Rep Power: 424

As in, the car tracks straight down the road, but the steering wheel isn't straight. Can you just turn each tie rod an equal amount in opposite directions so one is a little shorter and the other gets a little longer? Thats all that it seems it is, the wheels are turned a hair when the wheel is straight. And if I can do it with the tie rods, how do you lengthen/shorten them? Which end? And does the end or the rod itself move?

 
Rep Power: 380

Thats pretty much the process.

To adjust the tie rod ends, I believe you have to dissconect them from the shocks and then twist.

 
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You don’t need to disconnect any thing to move your tie rod ends. The only way that you will get your steering the right way is to have an alignment. I don’t know what you did to your car but something is miss align. Don’t try to adjust the tie rod ends because you will need something to hold the steering wheel in place. There is a way of doing it your self but if you don’t know how alignment angles work don’t try to do it your self. Pay the money and get a shop to do it for you. Alignment shop use special alignment hoys that use laser light to check distance and angles.

 
Rep Power: 424

Ummmm yeah, the alignment dumb****s are the ones that screwed it up... and they don't seem to be smart enough to get it right. So rather thann taking it back for a 4th time, I'm smart enough to set some toe strings and do it myself. All I need to know is how to adjust the tie rods. The lasers are only as accurate as the rack its on, if the rack isn't straight or they dont know how to use them, then its no better than shining a flashlight at the wheel.

 
Rep Power: 328

I personally would take it back for re-alingment until its straight. But yes in therory what you want to do is the way to center the steering wheel. in reality you need to be VERY accurate on your adjustments from side to side or you will suffer from tire wear.

As for the "lasers " being inaccurate on thier alignment machine is VERY probable. But then if they cant get the steering wheel centered there is a good chance that the machine is out of calibration adn your basic toe setting is also out of spec now too! Crooked steering wheels is the number one comeback for alignment techs. But a properly working aligner and a tech that has half a brain cell can make it so the steering wheel is straight. But then again some people are so picky when it comes to centered steering wheels id swear they would drive down the road with a level setting on the steering wheel even if it looked straight to the eye

Finding a good shop CAN be as easy as finding a shop that has good equipment. For being an Ex-Alignment tech, and former manufactures sales rep for one of the top wheel alignment manufactures i would recommend looking for shops that use John Bean equipment formerly known as FMC. They dont require a level alignment rack to be accurate like the other main manufacture to go un named.

 
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yeah, just disconnect the tie rod ends and rotate accordingly, equally and or opposite.

 
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Take it back to where you had it aligned or take it some where else. DO NOT try to turn the tie rods yourself, because you will screw up your front toe. No matter how careful you are, it will get messed up, unless you have a set of turntables and a toe out meter you will not get it right.

Any good shop will have the steering centered and locked with a steering wheel holder. Then they will check all the air pressure in all the tires. Then they should bounce the car or "shake it out" to make sure the car is level. If the alignment is done correctly and your tires are in good shape then the steering wheel should be straight. If not they should keep doing it over untill its straight.

I've aligned thousands of cars in my life time and if the wheel wasn't straight on a test drive then it was put back on the rack and re-aligned.

 
Rep Power: 424

This is f-ed up, and I don't know what the deal is, but all I did was change the tires and the alignment straighted out. My guess is the shitstone stockies are too soft, and they just squish with the road curvature and pull the car. I put my kumhos on and the car tracks straight, doesn't fidget, etc.....
Hmmm... more proof those tires are the worst ever.

 
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I've seen that a bunch of times, a car that was aligned but pulled or drifted afterwards, then we replaced the tires and it went straight down the road. Bad tires can cause problems, its not common but does happen, like in your case.

 
Rep Power: 347

hmmm... I noticed my steering wheel wasn't straight after getting the tires replaced... it sucks but there isn't much I can do about it. If they got it right the first time...

 
Rep Power: 360

at the bottom of the steering colum above the pedals there is a adjustable splinded coupler.
You can adjust it yourself or take it back to those who did the alignment.

 
Rep Power: 328

It's more common than you would think

 
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I wouldn't recomend that procedure, for one the splined coupler is a real bitch to remove and 99% of the time they have a key slot.

 
Rep Power: 328

^^^ nod