Steering wheel removal

[firedocs]

I have searched this forum but to no avail on the removal of the steering wheel. I have a 85' Laredo that has the stock wheel on it but it is not straight when the wheels are straight, drives me nuts. My question is do I have to have a steering wheel puller for this? Can I try to just take off the nut and work it upwards and replace in the correct position? Anybody done this?
Thanks
Tim

 

[Old Dog]

to straighten the wheel you need to adjust your draglink.

 

[IOPort51]

to straighten the wheel you need to adjust your draglink.

Dog is absolutely right. and you will never get the wheel off in one piece with out a puller. A puller is about $15.
Drag link is easier and cheaper.

 

[TDHofstetter]

There's one proviso to adjusting the drag link.

Before you adjust EITHER, turn your wheel all the way to the left & note where it stops. Turn it all the way back to the right, counting full and partial turns, & note where it stops. Now turn it exactly half as many turns (including half that partial turn at the end) and stop. Get out and sight along your wheels, left and right. They should be pointing straight forward minus toe-in. It's usually easiest to sight along the rear wheels, looking at the front wheels, because of the toe-in.

If the wheels are pointing a little more left or right, adjust the drag link until that wheel-counting thing winds up with 'em being centered straight ahead. THEN, if the steering wheel's not centered in THAT position, pull it and turn it until IT is pointed straight ahead.

That's adjusted correctly.

The steering gear is the determining factor for all of it - it's got internal stops, and straight ahead needs to be centered between those stops. The nut & stud on the top are used to adjust your "over center" preload on the steering gear, and it should be adjusted JUST until there's no resistance at center.

 

[firedocs]

Thanks guys, I will try the steering drag link first. I should be able to do this right (not a master mechanic)? Any pics or help on this adjustment would be appreciated.
Thanks
Tim

 

[TDHofstetter]

It's awfully easy to adjust the drag link. It's just a long tie rod with an adjusting sleeve on it and a clamp at each end of the sleeve.

Drown it in WD40 & let it soak for a while. Drown it again, maybe three or four times.

Loosen the clamps at both ends of the adjusting tube - that should take a 9/16" end wrench or two if memory serves. Get 'em pretty loose. You'll have to fight with rust, just don't break the clamping bolts - take it nice & slow, let the WD40 do its job, and if they get stiff tighten 'em back down then loosen 'em back up. Work the wrenches back & forth till the nut gets past the rust.

Use a pair of ChannelLock pliers or a pipe wrench (ChannelLocks are best) to turn the adjusting tube. It'll turn one way to shorten the drag link, the other way to lengthen it. You'll see. Again, you'll be fighting with rust so take it easy & let the WD40 do its job.

Keep checking wheel positions once per turn.

When it's where you want it, tighten both clamps again.

 

[IOPort51]

The drag link is the one that connects to the steering arm, the adjustment should be close to that arm.

 

[BLennon]

If you still end up taking off the steering wheel you can borrow a steering wheel puller from Auto Zone of some store like that. That's what I did and I paid 20 bucks maybe and got it back when I returned the puller.

 

[bullseye]

I think I paid 6 bucks for my puller from 4WD...

 

[firedocs]

OK guys, I found the adjustment collar, drowned it in WD40, made the necessary turns in the correct direction. The steering wheel came around almost perfect; but still off a bit. How much can I turn this thing? Will it get my toe out if I go too much? I have turned it about three rounds already maybe four, is that too much/ It seems to have more threads on both sides but still afraid of getting toe out of whack.
Thanks
Tim

 

[IOPort51]

OK guys, I found the adjustment collar, drowned it in WD40, made the necessary turns in the correct direction. The steering wheel came around almost perfect; but still off a bit. How much can I turn this thing? Will it get my toe out if I go too much? I have turned it about three rounds already maybe four, is that too much/ It seems to have more threads on both sides but still afraid of getting toe out of whack.
Thanks
Tim

as long as you are adjusting the one that is connected to the steering arm it has nothing to do with any alignment adjustment,

 

[TDHofstetter]

As long as you're adjusting the drag link and not the tie rod, it won't change your toe-in at all. Zero. Nada. G'head & crank it to where you want it.

Now... if you were adjusting the TIE ROD that way... that'd be a very different story. THAT is HOW you ADJUST the toe-in - by adjusting the tie rod exactly the same way.