I was wondering if there is an easy way to tell if the steering shaft splines are aligned properly between the shaft and steering gearbox?

After getting my car back from an accident last year, the car tracked properly but 1) the steering was really light and numb 2) steering wheel was crooked to the right ~10 degrees although the car tracked fine

I had Honda realign the car but this time make sure the steering wheel was centered prior to aligning. Now...although the car tracks straight when the wheel is ~0 degrees, it seems that turning the wheel the first 10 degrees to the right gets less turnin than 10 degrees to the left. The first 10 degrees to the right also seems much lighter than the first 10 degrees to the left.

So, I may have to reset the EPS torque sensor neutral position for the inconsistent power assist feeling....but because we have a variable ratio steering rack, I wonder if the incocnsistent turnin I'm getting is due to the steering shaft being reconnected with the splines off center resulting in the rack not being centered when the wheels and steering wheel are. Hopefully I explained this in a way folks can understand...but any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

It doesn't seem like it would be too difficult to measure this. If you turn circles in a parking lot with the steering wheel turned to some easily distinguishable point to the left (i.e. "H" perfectly sideways), then stop the car and use a string and protractor to measure the angle. Then repeat the other direction.

 

It is easy to adjust the alignment of your steering wheel. I followed the procedure in the helm's and it took about 10 minutes to take it apart and put it back together. Helps to have a friend hold the wheel at 0 degrees while you put the joint back together.

 

I had the exact same problem when I got my car back after an accident. An EPS reset fixed the problem for me. Definitely try it first, it's simple and takes a couple minutes to do. My steering wheel was also 5 degrees crooked to the right but it does not bother me. If your steering wheel is crooked just make sure to compensate for it during the EPS reset i.e don't use the visual straight ahead posion as a reference but mark the actual straight ahead posion and use this new marked posion on the steering when you move it 45 degrees left/right and bring it back straight. Hope this is clear, if not let me know.


[QUOTE]Originally posted by enguyen7292
[B]I was wondering if there is an easy way to tell if the steering shaft splines are aligned properly between the shaft and steering gearbox?

After getting my car back from an accident last year, the car tracked properly but 1) the steering was really light and numb 2) steering wheel was crooked to the right ~10 degrees although the car tracked fine

I had Honda realign the car but this time make sure the steering wheel was centered prior to aligning.