Thread: Centering the steering wheel in a B13

So awhile I got a mint steering wheel for my '92 SE-R, leather wrapped from a JDM pulsar. (No air bag of course) The problem is, after install, despite about a dozen attempts to make it sit dead center when the wheels are straight, it still is always tilted *slightly* to the left or right when driving.

I know it's not a big deal, but I am OCD about certain things and it drives me nuts.

Here's what I've been doing:

1) Drive as straight as possible and stop the car
2) Notice whichever direction, left or right, the steering wheel is tilted
3) Remove the steering wheel and attempt to center it
4) Tighten everything up
5) Go for a test drive

Now when I say tilted, it's not anything crazy. very subtle. Kind of like, instead of the very top (relative to the Nissan logo) being 12 o'clock at the top, it's at 11 or 1. No matter what, after every attempt, the wheel is still leaning one way or another. I don't know what the heck to do. Not a major problem but I'm wondering if you guys have any tricks to doing this, other than constant trial and error?

Damn my OCD!!!!!!!

get an alignment.

Interesting. The reason I didn't think of that is because the GTI-R steering wheel that was already installed was perfectly, dead-on straight. So I assumed it was something I did.

Theres a dot on the steering shaft that you line up with a dot on the wheel to center the wheel when installing.After that ,the alignment will straighten the rest out.

OOOH! I never saw this dot. I will have to look for it tomorrow. Is it on the part w/ the big nut? (lol)

yep,take the center off again and look.You may have to remove the "big nut" again to see them both.

Its possible that there is variation in the manufacturing process of the wheel.

I personally had this same issue with a scion, where I swapped steering wheels to get a factory leather wheel. I took it off and put it back on 3 times before realizing the new one would not be straight. The splines on the new one were just not aligned exaclty like the old ones.

You have to get an alignment to fix this.

yep,as above.

firstly the wheel aligner will lock your steering wheel at exactly 12 oclock,then the machine will calculate the "thrust angle" (which is the exact angle your REAR tyres are pointed forward),and then he will adjust each individual front tie rod end to match the rear thrust angle.done...

Okay, thank you gentlemen. I thought I just sucked at installing it (I still may)