[sti robot]

***THIS IS INCOMPLETE. I WILL ADD MORE LATER***

I recently dropped the entire steering system to do the bushings. Nick's method of jamming the driver side bushing into place didn't work for me. This ended up screwing up the steering wheel center. I suggest not playing with the steering wheel center if you don't need to. It WILL cause unncessary stress in your life.

Standard disclaimers apply. Do not attempt this if you are anal retentive or have some sort of OCD problem. If you manage to screw this up you may be driving down the highway at high speed and lose all steering control of your car. This is potentialy catastrophic. Use common sense and good judgment when doing this. I am not responsible if you damage you, your car, other people, other property, etc. In other words you do this at your own risk.

Before you do any of this I suggest you have you alignment straight, your tires inflated properly and a good level area to do this on. If not you may just be bandaiding an alighnment problem. And once you get a proper alighment you'll have to screw with the steering again.

Items you will need:
-a buddy
-ramps or jack and stands
-12 mm socket and driver...a deep socket will make this easier (due to spacing) but isn't necessary
-a light
-a screwdriver-flat head-medium size
-paint or paint markers...the finer the better...bright colors like red or orange work best
-a good eye

Time: 30 minutes to days depending on how OCD you are about the steering being centered.

0. Drive the car and note how the steering wheel is centered.

1. Get the front end of the car in the air. Make sure to keep the front wheels are as straight as humanly possible. Having a friend help with this is great. I suggest using ramps because they will enforce this straightness to some degree.

2. (Optional?) Using your screw driver pop the plugs off the plastic undertray and take the 12mm bolts off to get the undertray off.

3. Mark the steering rack linkage points like so: (PICTAR) Make sure you mark both ends and let the paint dry. If you screw this up you are somewhat SOL.



4. Unbolt the elbow joint thing (steering rack linkage) from both brass colored grooved shafts. Take the bolts copletely out.

5. Shove the elbow joint thing (linkage) up around the top brass colored grooved shaft. This will pop the joing off the lower shaft (this shaft goes to the steering rack.) Have your buddy hop into the car and center the steering wheel (it should flow around a lot at this tim).

6. Pop the joint back onto the lower shaft while having your friend keep the steering wheel centered. Your markings for the lower shaft should probably not line up perfectly (ie be off by one, maybe two grooves).

7. Put everything back together (you probably want to skip the undertray until you are satisfied). Go for a test drive. Get frustrated that it isn't perfect. Go back to step 1. Rinse and repeat.

Notes: the tourque settings for the steering elbow shaft bolts are: 2.4 kgf/m 17.4 ft/lbs

It may be difficult to get a tourque wrench up there so use your best judgment. They shouldn't have to be overly tight. It is grooves against grooves that provides the strength to the linkage. The bolts just holt the grooves in place.

Alternatively you can slide the joint off the top shaft completely and shove it back on one groove to the right or left to do your adjusting.

I suggest doing one grove at a time and then going for a test drive.

References and related links:
How to Steering rack bushings: http://www.scoobymods.com/forums/sho...?s=&threadid=5
http://www.scoobymods.com/forums/showthread.php?p=21235

Diagram and tourque spec taken from the subaru impreza wrx sti 04 service manual

***THIS IS INCOMPLETE. I WILL ADD MORE LATER***

[AnorexicSTI]

There is an alternate way... if your toe is perfect... u can change the toe setting the same on BOTH sides to center the steering wheel..

So for example, your wheel is a bit to the left while going straight... What u want to do is adjust the tie rods to turn the wheels a bit to the LEFT... that way, the _steering_ wheel will have to move a bit to the RIGHT to make it CENTERED.

You'll notice a lock nut on each tie rod. Loosen those lock nuts. The tie rod has a hex on it to allow a wrench to turn it... each hex represents a VERY TINY increment when it reaches the steering wheel... so for the left wheel, you want to lengthen the tie rod exposed thread so as to make the wheel turn left... and for the right wheel, u want to shorten the tie rod exposed thread so the right wheel turns left. Mark with paint and do in 60 deg. increments.... I would say 60-180 deg. of adjustment will do the trick.. the remainder can be done at the steering wheel itself by removing and reinserting on the splines... this is the ONLY way to fine tune... the method described above is not much more fine if at all than the steering wheel method... and in fact, is probably easier done at the steering wheel than at the engine bay location...

BE CAREFUL to adjust each tie rod the EXACT same amount... otherwise, u lose your alignment.

[sti robot]

Yeah, I'm also beginning to think that adjusting the top shaft (to the steering wheel) is a better idea. Also, there is a way to adjust the steering wheel itself but that requires taking stuff apart in the interior and you risk f-ing up the airbag.