Okay guys,

Posted this on the other forum, no awnsers yet, maybe that one guy who can help isnt there or vise versa


First my truck is a 1996 Dakota 2WD, 318 V8, Rack and pinion (Power) Automatic

So when I bought my truck the wheel was completely upside-down but it drives straight same lock to lock either direction.

So yesterday i began to disassemble pieces in order to diagnose the problem.

The shaft from the steering shaft coming out of the firewall to the input on the rack and pinion is all slotted so theres no way to flip it 180 degrees.

The steering wheel also cannot be flipped because it is also slotted. Im at a loss here. Also the tie rods cannot be adjusted that much to compensate.

Also the steering wheel does lock upside down.

Any ideas??



Thanks in advance!!!

George

 

its all in the adjustment of the tie rods. need to loosen one side and tighten the other but in doing so you will need to pay strict attention as far as how many turns. tighten and loosen the same amount of turns otherwise you will screw up the alignment. do this until the steering wheel is in the desired position. having said the above the reason your steering wheel is 180 out is most likely it is out of allingment. to do a poor mans allignment with the truck on the ground measure from a center front tire tread to the same center front tred on the other wheel. then measure same on the back side of the front tires making sure to use the same center treads as you did on the front. the front should be no more than 1/8 inch shorter than the measurement on the back side (toe in). adjust the tie rod ends as needed to achive the above. between a 1/16 and 1/8 inch is good. you need a slight toe in....
there has to be enough thread on the tie rod ends to do the above?????//

 

Yes tie rod ends are the best thing to do. Next will be to look at the steering shaft. It may have been installed incorrect.

 

Thanks guys,

Well I thought about the tie rods when I had it up on the lift, but the threads look even on each side (Don't know if that means anything) and i called a old timer that I know that owns an old school alignment shop here in the city, and he said that it seems like a lot of adjustment to bring the wheel one whole revolution, or does it only have to to halfway?

I also dissasembled the linkage from the rack to the collumn, no way to flip it, all of it is notched and slotted, along with the sterring wheel.


George

 

i had to change my rack a few years ago when i put the new one on the steering wheel was 180 out the fix was adjusting the tie rod ends. only 1/2 revolution is what you need. is it exactly upsidedown or almost? tightening like three turma one side and looseing 3 turns the other side will make a big differance in the position of the steering wheel.