steering wheel is out of position need help

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86squarebodycg

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So I'm brand new to this site and anyway my strong wheel has done a 180 from its original position. How do I fix this?
 

RetroC10Sport

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unbolt the lower steering shaft from the column, take it off the column, turn wheel 180 and reinstall?
 

86squarebodycg

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thanks for the tip but I couldn't pull it away from that gear box. any other suggestions?
 

NOPHO84K30

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Check youre drag link the sleave my be stripping out or moved
 

chengny

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You should include a little background with a request like this. For example when you say:

my strong wheel has done a 180 from its original position

You might want to mention whether it happened all at once or gradually.

Maybe say whether you just bought the truck and it was like that or you've had it all along.

Is the fact that it is out of index causing any problems with steering?

Anyway if it drives okay like it is now and just looks stupid - there's 2 ways to fix it.

At the steering wheel:

Just pop the horn button, pull the horn contactor ring out, release the wheel to column nut. Then, using a puller, pull the steering wheel off the shaft splines. Temporarily push the wheel back on to the splines and test drive. On a straight street, remove your hands and see if the steering wheel cross bar is horizontal. If not stop, pull the wheel off and try another spline set. Do this until satisfied. Go home and reassemble.

Second option - at the center drag link:

Go under the truck and on the left hand side locate center drag link. It connects the pitman arm to the steering arm and is shown as item 17 below:

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It looks like this:

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Here is a trick that is possible (although nobody believes me) with a "center drag link" setup. I wrote this awhile ago and was told that it was wrong - it isn't:

If your steering wheel is offset (either CW or CCW) while traveling straight ahead - it can be easily trued up by shortening or extending the effective length of the link.
Just glide to a stop (hands off the steering wheel). Your tires will be pointing straight ahead. Leave the steering wheel unlocked and loosen the clamps on the adjusting sleeve. Then with an assistant watching the steering wheel, turn the sleeve. The wheel will turn (either in the correct direction or not) if it gets worse, turn the sleeve the other way. It only takes about a 1/4 turn to move the wheel spokes about 45 degrees. This doesn't affect your front end alignment (both tires move in unison) only the index of the steering wheel. Much easier than adjusting both tie-rod ends!
 
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Stroked

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Thanks for posting that info Chengny! The steering wheel is off about 45 degrees in my K10 and I've been wondering if turning the adjusting sleeve wouldn't work. I'll add that to my list of things to do this weekend.

Is there a torque spec on the clamp bolts?
 

chengny

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Haynes specs the "steering connecting rod clamp nut" as 40ft-lbs.

I just reef down on them.
 

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