21/11/10 - Steering!

So having refitted the axle and panhard rods I then suffered a typical problem.....

The steering wheel is not straight! - the picture below shows it when the wheels are driving straight ahead!!!

 

 

I thought this looked like an expensive trip to the tyre depot to have it all sorted out, or even taking the steering wheel off to rotate it.

However, Jamie of this forum told me the trick.

You need to get under the front of the car and rotate the steering bar until the steering wheel is straight.

So I drove up and down my drive until I was happy that the car wheel were straight. Leave the keys in the car with the steering lock OFF.

I then got under the car to tackle the steering bar. Its the long bar that runs from high up under the drivers side down to the passenger front wheel.

It is held tight by two lock nuts one at each end of the bar. These are often so grubby that they look like they are part of the bar, but they are separate nuts.

Also note that one is REVERSE THREADED.

You will need a 24mm spanner. Both are very tight and the way to undo them is to rotate them in a DOWNWARDS direction, both need to be rotated downwards as one is reverse threaded. Loosen them right off.

The simple find the 22mm surface cut into the bar and rotate the whole bar with the spanner. As you rotate it the steering wheel will slowly move one way or the other. (Note you can see the steering damper clamp in the picture - unless you have bought a value for money BigJimny steering damper you will not have one of these attached to your steering).

Now tighten up the locknuts - job done! - thanks to Jamie for pointing this out to me.