Steering Gearbox replaced and steering wheel at 9oclock????

[rockola1971]

So my original gearbox was shot (05 Yukon has over 300k). I had the gearbox and tie rods replaced along with pitman and idler arm. After replacement the yukon ended up with the steering wheel at 9oclock with wheels straight. Im thinking the gearbox input shaft was clocked wrong when assembled. (AC Delco Reman). Spec says 3 turns lock to lock or 1.5 turn center to lock. So at 9oclock to right lock I have 1.25 turns. Pitman arm is pointed straight to the rear parallel with chassis. I just dont think an alignment is going to fix this. Aligning the wheels does NOT move the steering wheel. It moves the wheels. Steering shaft to steering wheel can only be put on two ways. Correct or 180 out so I dont believe thats the problem. Pitman arm can only be put on correctly because its keyed so that there is no possible way to screw that up.

Advice, Troubleshooting or What else to look at before I go get an alignment to find out gearbox is not setup correctly during its reman???

 

[drakon543]

you could also just rent a steering wheel puller and put the wherl back on straight. i believe its just a spline shaft

 

[rockola1971]

you could also just rent a steering wheel puller and put the wherl back on straight. i believe its just a spline shaft

That wouldnt fix the only being able to go 1 1/4 turn to right lock instead of the spec 1.5 and id bet I can go 1.75 to the left to lock (i should check that) which could put the wheel into the wheel well.

 

[drakon543]

you didnt mention left center to lock so i assumed you didnt mention it because it was the same both ways. your pitman arm is 4 groove keyed technically it can be put on at 1/4 increments. that could account for the loss of 1/4 of your steering. put the steering wheel to center and see if you can remove your pitman arm reclock the wheels back to center and reinstall.

 

[live2pull]

you didnt mention left center to lock so i assumed you didnt mention it because it was the same both ways. your pitman arm is 4 groove keyed technically it can be put on at 1/4 increments. that could account for the loss of 1/4 of your steering. put the steering wheel to center and see if you can remove your pitman arm reclock the wheels back to center and reinstall.

This

 

[Erickk120]

You'd be surprised what an alignment can do, I had the same problem when replacing the pitman arm, and tie rods, took it for an alignment and they got it straight. I've also gotten the opposite effect, gone for an alignment and now my steering is 45* off center to the left, also had them fix it back to straight. If that doesn't do anything I would start suspecting otherwise.

 

[rockola1971]

I am still battling this. Alignment shop could not get it back to straight via an alignment. They could not even get it into spec. After looking at the old gearbox I realized that the pitman arm indeed has 4 alignment grooves and can be put on 4 different ways in 90 degree increments. Looks like garage installed it 90 degrees out to the left (drivers side). The center to left is `1.75 and center to right is 1.25 turns. Now it all makes sense. Back to see if garage will make it right. I really need to buy a lift and install in my garage. Id rather just do the stuff myself then I have only myself to blame and straighten out.

 

[OR VietVet]

Portable lifts are available that you can roll under and then lift but not all the way up like a normal lift. I believe some are even able to be tore down to store in a smaller place.