Off centre steering wheel

[steveti]

Hi I recently had a 4 wheel alignment done on my CLS320 as the drivers front wheel was down to the fibres on the inside edge. Before this (and still the same) I noticed my steering wheel is not centred ie its slightly turned to the right to go in a straight line. I haven't got any pull if I let go of the wheel but if I put it into the "straight" ahead position the car does go off to the left.

Can this be sorted easily

 

[John]

It can but you need to take it somewhere who know what they are doing like WIM in Chesham, Bucks.

Our old FD had three MB main dealers tell her either the wheel was straight, when it clearly wasn't, it couldn't be done, which it can and it was faulty suspension or the wheels causing it.

Absolutely hilarious.

Mine wasn't straight and WIM sorted it whilst having a proper 4 wheel alignment done.

 

[furlong19]

i have the exact same problem with my w212, did the op manage to sort it with the alignment in the end?

 

[Rory]

I had mine done at a place last week using Hunter 4 wheel alignment.

They actually used a spirit level to centre the steering wheel and then insisted on me looking at it and confirm it was where I wanted it. I was a bit flummoxed to be honest - never been asked to do this before!

However on driving the car, it looks a bit odd as one side of the cluster in nearer the wheel than the other so it doesn't look level - a tiny bit out and and look wrong.

 

[wheels-inmotion]

Although an off-line steering wheel is SO in your face fortunately it's a cosmetic condition but nevertheless needs to be sorted. Using a spirit level on the MB is difficult due to the wheels shape and padding, a level only works if it's level in the first place. Personally i would be more worried about the OSF tyre hitting the wire core?

I wrote this some years back maybe it would be of help?
..........................................

The most common complaint after front wheel alignment is the end position of the steering wheel this is a visual indication that
1: The workmanship was poor
2: The equipment is inadequate
3: Alignment was never the real problem
4: The manufactured cars axle is miss-aligned

Nearly every alignment test in the World is sold to the customer by the shop based on visual wear on the tyres at the end of there life, inevitable history of past alignment problems would still exist on the face of the tyre, born from this visible wear and potential loss of the new replacements a customer could assume a problem still exists and is easily sold.

Taking 1 to 4 here are my thoughts)-

1: No legal responsibility is required to ascertain the understanding of the technician who sets the direction of your £50.000 (theoretical) car with the new £500 front tyres, most common is a 'drive by' smattering of knowledge that involves undoing of nuts and about ten minutes additional time whilst you pay the bill, (so knowledge maybe why)

2: There are many machines on the market that promise different levels of alignment, most common is 'front wheel alignment' this form is the most damaging and by today's standard only suitable for the horse and cart, can i remind you that the car has 'Four Wheels', (so the equipment maybe why)

3: With the magnitude of problems expressed though the tyres during their life span it would be easy to assume alignment is to blame. Current issues with the Geometry or the cars health in general will cause untold affects toward the tyres and handling, this does not dismiss the fact that 'at the time' the alignment may be incorrect, (so maybe the car is why)

4: There are occasional manufacturing reasons that deceives the operator, this is unusual and depends on equipment, this is most times geometrically undetectable (so maybe the construction is why)

Taking all possibilities into consideration the common denominator is the Thrust Angle the cars true centre that most angles depend on as reference......simple as that!

(click to re-size)

Any method that attempts to imagine the front wheels forward position relative the the fixed rear thrust angle will result in the need for the driver to compensate and manufacture a new centre line at the steering wheel, if any adjustments made do not respect the true 'Thrust Angle' then the resulting drive will mean the steering wheel is off-line.

 

[optimusprime]

info

Problem is done by adjusting the track on one side ,it must be done equal
And when steering wheel is locked in central possition ,or straight ahead . This was the same as my 123 230e ,after i went to pick it up .The garage did get it right in the end.

 

[stone3t]

Front wheel toes are adjusted based on the condition/assumption that the steering wheel is perfectly centred before any adjustment taking place.
If the steering wheel wasn’t perfect centred, or it was look like centred but actually has tension to one side, then the after the front wheel toe adjustment, the steering wheel will NOT be in perfect centre position when driving straight on even levelled road.
However, as long as the wheel alignment has been adjusted that the readings are within specification, even when steering wheel is slightly off centreline, the mechanical system will be happy, and YOU are the only part of the system that being annoyed by this.
Therefore, whether the steering wheel is “perfectly” centred or not, should not be judged by machine or sprite level, but the driver. You, as the driver, should define the “perfect centre” of the steering wheel before any adjustment taking place, as different driver has different ways (and feelings) about how to judge the “perfect centre” steering. The interior design hardly has any part that is perfectly level to the ground, so it’s difficult to use any part of the interior (e.g. dashboard) to judge the angle of the steering wheel.
My advice is, you should sit in the driver’s seat, pretending to be driving the car, and steer the steering wheel to YOUR centre line, and then fix the steering wheel at that position, followed by further measurements and adjustments to the wheel alignments.

 

[dozypillock]

Front wheel toes are adjusted based on the condition/assumption that the steering wheel is perfectly centred before any adjustment taking place.
If the steering wheel wasn’t perfect centred, or it was look like centred but actually has tension to one side, then the after the front wheel toe adjustment, the steering wheel will NOT be in perfect centre position when driving straight on even levelled road.
However, as long as the wheel alignment has been adjusted that the readings are within specification, even when steering wheel is slightly off centreline, the mechanical system will be happy, and YOU are the only part of the system that being annoyed by this.
Therefore, whether the steering wheel is “perfectly” centred or not, should not be judged by machine or sprite level, but the driver. You, as the driver, should define the “perfect centre” of the steering wheel before any adjustment taking place, as different driver has different ways (and feelings) about how to judge the “perfect centre” steering. The interior design hardly has any part that is perfectly level to the ground, so it’s difficult to use any part of the interior (e.g. dashboard) to judge the angle of the steering wheel.
My advice is, you should sit in the driver’s seat, pretending to be driving the car, and steer the steering wheel to YOUR centre line, and then fix the steering wheel at that position, followed by further measurements and adjustments to the wheel alignments.

I thought an off centre steering wheel would also have implications on the indicator self cancelling not always working correctly?

Neil

 

[Tim203]

Wear on inside shoulders if not caused by a heavy kerb hit knocking out the tracking can often be attributed to ball joint/ bush wear on control arms etc. allowing the wheel to deviate in the first place. If this is diagnosed and the tracking re-aligned the car will often still pull to one side until the tyres are replaced

 

[Marku]

If the wheels are in the straight ahead position but the steering wheel is not and everything else fails take the steering wheel off and move a couple of splines to correct it. It would not effect the signal cancellation as you are not moving the shaft.