Steering Wheel Trueness

[Rymanh24]

So obviously when you get your brand new truck the steering wheel is dead on true with the truck.

 

After my leveling kit addition and alignment the truck has a very slight pull to the left thus making the steering wheel have to be adjusted about half inch to the right trying to keep the truck straight while going down the road.

 

I know that this is common with all vehicles that it eventually will never be as true as it once was but I didn't think it would happen this fast with only 3000 miles on the truck.

[mhenshaw]

Sounds like the guys that aligned it after the leveling kit did not do a good job.

[jdell]

And I thought it was only me, I had mine aligned after installing leveling kit like instructions recommend. Truck still pulled a little so I took it back to shop and they did another alignment. Today it still pulls a little to the right. Time to find a new shop. I thought maybe I did the install wrong.

[mhenshaw]

FYI..leveling kits make it really hard to align a truck. When you take your truck to a shop that pays their mechanics a set time per job (like 0.8 hours for an alignment) the mechanics hurry through the job and doesn't fully get it in spec.

 

I'm not saying ALL mechanics do a lazy job. I'm just saying that around here they don't care. Then they blame your alignment on your leveling kit. I finally just started taking my truck to smaller shops for alignments. They seem to not be rushed and willing to work till its perfect and not just acceptable.

[SparkySparks]

Second the taking it to a small shop, although my last alignment was done at the dealer and so far its been the most true.

[Rymanh24]

I would like to think my dealership did a great job as they have never been deviant to myself or my family members as we have dealth with them many times in the past. Although I did notice they did not give me an alignment spec sheet when I left, didn't think it was a big deal at the time. Now I wish I had it though.

 

I might have to give them a call and give them a heads up.

[SouthCo]

Had mine aligned after the leveling kit and it doesn't pull. It didn't pull after the install but I still had it aligned. I'd go somewhere else.

[Duelin]

Find a good independent frontend shop with only a couple employees. That way any time you go in for work. There is only one or two people that is going to do the work on your vehicle. I have been going to the same guy for 50 years. In my opinion he is the best. I call him the Re-Align Shop. He is the guy that fixes the problems after they have been to three or four different shops. And there is still a problem. I had a problem with my wife's van. The right boot on the steering rack would collapse inside it's self during cold weather. And when it came back out it would have a heavy pop and feel like a loose ball joint. Seeing it was under warranty I took it back to the dealer. They called me and said it was the boot. And they would have to order it. Seeing that the tie rod end has to come off to replace the boot. I told them that I didn't want to loose the frontend alignment and to make sure that the steering wheel didn't come off center. That it was perfect the way it was. I was assured everything would be alright. Well the minute I picked it up and drove out of the dealership parking lot and got on the street. You guessed it . The steering wheel was off center. Well I turned around and went back. Told them it wasn't right. So I was told to make another appointment and they would take care of it. Well I took it back three times and it still wasn't right. So I gave up and took it my front end man. Once he was done it was perfect. I had a feeling that I should of done it myself. But live and learn.

 

If you have a frontend alignment done and the steering wheel is of center then the guy doesn't know what he is doing or he could care less about you and the work that he does.