It seems that after I install coilovers, got an alignment, installed new tires (azenis), and made sure everything is torqued, my steering wheel is tilted. For some reasons I cannot fathom, every time I turn left and drive straight, the steering wheel tilts to the left, but when I turn right and drive straight, the steering wheel tilts to the right. Someone tell me what is wrong with my car (steering rack, axle, alignment or sticky tires?)...tell me how I can fix it.

 

Where did you get your alignment??

they are supposed to "pin/hold" the wheel down w/a clamp looking device to keep it from shifiting while they adjust the settings....

You may wanna make sure they did this.

 

I did 2 simple string alignment and cannot get it right. Took it to firestone, I think they did the clamp down on my steering wheel. I took it to another place where they only do alignments and I am sure they clamped the steering wheel down.

 

Is the car aligned properly? Just unbolt the wheel and put it on straight....

 

Hmm, sounds like you rack is skipping a tooth or something (the fact that it goes off center in both directions, but tracks straight). Is it making noises? Does the steering wheel feel loose?

 

What kind of tires did you have on there before? It may be the fact that the Azenis "track" more then your old tires?

 

Some places will just make sure that the SUM of the rear toe is within the SUM of the rear toe spec, but that doesnt mean they are actually straight forward.

For instance, if the factory says .2 degree toe out is ok on each of the rear wheels, and your car has .4 out on one side and 0 on the other, they would read it as ok because it totals up to "paralell enough" with each other to be in spec.

Once they have that reading, they make the fronts line up with those...... what they've done is make all the wheels aligned properly to each other, but not to the car itself.

I would expect that Firestone does all thier cars that way. A $100 alignment at a specialty shop should be able to remedy it, there's bound to be a few in Houston.

 

Is the car actually pulling to the side as well, or just the wheel off-center?

 

The problem you describe isn't can't be entirely due to them not aligning the wheel. If that were the case, you wheel would stay tilted to the same side while driving straight.

You've got a mechanical problem. Either the steering rack is skipping teeth, or you have something else messed up... bad bushing, loose steering rack, etc.

 

This is so weird. Today driving to school and back, the car's steering wheel seems straight (drove like that for about 27miles). After a hard turn, the steering wheel is tilted once again (no pulling though). I think it is either the power steering pump or the whole rack is loose. The steering does not make any noise btw.

As to the alignment, I got it done first at firestone, then at a specialty alignment shop. Doing all that did not fix those problem, only wasted money. I kind of mess with the simple string setup and it seems better but not good enough. I took off the power steering and it seems to made it better but still not good enough.

Puzzling, confused and more headache.