Steering Rack Alignment

Joined
Jan 23, 2014
Messages
559
Location
Australia
Hi guys,

I recently replaced the steering rack on an old Mitsubishi Mirage.

The steering wheel is out by almost a half a turn.

My question is:
Can I remove the steering wheel and install it the right way, or do I need to align it by removing the connection the the steering rack itself?

Just wondering whether the U-joints on the steering column rotate at different speeds depending on the placement in rotation.
 
Start by centering the rack with the steering shaft disconnected. Then center the wheel and connect the shaft (some, many will have a master spline or flat spot to help keep the relationship between the wheel and rack correct) Hopefully this doesn't have an airbag and you didn't lose "center" on the wheel.. Too many turns one way are the other and you can ruin the clockspring - a device that keeps a wired connection to the airbag.

After that, youll probably need to seen it off for an alignment to set the toe and fine tune the steering wheel position
 
Start by centering the rack with the steering shaft disconnected. Then center the wheel and connect the shaft (some, many will have a master spline or flat spot to help keep the relationship between the wheel and rack correct) Hopefully this doesn't have an airbag and you didn't lose "center" on the wheel.. Too many turns one way are the other and you can ruin the clockspring - a device that keeps a wired connection to the airbag.

After that, youll probably need to seen it off for an alignment to set the toe and fine tune the steering wheel position
Well at this stage it's proving very difficult to remove the U joint from the rack spline.
The car is old, no airbag so no clockspring.
And if there is no other adverse effect, it's much easier for me to just remove and centre the steering wheel itself rather than to try and do it at the rack end,
But as mentioned I do know that with U joint (unlike CV joints) the rotational speed through the bends is not completely uniform, which is why I am having doubts
 
From going straight ahead, it should be the same number of turns of the wheel to where it stops, both left and right.

If that is the case, just take the wheel off and put it back on centered.
 
If its got self cancelling indicators then the click off point could be in the wrong place if the steering column and steering rack are not centred to each other.

If the steering rack has just been replaced I would expect the steering column u joint to just in bolt and slide back off. It’s just been off hasn’t it??!!
 
If its got self cancelling indicators then the click off point could be in the wrong place if the steering column and steering rack are not centred to each other.

If the steering rack has just been replaced I would expect the steering column u joint to just in bolt and slide back off. It’s just been off hasn’t it??!!
When I installed the rack, I connected the steering U joint onto the rack spline before lifting the rack all the way to its position.

And now that the rack is in position I cannot remove that U joint spline. It looks like part of the steering column between the 2 U joints is telescoping but I guess it must be stuck after 20+ years.

Good call on the indicator cancelling mechanism - All that is removed currently but I will have a look into it to assess whether there will be an impact on them.
 
Back
Top