Hello all,

I picked up my Fiat Bravo on saturday, the first one I have owned and I have to say it`s a great car. I have one small problem with it, the steering wheel is off centre. It drives perfectly straight but the wheel is just not in the right place. I contacted my local dealer (cleveland cars) as I didn`t want to do the job myself because of the air bag only to be told that the tracking would need doing because the steering wheel is on a master spline, can anyone confirm this. I am qualified mechanic and currently work for glass`s guide so have access to the fiat workshop manuals but can find no info in them regarding a master spline. The car is a 98 Bravo, TD100.

Cheers
Steve

first of all welcome to the forum, and great choice of car

cleveland motors ? do you live near Hull then ? we have a few of those around here

i'd check that the track rod end bolts have the same number of threads each side before doing anything to the steering wheel.

forgot to ask, how far out is it?

steering wheel

Bahney, Thanks for the welcome. I actually live in Ash,Hampshire. I guess they must have a chain of garages scattered about.
Craig, it looks like the wheel is about 30 degrees out towards the right.

Re: steering wheel

i'd need to know more...
you've got to check the track rod adjusters have the same number of threads each side otherwise, if you take the wheel off and center it and the tracking is out, you will end up with a larger turning circle when going left or right. i forgot to say....

Re: steering wheel

i just noticed you're a qualified mechanic

Re: steering wheel

its as easy as 1 2 3!!!

Disconect the battery... go watch eastenders or something for about 30-40mins to let the power discharge... use an allen key to undo the rear of air bag (2 bolts in total)... then pull the yellow airbag plug out the back..then you have a massive bolt in the middle (about 24mm).. undo that and it can slide of the spline... you can rotate the wheel and the spline doesnt have one centre setting! HOW EVER... never touch the place that the plug goes in other wise BANG!!! you body carrys a small electrical charge that will set the bag off!

But i have done it personally when fitting a HGT leather wheel on my old HLX!

Hope this helps!

Paul R

The dealer

So the dealer was talking rubbish then.

Your right

I am a mechanic but I have never in my entire career or otherwise worked on anything made by Fiat, come to think of it I don`t think i`ve even worked on anything Italian.

Re: Your right

Paul do you have any pics of your HGT? I saw your old HLX which was very sweet.

Re: Your right

lol - so my TD100 is not the only one with an offset steering wheel then!

The tracking is spot on and goes straight as a die, I have just learnt to cope iwth it being slightly off centre!!

Re: Your right

mine was just off because i put it on a bit of centre because i was told the same as you and i ashumed that there was no way i could put it on wrong!Alas i did!

@Mr Anon... the HLX is with its new loving owner! Light warrior on here... The HGT is in mid make over, engine out and strip down for respray, dont expect it to be as extreme as the HLX, just a few touches her and there!

Paul R

Re: Your right

...and when you have the the wheel back on come to uncle nige for am SRS re-set lol!

Oh and welcome to the fray mate!

Re: Your right

thats only happen because i had the dash apart!lol... i swapped the steering wheel over with out a light coming on! but must leave it for 40mins to discharge first!

Paul R

Re: Your right

Is that true your full lock can be greater on one side than it is to the other if you put your steering wheel back on slightly off?

How's that? I thought the full lock stops at so many revolutions of the wheel in either direction so the only thing you will notice is the steering wheel in a different position when it fits full lock in one direction when compared to the other direction.

How did you work that one out?

J

Re: Your right

it wont affect the lock to lock! that is to do with the rack itself! not the position of the steering wheel! you will have the same turning circle just with the wheel in the wrong place....

Paul R

Re: Your right

I thought so. Cheers Paul.

J

cheers

Thanks chaps!!!

When the weekend comes round i`ll have a go at it.

Just had a guy come round and do a valet on it, looks great.

Definatley needs some bigger wheels though.

Re: cheers

right. there are two possible problems,

1. Tracking is correct but badly adjusted, i.e. the track rod adjusters have more threads on one side than the other. symtoms: steering wheel of center when going straight and slightly larger turning circle when going left or right.

2. Steering wheel has been put off centre. symtoms: steering wheel off centre when going straight, but turning circle is the same when going full left or right lock.

J, you would need to find out which of the above is the problem and be certain about it. you should not refit the steering wheel to counteract badly adjusted tracking (if that is the problem) otherwise you have two problems!