Recently I replaced the steering rack. After installation, the center of the steering wheel is off by 170 degrees. Since the upper and lower universal joints are all keyed in a certain way, I have no choice but to pull and re-position the steering wheel. However, now the steering wheel lock is very close to the center which defeats the theft deterrent feature. Is there anyway to adjust the steering wheel lock position? Or I can adjust somewhere along the steering column?

 

turn the steering rack all the way one way, then turn it all the way the other way while counting rotations. back it out exactly 1/2 that number of rotations (including fractions), and you should be dead center. adjust the two steering tierods without moving the steering wheel so both tires are aiming straight. put the steering wheel on straight.

unless, you mounted the rack off, then you could loosen and adjust the whole rack.

 

Thank you for the instruction. I am greatly appreciated.

 

you can use a tape measure to align the front wheels. use chalk and mark a line on each tire. or just pick a edge of the tread and use that as your marker. measure the same mark across both front wheels, in front and in back of the center, you want the difference as close to 0 as doesn't matter, leaning towards a hair touch of tow-in (less in front than in back)

 

I found the center of the rack per your instruction. The true center is actually about 30 degrees to the left. My tires have already been aligned by a tire shop. I will do my best to adjust the tie rods and center the steering wheel and maybe bring the car in for another alignment.

After the rack installation, the visible threads on each end of the rack were 7 threads. I thought the rack was centered. I was wrong.

Thanks for the tips on alignment. I can only adjust the tie rods when the car is on jack stands then the front tires will not be flat on the ground. The mark on the center of the tire method may not work. i probably have to use the thread on the rack as a reference point instead.

 

the 240 front end stays pretty damn parallel when you drop the weight on the wheels.

After replacing the inner ball joints, I set our 240 toe-in with a tape measure, then took it to a good alignment shop and was told it was pretty much right on already. that car has 400K+ miles... we replaced all the rear bushings with an IPD kit, and it probably needs some new bushings, but its still totally safe to drive and my daughter loves it.