mingbling96

i forgot to align the steering column properly so i broke my cable reel.. I just installed a new cable reel and everything is working properly now, but i noticed that the aligning mark on the steering column that is suppose to be pointing up is actually pointing down when the steering wheel is straight. I dont' think that should be a problem should it? I remembered when i saw a steering column by itself, it is able to spin freely either direction so even if the steering column is pointing downwards, it should be okae if the cable reel is correct right?
also, i noticed with the steering wheel pointing straight ahead, i can turn left a full 2 turns but can only turn right roughly 1.8 turns only. that would indicate to me that the steering rack isn't exactly at center. Should i worry about this? thanks

civic97dx

Sounds like you didn't measure the rack before you installed it. Try unbolting the shaft from the rack, then measure each side from the end of the rack to the end of the boots with out the tie rod ends installed. Once those are even, look at your steering wheel and center it up. If you wrap a bunge cord around the bottom of the wheel and clip it to your brake petal, it will hold the wheel centered for you while it is disconnected. then install the shaft back onto the rack and try that. Also, be careful with the cable reel, as you kow they break very qiuck. depending on how far off your wheel is, an alignment may also fix it. That might be an easier fix to try first. If an alignment fixes the problem, don't worry about it.

mingbling96

i've already had the alignment and its perfect. I've been driving around like this for the past 6 months no problem, but now i just gotten to fixing my cable reel which i broke when i installed the steering rack.
but i noticed that i can turn roughly 1/5 turn more on the left than right, so that means that the steering rack isn't exactly at center. What i did was just moved my steering wheel 1 notch right, so now when i'm driving straight, my steering wheel isnt' straight n e more but tilted slightly right. Once i get an alignment again, it should fix it right up.

Caveman74

I bent the **** out of my rack, I hit an ice patch and hit a curb. Now it goes way right. How long and what was the cost for a new or used rack to be put in. Thanks

mingbling96

i dont think a rack can be bent, but maybe the tie rods. In your case, i just think maybe yr alignment is totally off..