180* Upside down Steering Wheel

Good evening. I have an 87 that had an aftermarket steering wheel on it. When i took the old wheel off, the horn spring was not in its expected location. It was at about the 4oclock position instead of the 10-12. I was wondering why this was so out of allignment. I put the new oem style wheel on and hoped i could i could turn the steering shaft at the rag joint near the pump but it only goes one way, same thing for the upper shaft sleeve in the engine bay. Does anyone know how to fix this?

You could measure your tie rods and see if there the same from side to side. I have a 4x4 so I have a drag link and I will say it doesn't take much to move the steering wheel.

Every connection from the wheel to the box is timed. Above suggestion is possible. I do alignments we see that quite frequently. If the visible threads on tie rods are reasonably close side to side most likely something is bent. If they aren't get an alignment.

Is this a c or a k?

Ricko1966 said:

Is this a c or a k?

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Its a C. I feel like it may be something inside the actual collum.

I'd guess that the aftermarket wheel was either installed wrong or the wrong install kit was used, then the tie rods were adjusted to make the steering wheel straight.

Now that the proper steering wheel is installed, it needs an alignment. It will be important to center the steering box before adjusting the alignment. Otherwise, it could end up a full rotation off and you will not have full steering angle in one direction.

bucket said:

I'd guess that the aftermarket wheel was either installed wrong or the wrong install kit was used, then the tie rods were adjusted to make the steering wheel straight.

Now that the proper steering wheel is installed, it needs an alignment. It will be important to center the steering box before adjusting the alignment. Otherwise, it could end up a full rotation off and you will not have full steering angle in one direction.

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Is it possible that the steering box is centered correctly and something in the column is off? I took it for a drive and other than the wheel upside down it seemed to turn fine. I wonder if something got messed up in the aftermarket wheel install. Also am i correct in saying that from the steering box to the bottom of the steering column there is no adjustment because everything goes one way?

TruckCo said:

Is it possible that the steering box is centered correctly and something in the column is off? I took it for a drive and other than the wheel upside down it seemed to turn fine. I wonder if something got messed up in the aftermarket wheel install. Also am i correct in saying that from the steering box to the bottom of the steering column there is no adjustment because everything goes one way?

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Yeah, it all fits together one way. You can fudge the steering wheel mounting, but only a spline or two in either direction.

Being that the aftermarket wheel was straight and the horn contact post is in the wrong area, it's extremely likely that the tie rods were adjusted to hide a severely botched steering wheel install.

bucket said:

Yeah, it all fits together one way. You can fudge the steering wheel mounting, but only a spline or two in either direction.

Being that the aftermarket wheel was straight and the horn contact post is in the wrong area, it's extremely likely that the tie rods were adjusted to hide a severely botched steering wheel install.

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thank you how would I know the tie rods were moved around if there is a way to visually see that? My friend said the column could have been 180ed by a few U Joints Deep in the column as well?

I have never seen U-joints deep inside a square's steering column.

Ok so theres no adjustment that could have gotten messed up in the column. So ill have to look at the tie rods.?

TruckCo said:

Ok so theres no adjustment that could have gotten messed up in the column. So ill have to look at the tie rods.?

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It needs an alignment. But like I said before, whoever does the alignment will have to center the box first. They will probably charge more for that.

TruckCo said:

Good evening. I have an 87 that had an aftermarket steering wheel on it. When i took the old wheel off, the horn spring was not in its expected location. It was at about the 4oclock position instead of the 10-12. I was wondering why this was so out of allignment. I put the new oem style wheel on and hoped i could i could turn the steering shaft at the rag joint near the pump but it only goes one way, same thing for the upper shaft sleeve in the engine bay. Does anyone know how to fix this?

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Well your steering wheel is perfectly aligned with today’s Political climate

If I remember right, it can be 180 out at the base of the column where it goes in to the lower shaft. Maybe take that bolt out, slip the lower shaft off and spin the wheel to the correct position and slide the lower shaft back on.

TruckCo said:

thank you how would I know the tie rods were moved around if there is a way to visually see that? My friend said the column could have been 180ed by a few U Joints Deep in the column as well?

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Look at the threads on the tie rod ends does the drivers side show tons of thread and the passenger side significantly less or vice versa? Your column doesn't have ujoints. Personally I'd take the tie rod ends off at the spindle, you do not have to use a pickle fork,all they do is tear boots. Now center the box, point your rotors relatively parallel and straight forward. Now see how much the tie rod ends miss their location in the spindle. You can eye ball how much they tie rods need to move,if it's not a bunch twist the tie rods put them back in the knuckles. Set the toe with a tape measure. The other alignment specs won't change and toe is easy to set with a tape measure. To separate the tie rods without a pickle fork back the nuts way down but not off the threads put a pry bar trying to push the tie rod so it pulls the end out,smack the side if the spindle hard with a hammer it will pop apart.When you twist the tie rods twist the sleeve one end is lht other is rht so the ends go in and out proportionally. I just went and took a pic for you that dot of white out I put on the spindle,that's where you smack it with a hammer. I gaurantee your 99.9 out of 100 times I get it without a pickle fork and I don't tear the boots.