What you need to figure out Lonnie is weather the box and wheel are off or the box and linkage is off.
You will need to unhook the linkage and check the steering box for center. Go lock to lock and cut that number in half. If the wheel is not correct, remove it and place it where it needs to be. The old ( '37) trucks used a keyway so this isn't a option. At some point later GM went to the splined shaft and the wheel will fit anywhere. If you find the wheel is centered on the gear box, you need to check the linkage.
I don't believe you can have enough wear inside a steering box to cause the wheel to be off center. If it was, I doubt you could get it adjusted.
The front axle placement can change the steering wheel location 1/4 turn or more very easy. Look at the drag link and see which way it moves when you put the steering wheel in the straight ahead location. If it moves forward, thats the way the axle needs to move. Loosen the u-bolts and pull the axle forward with a cable puller or ratchet strap. You are just trying to get all the slop out of the alignment pins.
I ended up having a adjustable drag link made so I can dial in the steering dead on straight. What I had made looks just like a tie-rod setup only shorter. Mine was always off center and I never could see why. I had three different gear boxes in the truck, and all three were the same so something in the linkage was off. It doesn't take much adjustment of the drag link to really turn the steering wheel. Even caster shims can change the wheel location, anything that moves the steering arm closer or farther away from the pitman arm will change the steering wheel location.
Joe
Last edited by Joe H; 03/24/2012 3:28 PM.
