Steering and alignment help

[Jesseyourcalipers]

Hello wonderful people of bitog
1999 Sierra 1500

Went to a fast food restaurant and embarrassingly got into my first little accident. The fast food joint is in a very weird property where looks like it was a shared lot but what was next door got torn down. The drive thru wraps around the place like a giant u turn. It was storming bad it was night time was talking to my fiancé about school scheduling problems was paying attention to the order windows and managed not to see what was at the exit. A 3ft tall pole. By the time I was next to it my lifted truck didn’t let me see it. When I rolled away from food pick up I felt the thump. Literally rolled into it since there’s an intersection that’s only separated by a sidewalk from the building. I backed up and literally not even a scuff on the pole and thought no big deal. When I checked the knuckle has a mark where it hit and I see that pole had to have came into the wheel well to hit the knuckle right where the tie rod goes. Well now my problem is the steering wheel is off to the left when going straight. If while driving I let go of the steering wheel the vehicle continues going straight. I stringed the wheels and also measured the front tires in the front and rear of them and both are exactly 81 5/8 on the dot. 81 10/16. I have new mud tires and measured hooking to the square rim by the tread blocks exactly at the middle of the height of the wheel. Doesn’t seemed to have moved. I do not want to just straighten the quick release steering wheel I have on. The steering wheel had to have moved for a reason. Any ideas?

 

[atikovi]

Can't really tell exactly from the picture, but looks bent to me,

 

[Jesseyourcalipers]

Can't really tell exactly from the picture, but looks bent to me,

View attachment 174553

Wouldn’t bent tie rod pull tire in?

 

[atikovi]

On really big tires you might not even notice. How far off is the wheel? You could just shorten one tie rod and lenghten the other to center the steering wheel.

 

[Jesseyourcalipers]

On really big tires you might not even notice. How far off is the wheel? You could just shorten one tie rod and lenghten the other to center the steering wheel.

That’s the thing the tires didn’t move just the steering wheel. If the wheel that got hit got knocked out of place, measuring the front tires front and back of it would be different measurements no? And I very tightly put fishing line around all 4 tires and everything makes contact.

 

[D60]

How much would you approximate the wheel is off?

 

[mk378]

You could do the duct tape test to see if there is an alignment problem. Stick a strip of duct tape on each front tire, going across the width of the tread. Drive a short distance in a straight line on pavement then examine the tape for uneven wear.

 

[Jesseyourcalipers]

How much would you approximate the wheel is off?

Steering wheel is off this much, truck goes straight on highway hands off

 

[Jesseyourcalipers]

On really big tires you might not even notice. How far off is the wheel? You could just shorten one tie rod and lenghten the other to center the steering wheel.

Steering wheel this off. Truck rides straight on highway with hands off. I find it hard to believe the steering shaft would shift?

 

[cb_13]

If the steering wheel is off center there IS an alignment problem, no need to check for that. You can either jack it up and check for play and loose parts or have the alignment shop check it as they’ll need everything straight and tight before they can perform a proper alignment.

By the picture it sure looks like that tie rod is bent but pictures can be deceiving. I’ll keep my comments about how much I loved to see GM IFS trucks come in for alignments to myself

 

[eljefino]

If you bent a tie rod, replace it. You know you hit it, and stuff is off, so you know you bent it.

Assume you had things set up right before the incident, setting the one new tie rod for a straight steering wheel will get you close enough to drive to the alignment place.

 

[ripcord]

The rag joint might have moved. Unfortunately you can't properly fix this without an alignment reach. Time to schedule an alignment.

 

[atikovi]

Steering wheel this off. Truck rides straight on highway with hands off. I find it hard to believe the steering shaft would shift?

When I checked the knuckle has a mark where it hit and I see that pole had to have came into the wheel well to hit the knuckle right where the tie rod goes.

Well, if the knuckle was hit hard enough to leave a mark, why not. If it steers straight and your only complaint is the steering wheel isn't centered, I would just adjust each tie rod an equal amount until the wheel is centered. Adjust, test drive, adjust. May take 3 or 4 adjustments to dial it in.

 

[cb_13]

Well, if the knuckle was hit hard enough to leave a mark, why not. If it steers straight and your only complaint is the steering wheel isn't centered, I would just adjust each tie rod an equal amount until the wheel is centered. Adjust, test drive, adjust. May take 3 or 4 adjustments to dial it in.

Why risk eating the inside edge off of a $250 mud tire to save 69.99 on a computerized alignment?

 

[paulo57509]

I would have an alignment shop check it out. Even though the vehicle tracks straight, it may not track properly when in a turn or when the suspension compresses or rebounds. The now skewed steering wheel is a sign something isn't right.

 

[atikovi]

Why risk eating the inside edge off of a $250 mud tire to save 69.99 on a computerized alignment?

Not sure on what planet you get a $69.99 alignment, unless you mean a "toe-n-go," which is what I mentioned he could do at home in a few minutes.

 

[eljefino]

You can toe in and track straight, in fact it handles great but will chew up tires.

You bent something in the steering, which is already bad, as it can fold up on you. You can't make something that goes from A to B longer by bending it, you made it shorter, so you're toed in.

 

[cb_13]

Not sure on what planet you get a $69.99 alignment, unless you mean a "toe-n-go," which is what I mentioned he could do at home in a few minutes.

That’s the price at my local Ford dealership. Tires, alignment and oil changes are often loss leaders to get you in the door.

Also you can have a vehicle drive perfectly straight and destroy front tires. Not worth the chance for $70. I’d get it checked on an alignment machine. Personally I’d check for anything loose or bent and replace them as needed myself before the alignment as it would need aligned after front end component replacement anyway but that’s dependent on the OP skill and comfort level.

 

[Jesseyourcalipers]

If you bent a tie rod, replace it. You know you hit it, and stuff is off, so you know you bent it.

Assume you had things set up right before the incident, setting the one new tie rod for a straight steering wheel will get you close enough to drive to the alignment place.

Would rolling into something bend the arm on the knuckle that holds ball joint stud of the tie rod? It never touched the tie rod. The steering wheel moved inches and the knuckle and tie rod look exactly the same.

 

[Jesseyourcalipers]

That’s the price at my local Ford dealership. Tires, alignment and oil changes are often loss leaders to get you in the door.

Also you can have a vehicle drive perfectly straight and destroy front tires. Not worth the chance for $70. I’d get it checked on an alignment machine. Personally I’d check for anything loose or bent and replace them as needed myself before the alignment as it would need aligned after front end component replacement anyway but that’s dependent on the OP skill and comfort level.

Everything is tight straight and not a year old. Only USA made and most expensive. Would rolling into something bend the arm on the knuckle that holds ball joint stud of the tie rod? It never touched the tie rod. The steering wheel moved inches and the knuckle and tie rod look exactly the same.