I replaced the steering box with a used one and now my wheel is out 1/4 turn. I would pop the shaft off and center it that way but there isn’t enough room to compress the shaft with out pulling the box. The drag link has staked ends so before I go adjusting the tie rods and screwing around with the alignment I was wondering if I could just pop the steering wheel off and put it back on.

it’s a 1988 b350

 

You don't wanna do that, as you would risk smoking the clockspring that is under the steering wheel. It will only turn so far, and if you go past that, it breaks, and yer done.

 

Those splines usually have a double spline that needs to be aligned with the mating part so you cant "knock it out of time."

 

So far as I know, the part where the intermediate shaft hits the steering box, is NOT keyed..... and you *should* be able to pull it without dropping the steering box.

 

Is it even possible to do this, or does the shaft only fit one way? If it were me, I'd of course first confirm the shaft is fitted correctly. If it is, then rotate both tie-rod adjusters the same until the steering wheel is straight, or bring it in for an alignment and have the shop do it.

 

On this van it is impossible to pull the steering shaft off with out taking all the box bolts out and dropping the box. I don’t think a 1/4 turn would break the clock spring, I’ve already had it cranked both directions being out a 1/4 so It should technically have turned more one direction already.

I guess I’ll just wait till I can have my van down for a bit.

 

did you put the pittman arm one tooth off?

 

Can confirm that!

Hat to turn my Shaft by one step, because of much many play, but then noticed that the steering wheel has a central key. So my steering is about 1 hour offcenter :-)

 

I pulled the box off a wrecker van had no keys so I couldn’t turn the wheel. I never pulled the pitman arm off oddly enough that’s the one tool I don’t own. So the box to steering wheel isn’t 100%

honestly If it wasn’t such a problem to realign the shaft I’d do that. It’s basically an interference fit for the shaft to box so I’d have to pull the bolts and hopefully have enough play in the lines and swear lots.

if I get real sick in the head I’ll pull the box grind the shaft out of the box so the steering shaft can slide on and off with out dropping it. Won’t need much to gain the clearance