Help: Steering Misalignment Issue

[mjguflaw]

I had a set of PSS-9s installed by a local tuner on my 997 several months ago. Ever since they have been installed, however, there has been a slight misalignment of the steering wheel with the drive wheels. By that I mean that when the driving wheels are straight, the steering wheel is a little bit off-level (dips on the left side). I've brought the car back in three times now to have this corrected and at best they adjust the toe or something and it is improved for a few days but then seems to go back the way it was. The car does not pull to the left or right, but tracks perfectly straight on the road (with a crooked steering wheel) so it doesn't appear to me (someone who doesn't know very much) that there is an alignment issue. The non-levelness of the steering wheel isn't drastic, but just enough to drive me *&^%&^% crazy every time I look at it. I would greatly appreciate any thoughts/suggestions on how to fix. Thanks Mike

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[NorthVan]

You could get the advice of another shop, but if it is slightly to the left it tells me that it may be accounting for the crown in the road.

[mjguflaw]

Originally Posted by NorthVan

You could get the advice of another shop, but if it is slightly to the left it tells me that it may be accounting for the crown in the road.

Thanks, but it's more pronounced than that and happens even on flat surfaces. I did think that at first but then I drove another guy's turbo and it doesn't have the same issue, so it's something different. Wifey's car also does not have the problem.

[PyroKerry]

I am fairly certain it is caused by not having the toe adjusted correctly. I don't mean the toe is set to the wrong values, but rather the care the shop took when setting the toe. When you set toe you are making the tie rods shorter or longer by screwing in and out the tie rod ends. They had to do this when they installed the PSS9. The tie rods are what move the front wheels when you turn the steering wheel. So, to get your steering wheel straight for you the shop is adjusting the tie rod ends. If you screw the right one in and the left one out exactly the same amount, then you won't change the toe setting, but you will change the steering wheel position.

So, they can fix it, and it's not that hard to do. Besides, if the steering wheel off by a lot, the PSM will give an error. You should tell the shop you want the wheel moved a bit, drive it for a few minutes then come back and tell them the results.

[mjguflaw]

Originally Posted by PyroKerry

I am fairly certain it is caused by not having the toe adjusted correctly. I don't mean the toe is set to the wrong values, but rather the care the shop took when setting the toe. When you set toe you are making the tie rods shorter or longer by screwing in and out the tie rod ends. They had to do this when they installed the PSS9. The tie rods are what move the front wheels when you turn the steering wheel. So, to get your steering wheel straight for you the shop is adjusting the tie rod ends. If you screw the right one in and the left one out exactly the same amount, then you won't change the toe setting, but you will change the steering wheel position.

So, they can fix it, and it's not that hard to do. Besides, if the steering wheel off by a lot, the PSM will give an error. You should tell the shop you want the wheel moved a bit, drive it for a few minutes then come back and tell them the results.

This is extremely helpful. Thank you so much.

[PyroKerry]

My pleasure! I really had this brought home to me as I watched my mech work on getting my steering wheel straight - in the pits at Gingerman! He did a pretty good job without even taking the wheel off.