Centering Steering Wheel

[OhioBigHorn]

Good day

My truck has the Bilstein 5100 leveling struts set on clip 4. I bought the truck new and the wheel was perfectly straight. After the leveling kit the wheel always seems to wants to rest at the eleven o'clock position. If I hold wheel straight I would drive off to the right side of the road. The install shop did do the alignment and everything showed perfect on the machine but they made 4 attempts to straighten wheel and could not get it any better and told me I would have to take it somewhere else. The shop I went to today could get it no better. They are going to try again next week. They mentioned maybe some kind of sensor. Is there some sort of calibration we are missing. Does the dealer need to do it. The truck does drive straight down the road. Maybe expecting too much after a level? Any advice is appreciated.

 

[vincentw56]

Good day

My truck has the Bilstein 5100 leveling struts set on clip 4. I bought the truck new and the wheel was perfectly straight. After the leveling kit the wheel always seems to wants to rest at the eleven o'clock position. If I hold wheel straight I would drive off to the right side of the road. The install shop did do the alignment and everything showed perfect on the machine but they made 4 attempts to straighten wheel and could not get it any better and told me I would have to take it somewhere else. The shop I went to today could get it no better. They are going to try again next week. They mentioned maybe some kind of sensor. Is there some sort of calibration we are missing. Does the dealer need to do it. The truck does drive straight down the road. Maybe expecting too much after a level? Any advice is appreciated.

There's no sensor. It is a mechanical connection.

 

[OhioBigHorn]

There's no sensor. It is a mechanical connection.

Ok. Thanks. Just thought I read something about a steering angle sensor. Probably not on our trucks

 

[vincentw56]

Ok. Thanks. Just thought I read something about a steering angle sensor. Probably not on our trucks

Even if there is, it would not cause the wheel to be off center.

 

[Richard320]

I looked through what I have of the service maual and nowhere does it mention resetting a steering angle sensor. Which isn't absolute, because the factory manual is kinda weak.

However, it was okay, you changed suspension parts, and now it's not okay. Something got messed up with the leveling. If the camber is off, it's going to pull, and then you'll have to fight it with the wheel. Does it track straight if you let go of the wheel on a smooth road? If yes, the tie-rods need adjusting. If no, the camber needs adjusting, and then the toe needs to be reset again.

It wouuld help if you posted the alignment printout.

 

[OhioBigHorn]

Thanks for your help sorry didn't have the print out. It does drive straight with hands off the wheel. The steering wheel is just ****ed slightly to the left. I have an appointment next week and they are going to try again. He just said something about hooking his scanner to it with these electric type steering. I have no clue.

 

[vincentw56]

Thanks for your help sorry didn't have the print out. It does drive straight with hands off the wheel. The steering wheel is just ****ed slightly to the left. I have an appointment next week and they are going to try again. He just said something about hooking his scanner to it with these electric type steering. I have no clue.

There is an angle sensor in the steering. But it doesn't have anything to do with the steering wheel being straight. This isn't steer by wire. It is mechanically connected. A good alignment shop can fix it.

 

[OhioBigHorn]

Ok Will give this shop one more try. Between both shops they have made 5 attempts already. I appreciate your help

 

[Ratchet]

I can tell you from experience that on SOME Ram trucks that have electric power steering, that steering angle/yaw rate sensor DOES need to be recalibrated after any adjustment is made to the front end in order to end up with a centered steering wheel. I've got a 19 Big Horn and I could not for the life of me get the steering wheel straight after multiple alignments....until I performed a re-zero on the steering angle sensor. My latest Hunter Hawkeye Elite system would not perform the calibration correctly. Fortunately, I had a manufacturer spec scan tool that did the trick.

Side note: I have not confirmed, but I believe AlphaOBD can also carry out a recalibration of said above mentioned sensor.

 

[OhioBigHorn]

Thanks for this information I will pass it along to the shop. It is a reputable shop but I'm not sure if they will have the scanners you mentioned though. I seen they had a snap on scanner. Probably should have just went to the dealership.

 

[kapinallinen2]

The steering angle sensor has to do with stability control, not with the wheel being centered.
Like mentioned before, it is a mechanical connection and it needs to be adjusted by lengthening and shortening the tie-rods on corresponding sides. 11 O'clock, shorten driver, lengthen passenger in equal amounts. This is not rocket science...

 

[scottmoyer]

My truck needed to be aligned 8x after I did the level. The problem I have is that the truck was fine after the level until I went for an alignment. After the alignment, my wheel was at about 11:30. I straightened the wheel myself two weeks ago.

Someone posted instructions on how ro adjust the wheel. You raise the front end with weight on the suspension, loosen the lower tie rod adjustment nut on both sides, and turn the tie rod in on one side and out on the other side the exact same amount. For the location of your wheel, you probably need about 1/4 turn on each side.

To get mine right, I actually ran a string from the passenger rear wheel around the entire truck, with the wheel straight, to see that my passenger front was toe out. Since the tie rod is on the rear of the LCA, you would lengthen the rod 1/4 turn. The driver side is just the opposit and was shortened 1/4 turn. My wheel is perfectly straight and tracks straight.

 

[OhioBigHorn]

The steering angle sensor has to do with stability control, not with the wheel being centered.
Like mentioned before, it is a mechanical connection and it needs to be adjusted by lengthening and shortening the tie-rods on corresponding sides. 11`O clock, shorten driver, lengthen passenger in equal amounts. This is not rocket science...

Understood. I just can't figure out why two reputable shops can't get it right in 6 attempts I would think they would know to do what you guys are saying. They both have been in business at least 30 years. Maybe not as good as I thought they were.

 

[scottmoyer]

I forgot to mention that my alignment was done by the dealer!!!

 

[OhioBigHorn]

Thanks for all the input performed the adjustments recommended and in about 6 attempts have it pretty much spot on!