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Steering wheel alignment

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IanIrving

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Is there an easy way to realign the steering wheel that doesn't involve removing the stator wiring from the centre of the steering column to get the wheel off? On my 65 BJ8 the wheel is about 5 degrees off at straight ahead and it offends my eye, picky but that's the way it is. Can it be done using the track rod ends in some way, I don't want to alter the tracking, just straighten the wheel.
Thanks
Ian
 
Back in the 80s, side rods were available that were made up of five (5) pieces (rod, a pair of rod ends, and a pair of jam nuts). If you have those, it's conceivable to adjust the steering wheel position, as you say.

If you have the original one (1) piece side rods, you'll have to lift the steering wheel off the shaft.
 
Is there an easy way to realign the steering wheel that doesn't involve removing the stator wiring from the centre of the steering column to get the wheel off.
:savewave:
Yes just set the steering wheel so it can be just slid off the splines . On a back road drive the car unti it runs straight ahead stop the car. Pull the wheel off the splines and reposition all done bolt it back up OK.--Fwiw--Keoke
 
Hi Keoke
Can you explain a bit more. I thought I understood that to get the steering wheel right off, or for that matter off enough to clear the splines to reset it, required me to remove the gland nut at the bottom of the steering column and plug the hole in some way to avoid losing the steering box oil. Have I got that wrong, will it come off the splines without withdrawing the stator wiring several inches into the tube?
It would be good news if it will. If it won't then I couldn't drive the car to a back road because the steeing box would be dry!

Ian
 
Can you explain a bit more. I thought I understood that to get the steering wheel right off, or for that matter off enough to clear the splines to reset it, required me to remove the gland nut at the bottom of the steering column and plug the hole in some way.

Yep you are right I had a different car in my mind--My Bad------Keoke-- :confuse:
 
I haven't tried to do this, but on an adjustable wheel, there might be enough slack in the wires where you could leave the lower stator tube in place. Thoughts?
 
On mine (adjustable), all I had to do was take the trafficator loose, slide it out, and then simply pull the wheel off the spline. I didn't have to mess with anything else or plug anything. There was enough extra length in the wiring hardness to allow this... enough to get the trafficator to slide forward far enough for the wheel to disengage from the spline. The only thing I had to do what kind of "help" the harness slide through the shaft, as it kept hanging up on the entrance to the steering box... but it was easy to keep it moving, and no real trick involved.

~Robert
 
Robert explained it well. This is for an adjustable steering wheel.

You do not need to remove the nut and olive at the steering box.

1. Make sure theres's enough slack in stator tube wire to be pulled up the tube.
2. Remove or loosen the 3 set screws on the steering wheel hub.
3. Gently pull the entire trafficator straight out, which will pull the wire harness up the tube. Pull the wire harness up the tube till it lets the trafficator hang out over the hub a bit.
4. Remove the retaining C-Clip on the steering shaft spline inside the hub.
5. Now pull the steering wheel forward and off the splined shaft.

Good luck.
Roger
 
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