Alignment Questions

[shaaans]

Okay so I had an aftermarket steering wheel installed, and my steering wheel was a bit off center to the right, like quite a bit n was very annoying to drive. Went back to my mechanic and he fixed it pretty well actually, but it’s still a couple degrees off from being completely centered. It’s something I feel like no one would actually notice, but because I’m aware of it I can tell lol. I was thinking about just spending the $160 and getting an alignment to fix the issue so it can be perfectly centered.



There’s a really popular alignment shop near me, the persons done a couple supras and has done quite a few super cars. But when asking him if an alignment can fix the steering wheel off center issue, he said that an alignment can sometimes fix it but no guarantees. And that’d we’d just have to do the alignment to see if it fixes it.



Is there any possible way the steering wheel could be even more off center after the alignment, or could it only get better?





Would an alignment make the steering wheel a bit more stiff or give better handling? (I either read that on here or on the supra subreddit)





Is there any recommended alignment specs for daily driving?





My mechanic who did the install also has a Supra and I had linked him this thread, so I think he just followed the steps here to fix it.

https://www.supramkv.com/threads/diy-steering-wheel-centering.7117/

While it helped a lot, I’m just not confident I’d be able to get it perfectly centered using that method.

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[itzTang]

Alignment will fix it.

 

[razorlab]

Run away from any alignment place that says they can’t get a slightly off center steering wheel to be centered.

You center the wheel, then adjust toe to be within spec. Done

 

[FLtrackdays]

itzTang and Bryan are spot on. I’ve had this happen and the alignment shop fixes it every time. If it‘s too off, it’ll throw a code, steering angle sensor I believe. Regardless, a proper alignment shop will get er dun.

 

[exe36m3]

Or just sit in the car, hold the wheel as they tune the final alignment. Voila, steering wheel centered to your taste.

 

[FLtrackdays]

Or just sit in the car, hold the wheel as they tune the final alignment. Voila, steering wheel centered to your taste.

If they can’t center it when doing an alignment, that’s a good indication to go elsewhere ?

 

[exe36m3]

If they can’t center it when doing an alignment, that’s a good indication to go elsewhere ?

Agreed, a good/great alignment shop will set a factory steering wheel so it visually is centered.

Caveat... for me, once I started using those fancy wheels with a stripe, even with the steering wheel lock, that stupid stripe is always a little too left or right by 2 or 3 mm. So it's just easier to hold the wheel to where i see center and complete the alignment.

 

[itzTang]

Or just sit in the car, hold the wheel as they tune the final alignment. Voila, steering wheel centered to your taste.

Yup that’s straight

 

[itzTang]

Can’t trust Supra owners centering anything! We got all the crooked hood vents to prove it!

 

[razorlab]

Agreed, a good/great alignment shop will set a factory steering wheel so it visually is centered.

Caveat... for me, once I started using those fancy wheels with a stripe, even with the steering wheel lock, that stupid stripe is always a little too left or right by 2 or 3 mm. So it's just easier to hold the wheel to where i see center and complete the alignment.

Or just get the tool that keeps the wheel centered. That is what I use when I do my alignments.

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