Straight Ahead Position, Check/Adjust (Steering Linkage)

Straight Ahead Position, Check/Adjust

Caution

Check straight-ahead position in all cases following service work on steering gear. The straight-ahead position is attained when bellows sit tension-free over length (I) between tie rod grooves and steering housing and wheels are in straight-ahead position.   Inspect Steering gear shaft can be inserted in the intermediate shaft with a 360° offset. This is indicated by the bellows being extended or compressed with steering wheel in straight-ahead position and the wheels not being in the straight-ahead position.

  Adjust

Turn steering wheel in straight-ahead position, remove ignition key and allow steering lock to engage.

Remove intermediate shaft from steering gear shaft – see operation "Intermediate Shaft, Remove and Install". Turn steering gear shaft until bellows on either side are the same length and wheels are in straight-ahead direction.

Reinstalling intermediate shaft on steering gear – see operation "Intermediate Shaft, Remove and Install".

Slight deviations from steering wheel straight-ahead position and wheel straight-ahead position can be corrected by adjusting toe-in (modifying length or tie rod) – see operation "Chassis Alignment" and "Toe-in, Adjust" in group "E".