can I do the same thing you did for my situation?
lol I just did a full alignment on my 08 sti today!
What I would do first is count/measure the threads on the inner tie rods.
-If they are the close to the same then when you installed the rack and pinion wrong. (Happens often)
-If they are not the same lets say one side has way more threads then you can use this method.
If you installed the rack and pinion wrong then you either need to unbolt the rack and pinion, turn the steering wheel straight, tie/lock the steering wheel and reinstall.
The other and probably easier way would be to take off the steering wheel. Just make sure you don't smack yourself in the face, disconnect battery and careful of the wires.
Thank you very much. God bless always.
Glad it helped!
Thanks for putting this together. Your Tacoma has plenty of space without lifting the front. Does it matter if you put it on stands? And do you have to straighten the steering wheels before working on it?
Yeah my Tacoma isn't stock anymore lol. I'm pretty sure you have enough room, but it will be tight squeeze. It's better to have it straight, but not needed on this. If you do an alignment you need to have the steering wheel straight otherwise this exact problem will come up at the end.
@@JDawgBuilds I appreciate your responses!
I do mechanical stuff in a pair of olakais as well :)
Thank you!
:)
Do the wheels need to be straight to do this? I don't have a jack but I can reach the rods if I turn my wheels in all the way.
Skywatcher 87 yes this will only work if your car is aligned. Toe, caster and camber need to be right.
They can fix when we do a alignment?Because just change my power steering rack my self and now is off,Thanks!
Yup!
Hi, how can i make sure both sides turn is matching to each other? I kinda forgot how much i turned one side. Can i measure from the locking nut to the other end of the tire rod, and make sure the length is same on the other side?
Also i did alignment with engine on and turning wheel completely to one side and the adjusting. Is this method correct ?
Now my steering wheel is almost straight with the tyres but car eventually drifts to the right.
lol Alrighy. So generally you want an even turning radius. So lets say you turn your steering wheel to the left 1.75 full turns and it locks then you turn your steering wheel 1.75 full turns to the right and it locks. That means your steering rack is centered and so is your steering wheel. So you will turn left as sharp as you turn right. If it was off it could be like 2 full turns left and 1.5 turns right. The car may drive straight, but you wont get full turning turning radius equally.
"Also i did alignment with engine on and turning wheel completely to one side and the adjusting. Is this method correct ?" This is more like centering the steering rack it will not do a toe alignment unless you get real lucky and land on the perfect thread.
For a driveway alignment you can use the "Alignment String Method" I start with that. Drive around the block, zig zag quickly, pull into my driveway as with the wheel straight. Then I get a measuring tape. Get a buddy. Then you go to the front tire. On the front of the front left tire pick a tread that's horizontal and stick with it! Go to the front right front tire use the same tread and measure it lets say 65 1/4". Now go to the left front tire again pick the same line/tread on the back of the left front tire. Go the the front right tire and on the back same tread measure it. 65" This means you have 1/4" of toe out. You have to adjust tie rods to adjust your toe I either do 0 toe or 1/16" of toe in. I can't tell you if the tie rods needs to go in or out because some cars have the tie rods in front of the hub and others have them behind the hub.
Man this is a lot to write... I might just make a video on how I do driveway alignments...
So this is what’s wrong on my Trailblazer
I just recently did my entire front end suspension upper and Lower CA’s Full Strut job and Upper and Lower Ball Joints and of course the Control Arms had to be replaced because the bushings were so bad.
So the lower CA’s don’t connect to the Frame they connect to these removable brackets that have bushings built it so those had to be replaced and that’s where I messed up the alignment they’re adjustable and I didn’t realize it.
I didn’t do my Tie Rods yet.
very good and nice flip flops lol
lol gotta be comfy!
J Dawg , hehe I on flip flops all the time
Brilliant.
lol thanks. Hope it helped!
Will try tomorrow
Tie rod adjustment
Worked for me on a 05 Opel vectra C, not exactly the same system but close enough that it can be adapted and worked out. thank you!
Update on my earlier comment. With vauxhall it's easier cause the steeringaxle is " serrated ". So it's easy to adjust the steeringwheel just a couple of degrees. Found out that Ford uses what looks like a "hexagon " type mounting on the steering axle on the focus mk1. So that makes it almost impossible to make minor adjustments. Regards