I just replaced the idler arm and both inner tie rod ends; a couple of months ago replaced upper control arms with ball joints and couple of years ago replaced lower ball joints and outer tie rod ends....so almost everything has been replaced from OEM.

Have 120k on the odometer.

I just had an alignment and had them, actually I centered the steering wheel myself, so I know it was exactly centered, and then the toe was set; that was all that was done was just set the toe, others parameters were within spec.

So I drive off and going straight down the road the steering wheel is off to the left....!!!!

Is this telling me that the pitman arm/gear box is worn?

Appreciate comments and suggestions as to what to check.

 

Some places don't center the wheel for whatever reason. I had an alignment last summer after I replaced a bunch of front end parts and they didn't center the wheel.

 

If you have wandering and have to saw at the wheel to keep straight or its pulling and you have to hold it to the left then yeah something is probably wrong but if you drive straight without pulling and thats just where they left the wheel then that tells me the shop that did your alignment did a crap job by not aligning your steering wheel! I have never done an alignment without centering the wheel thats just being lazy not to. I would take it back and make them center the wheel. If they say they can't I would ask/demand a refund and find a competent shop that knows what they are doing. I have done alignments on cars with horrible hack camber stupid setups (silly ricers) and many other vehicles with modified suspensions and I have always been able to get the wheel straight with minimal work.

 

if your wheel went off to the side after doing just the pitman or idler arm, ive seen that before. its just whoever machined it did the splines off by a degree or so enough to mess your steering wheel up. mine has been to the left for the past 5 years, i think it would mess with my head if i ever got it centered

 

I'd go back, speak to the manager, and tell him/her that you're leaving with the steering wheel straight and the vehicle steering/handling properly (no pulling to one side), or you're leaving with a full refund. Give them one chance to get it right, then it's refund time.

Once they fix their screw up, or refund your money, never go back there for an alignment. I wouldn't go for any work at a shop that can't center the steering wheel on an alignment job.