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steering shaft off center to steering column
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thor.d
New User
| Posts: 3
| Joined: 05/09
Posted: 05/27/09
05:37 PM
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When replacing the turn signal wiring in my 289 65 auto floor shift I ended up having to take the head off of the column. With the column head and bearing removed you could see that the steering shaft was angled towards the bottom face of the column. Putting the column head back on required some force to center it over the column since the shaft needed to be deflected towards center.
Previously I hadn't noticed any problems with the steering. Is this normal? If not what could cause the shaft to be off center at the top like that and what should I do to fix it?
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Posted: 05/28/09
05:47 AM
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I've seen them off true center as well over the years. Some more than others. If the column bearing is supporting the shaft and there is no excessive effort to turn the wheel I wouldn't worry about it much, as it has probably been like that for years.
If you really want to "tweak" it then take the head back off, loosen the column mount bracket under the dash, and shim the tube with rubber hose or foam spacers until it is close to center as you'd like to get, and then resecure the column bracket and column head...
HTH...
Mark
Mark Houlahan
Editor
Modified Mustangs & Fords Magazine
1965 FFR Roadster 427W/TKO-600
1966 Mustang 289-4V/C4
1968 Mustang 4.6L Three-Valve/5R55S auto
1990 Mustang 347/AOD
1998 Escort 2.0L SOHC/F4E-111 Auto
2002 Explorer Sport Trac 4.0L V-6/5R55 Auto
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thor.d
New User
| Posts: 3
| Joined: 05/09
Posted: 05/28/09
02:26 PM
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Yea, there doesn't seem to be too much effort in the steering and the upper bearing seems to be handling for side force fine so far. Still, there must be a way to center the shaft rather than move the column down towards my lap with shims to accommodate the shaft. What if the shaft was aimed more towards the roof or far to the left or right? What ends up "aiming" the shaft that can be adjusted?
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Posted: 05/29/09
06:20 AM
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The shaft is fairly well "fixed" in place by the steering gear box mounting to the inside of the left front frame rail. You can try loosening the three bolts (found behind the LF tire) and possibly moving the shaft upwards and then tightening the bolts back up.
The shaft could also be bent. Put the steering wheel on it without the head of the column and look at the shaft location while turning the wheel. Sometimes it gets bent because people use the wheel as a lever to help them into or out of the car, or from servicing the car or from an accident...
HTH...
Mark
Mark Houlahan
Editor
Modified Mustangs & Fords Magazine
1965 FFR Roadster 427W/TKO-600
1966 Mustang 289-4V/C4
1968 Mustang 4.6L Three-Valve/5R55S auto
1990 Mustang 347/AOD
1998 Escort 2.0L SOHC/F4E-111 Auto
2002 Explorer Sport Trac 4.0L V-6/5R55 Auto
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thor.d
New User
| Posts: 3
| Joined: 05/09
Posted: 05/29/09
06:56 PM
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A couple of things to look at. I'm guessing it's the steering box that needs to be shifted, I'm pretty sure the shaft is straight. There didn't seem to be a bend in the shaft near the bend from the bearing surface to the tip so the shaft would have had to be straight unless the whole column had been bent. Steering box it must be.
Thanks again.
T
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