steering wheel

bewley · Post by **bewley** » Sun Oct 22, 2000 7:03 pm

I just purchased a 74' Beetle (regular not super), and the steering wheel is a few inches off when driving straight. The car has new tires that were balanced, front end has been alligned and rebuilt about a year ago, and the car steers fine (no play in the wheel), but it is not horizontal, etc.The steering wheel only is off when going forward, not when the car is parked or idle. Is there a way to adjust the wheel?

Tobra · Post by **Tobra** » Mon Oct 23, 2000 4:25 am

This happened to my bug when I got the front end aligned. I am unaware of a way to do it, perhaps by removing the wheel and replacing it with the wheels pointe straight ahead and the wheel horizontal

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'79 SB Convertible, Front disc brakes, all braided stainless steel brake lines, sport springs, Polyurethane bushings, KYB all four corners

Tristessa · Post by **Tristessa** » Mon Oct 23, 2000 1:51 pm

Pulling the steering wheel and repositioning it is the only way I can see to take care of the problem..

FWIW

70baja · Post by **70baja** » Tue Oct 24, 2000 3:23 pm

dude,you can also turn the tie rods in opposite directions to center the wheel.i can't remember wich way to turn what but once you look at it it's pretty self-explanatory.just make sure that you turn both rods the same amount...70baja

madmatt · Post by **madmatt** » Tue Oct 24, 2000 8:03 pm

They should have fixed this when it was aligned...

SB1303s · Post by **SB1303s** » Wed Oct 25, 2000 2:49 pm

I agree with Matt, they would have fixed the problem when the alignment work was done,If you asked
I too had the same problem, and the alignment shop fixed my alingment,But i had to ask them to make it so the wheel sits straight.....
Hope that helps

Pete S · Post by **Pete S** » Wed Oct 25, 2000 6:55 pm

I'm not sure about standard Beetles, but my '72 Super has a "centered" position for the steering wheel. To center the steering, one inserts a bolt through part of the steering into a fixed point on the frame. Then, and only then, are tie rods adjusted for toe. This way, unless someone removed and wrongly installed it, the steering wheel should always be straight.
My Bentley Manual points this out with pictures.
I would go back to the shop and ask question.
Simply adjusting the steering wheel might not be a good idea. Why? I'm not sure about our beloved Beetles, but on other cars the steering gears are of different sizes/ratios. This helps when driving at a faster speed and you go to change lanes. Slight movement of the wheel doesn't end you up in the ditch. After a certain amount of turning, ratios increase(easier for parallel parking, etc.,...).

Just a thought!
Pete S
(o\_|_/o)