Steering Wheel / Drag link alignment Tech
I just put your lift on and now my steering wheel is not straight, how do I fix this?
First off, with all of our supsension lifts, we do recommend taking your vehicle in for a professional alignment, however on straight axles here’s some info on how to get it close.
The following only applies to vehicles that have a solid front axle and solid tie rods; Ford F250s and 2007+ Jeep Wranglers (JK) for example. We happen to have an F250 in the shop today. After installing a lift the drag link will need to be lengthened to straighten the steering wheel. This is one of the simplest fixes you can do at home.
Starting with the basics: The first step before driving a vehicle after installing a lift is to always double check all of the hardware. Once all of the hardware is tightened, cycle the steering and check for any possible contact with brake lines or other wires. After everything looks good take a short trip and note the position of the steering wheel. Short trip! This means only a block or two, preferably less than 1/8 mile. Why such a short trip? Well on the newer traction control vehicles there is a sensor that senses the position of the steering wheel. You might be driving straight, but the vehicle thinks you are turning. This makes the computer think you are sliding and it tries to correct by applying the brakes or issuing an error message that could result in a trip to the dealership to get fixed.
On the short trip you notice that the wheel is crooked. Pull the vehicle onto a clean surface and set the emergency brake. Loosen up these two clamps and turn the adjuster.
It is best to make this a two person job and have someone check when the wheel becomes straight. Once it is straight lock the adjusting collar hardware off and you are good to go out for another drive and check out how close to center the wheel is.
Now let’s talk safety. Don’t do this after you go out and run your truck / Jeep hard. If you steering wheel becomes off center, it means something has bent. It is time to look into what made the steering wheel go crooked and get it fixed. Simple right?
