Crooked / Off-Center Steering Wheel after TSB
12-29-2003, 10:28 AM
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Crooked / Off-Center Steering Wheel after TSB
Brought my 350Z Track into the dealership last week to have the TSBs for the feathering and drifting done. They did the tire flip/rotation and alignment, as well as replaced the front right compression rod and lower control arm, but when I got my car back I noticed that the steering wheel was now off-center to the right a little bit when I am going straight, it WAS NOT like this when I brought it in. At first I thought it was the curvature of the road, but when I drove the vehicle in my parking garage (which has a flat, level concrete surface) I noticed the same thing. So I took the vehicle back into the dealership and they did the front alignment again, and supposedly two different people test drove the vehicle ... my wheel is STILL crooked (not as bad I think, but still off center to the right a couple degrees). When I point the wheel dead straight, my car is driving to the left - just had 500 mi trip to verify this completely). Does this mean the alignment is still off, or is the wheel crooked when the alignment is in spec? I am going to give them one more chance to correct this, it is really bothering me when I drive. Anyone else have this problem?
Last edited by bkusnir; 12-29-2003 at 10:53 AM.
12-29-2003, 02:04 PM
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Re: Crooked / Off-Center Steering Wheel after TSB
Originally posted by bkusnir
Brought my 350Z Track into the dealership last week to have the TSBs for the feathering and drifting done. They did the tire flip/rotation and alignment, as well as replaced the front right compression rod and lower control arm, but when I got my car back I noticed that the steering wheel was now off-center to the right a little bit when I am going straight, it WAS NOT like this when I brought it in. At first I thought it was the curvature of the road, but when I drove the vehicle in my parking garage (which has a flat, level concrete surface) I noticed the same thing. So I took the vehicle back into the dealership and they did the front alignment again, and supposedly two different people test drove the vehicle ... my wheel is STILL crooked (not as bad I think, but still off center to the right a couple degrees). When I point the wheel dead straight, my car is driving to the left - just had 500 mi trip to verify this completely). Does this mean the alignment is still off, or is the wheel crooked when the alignment is in spec? I am going to give them one more chance to correct this, it is really bothering me when I drive. Anyone else have this problem?
Brought my 350Z Track into the dealership last week to have the TSBs for the feathering and drifting done. They did the tire flip/rotation and alignment, as well as replaced the front right compression rod and lower control arm, but when I got my car back I noticed that the steering wheel was now off-center to the right a little bit when I am going straight, it WAS NOT like this when I brought it in. At first I thought it was the curvature of the road, but when I drove the vehicle in my parking garage (which has a flat, level concrete surface) I noticed the same thing. So I took the vehicle back into the dealership and they did the front alignment again, and supposedly two different people test drove the vehicle ... my wheel is STILL crooked (not as bad I think, but still off center to the right a couple degrees). When I point the wheel dead straight, my car is driving to the left - just had 500 mi trip to verify this completely). Does this mean the alignment is still off, or is the wheel crooked when the alignment is in spec? I am going to give them one more chance to correct this, it is really bothering me when I drive. Anyone else have this problem?
12-29-2003, 06:47 PM
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it's the alignment.. take it back and get it re-aligned..
Mine was point to the left, and after the alignment, it's now centered.. I also just got pulling to the right fixed..
Mine was point to the left, and after the alignment, it's now centered.. I also just got pulling to the right fixed..
01-13-2004, 12:36 PM
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My '04 Enthusiast had the same problem. I took it to the dealer and they looked at the tires, said they're wearing fine, and moved the steering center, I assume, by moving both front tie rods the same amount the same direction.
Well, it still drove funny, so I took it to a good shop with an excellent alignment machine. They found one rear tire was rather more cambered than the other (-2.3deg vs -1.8deg) and the thrust angle was 0.1deg. They were able to get the thrust angle right at 0 and that rear tire much closer to the other. The rear camber difference is now only a couple of tenths of a degree. Obviously, the front camber can't be changed. Both rear tires are now toed in slightly and pointed in the same direction as the front.
It now drives way nicer and tracks better.
My suggestion: skip the dealer and their crap alignment machine. Find a repair shop that also road races that has a fairly new machine. They'll be able to give you a good alignment. I've never gotten a good alignment for any car anywhere but this place.
For what it's worth, that's my experience.
Asterix
Well, it still drove funny, so I took it to a good shop with an excellent alignment machine. They found one rear tire was rather more cambered than the other (-2.3deg vs -1.8deg) and the thrust angle was 0.1deg. They were able to get the thrust angle right at 0 and that rear tire much closer to the other. The rear camber difference is now only a couple of tenths of a degree. Obviously, the front camber can't be changed. Both rear tires are now toed in slightly and pointed in the same direction as the front.
It now drives way nicer and tracks better.
My suggestion: skip the dealer and their crap alignment machine. Find a repair shop that also road races that has a fairly new machine. They'll be able to give you a good alignment. I've never gotten a good alignment for any car anywhere but this place.
For what it's worth, that's my experience.
Asterix
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