996 steering off centre (different turn-to-turn lock)

[MrJingles705]

Hi Guys,

Was looking to fit a paddle wheel to the 996, but before I did I was just making sure that the existing steering/tracking would be protected (didn't want to get the wheel on misaligned). And I noticed that the steering is off ever so slightly.... in that I get more turns lock-to-lock on the left side than I do on the right.

Video is worth a thousand words etc...

https://youtu.be/SlQbG3KMSNY
(Apologies for the crap narration! Also Video makes it looks worse than it is, we are talking <5 degrees)

First guess is that the wheel has already been off at some point - and a previous owner did fit a airbag squib replacement (to deal with a code issue, not a crash!) back in 2015 and a geo not long after that. My best guess is that the wheel went on one-cog off and they just subsequently adjusted the tracking?

Assuming no visual damage to any of the front suspension, arms etc my first thought is to try putting the wheel on one spline to the right and see if it lines up dead straight.... then get another geo done pronto? Thoughts?

Alternatively - any other reason (is it possible that something has happened to the rack stops?)

Edited by MrJingles705 on Saturday 13th May 16:55

[MrJingles705]

The invoice for the squib:



(I don't get why they removed the wheel to do the squib..... shouldn't need to? just two retaining fittings and the whole assembly can be removed leaving wheel in place!)

[MrJingles705]

Anybody Disagree?

Edited by MrJingles705 on Sunday 14th May 07:22

[griffter]

You're right that the steering wheel should be centred in the middle of the rack's range of movement and the front wheels should be pointing straight ahead with the rack in that position. It sounds as though the steering wheel has been fitted one spline out and the off-centre of the steering wheel taken up by adjusting the track rod ends.

[anonymous-user]

Unless they've mistakenly termed the rotary coupler as the squib, and then the wheel does need to come off.

[anonymous-user]

griffter said:

You're right that the steering wheel should be centred in the middle of the rack's range of movement and the front wheels should be pointing straight ahead with the rack in that position. It sounds as though the steering wheel has been fitted one spline out and the off-centre of the steering wheel taken up by adjusting the track rod ends.

Which is bad, as the Ackerman angles will all be wrong on turns because each of the track rods will be of a different length.

[Bennachie]

Thought we did not have ackermann steering - that's why the inner tyre does its little skipping thing at low speed, much lock and cold tyres........

But is certainly sounds like it has had the wheel off and back one spline out and then 'centred' by track rod end as has been said.

[anonymous-user]

Bennachie said:

Thought we did not have ackermann steering - that's why the inner tyre does its little skipping thing at low speed, much lock and cold tyres........

But is certainly sounds like it has had the wheel off and back one spline out and then 'centred' by track rod end as has been said.

That's due to the large width of the tyres. I assure you, the inner wheel is always turned more than the outer otherwise the car would handle incredibly horribly.

Look at the angles prescribed by the steering arms relative to the axis prescribed by the top of the strut and the bottom balljoint, and the fact that when at straight ahead, the angle between the track rod end and the steering arm is not 90 degrees.

So yes, if you want the car to have equal turn in for each direction of steering, get the rack centred, steering wheel centred, and arms adjusted. A 'proper' four wheel alignment will steer the car straight and the wheel will then appear wonky if it's been moved off centre.

[MrJingles705]

With engine off, and moved one spline, it was aligned better but still not even.

Interestingly with the engine on and hence hydraulics running into the rack, it then evenly up completely; so it's possible the previous guy who was working on it lost the centre and tried to do it with engine off..... they must have realised afterwards and tweaking the tracking though.

Bit of a fudge I think we can all agree?

Oh well, sorted now and booked for a Geo on Friday.