The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Steering Shaft TDC Mark?

I'm not really sure what forum to ask this in, but the steering wheel is an interior item.

My question is: There's a straight line mark punched into the wheel end of my steering shaft. Is that mark supposed to be vertical? If I make it vertical and slip the tie rod ends so the wheels are straight forward, will that make the ratio transition equal.

what are you trying to do? just align the steering wheel itself? don't think that would be a factory mark - you need to turn the wheel lock-to-lock and count, set it half way, and put the wheel on so the spokes are in the right place, if it's a bit off wheels-straight-forward, it'll be the pitman that's doing it, only fits one way .... "slipping" the tie rod ends will change your wheel alignment

Bill

FWIU, the steering ratio is about 13:1 when the steering wheel is at true center, and transitions to 16:1 towards the port and starboard stops.

If the steering shaft isn't at true center with the wheels pointed straight forward, it seems to me that you get closer to the 16:1 ratio one one side sooner than the other. It might not even be noticeable, but . . .

As for 'slipping' (my term) the tie rod ends, the manual says you can turn both as many times as you want, as long as you turn them both the same amount, and your alignment should stay the same. Of course, if you slip them both all the way, you will only be able to go around a right, or left corner, depending on which way you went. If you try to turn the other way the steering gear box runs out of teeth. ;}

The only thing the tie rods control on a drag link solid axle steering is the toe-in. The drag link is not adjustable, so the only only way to center the steering wheel on this setup is to remove the steering wheel and place it as close to center as possible on the splines with the pitman arm centered. The steering wheel only steers the driver's side front wheel and the tie rod just allows the othe wheel to follow. Usually people refuse to believe this, but it is true.

Moving to General Truck talk...

You didn,t say what year it is. If it has independant front susp. you can adjust the tie rods to get the steering on center. I f it,s a straight axle make shure the toe-in is correct & drive the truck down the road straight ahead & mark the hub of the steering wheel & the column hub. Back at the shop line up the marks, pull the steering wheel & put it on straight.

When I worked in front end align shop we counted turns on the steering wheel,set it to center, used a device to hold it from turning, Then set the toe-in. A test ride and if it didn't center the Wheel we did it again.