Steering wheel does not return to center after strut/shock installation

[dr-rjp]

A month ago I had a new set of KYB AGX struts & shocks installed along with new KYB strut mounts/bearings. Despite getting the front end aligned three times, the steering wheel fails to return to center after a complete turn -- either left or right -- and the car pulls in the direction of the completed turn.

Can the mounts of struts have been installed incorrectly? Is something causing the steering to bind? Or, is the steering rack coincidentally going bad?

What do you think?

[daegrigg]

Sounds like something was not installed correctly. The struts are pretty straight forward but I think it is possible to install the springs incorrectly. Also, it is possible to get the bearing, insulator and other components in the wrong order. Might be worth a trip back to the installer and ask them to remove and inspect the strut for correct install. Familiarize yourself with what the right install should look like. Search this site or go to q45.org.

Good luck

Don

[maxnix]

What model and year? Not lowered?

[dr-rjp]

Someone

Sounds like something was not installed correctly. The struts are pretty straight forward but I think it is possible to install the springs incorrectly. Also, it is possible to get the bearing, insulator and other components in the wrong order. Might be worth a trip back to the installer and ask them to remove and inspect the strut for correct install. Familiarize yourself with what the right install should look like. Search this site or go to q45.org.

Good luck

Don

Thanks, Don. Someone else mentioned something about "clocking" on the springs -- I had never heard that term before -- and making sure that the word, "OUT" faces forward.

Does this ring a bell?

DAEGRIGG: My car is a 98 I30 with stock springs.

[daegrigg]

Yes, the springs must be installed with the correct orientation to the strut mounts.

[bullittandy]

Check for smooth turning in strut bearing with wheels off the ground. Hard to say whats wrong but the fix is almost certainly going to be to take it apart and put it back together according to the manual.

If it worked before and not after, they did something wrong.

[dr-rjp]

Check for smooth turning in strut bearing with wheels off the ground. Hard to say whats wrong but the fix is almost certainly going to be to take it apart and put it back together according to the manual.

If it worked before and not after, they did something wrong.

That seems logical. I was wondering, though, how much needs to be dissassembled; i.e., if the struts mounts are loosened or removed and the springs compressed, can the springs be rotated into position?

Here's a diagram from the Maxima ESM showing the proper orientation:

[bullittandy]

I think just the strut mount/bearing needs to be taken apart. That's the part that conncts the strut to the body and has to move freely.

I've been in your spot dozens of times working on cars. Take it apart, put it together and it doesn't work. You can either firgure out what went wrong or just do the project over again being very careful. I've had about 90% success with the latter method.