Symptom of a misaligned clockspring?

I've been rebuilding an '05 on my weekends for the last 3-4 months. I rebuilt the front suspension right away as it needed it bad and I was aiming for driveable as quickly as I could get it. I did everything and got the truck driving a good bit tighter (still a few things I may need to revisit), and took it to get aligned. I picked it up at the close of the day and the truck was pulling left.

Some time passed before I could take it back in (work schedule and store hours conflict), and I decided to replace the clockspring due to a non-functional horn and steering wheel controls. Seemed like the right move. When I pulled the wheel I discovered that the previous owner must have been in there before me. The windshield wipers weren't functioning 100% correctly either. I suspect he replaced the windshield wiper/turn signal wand in an effort to fix the issue, and possibly the clockspring. The steering wheel controls had been yanked out of their connector (connector still attached to the clockspring). I rigged that up with some make-do connectors from Auto Zone, and plugged the horn back in. I went ahead and installed the clockspring making sure to keep the wheel lined up correctly. Steering wheel controls work again. Horn works again. Wipers work again after taking the motor apart and cleaning the contact surfaces. Wheel feels fine when I'm not driving and rotates to full lock without issues in both directions.

So I just got back from the alignment place where they took another crack at it. He showed me the printout from their 3 month old new-fangled alignment machine and showed where the caster is out of spec still, but he can't fix the caster without putting the camber out. I may need a caster/camber kit, but that's beside the point. The truck still pulls obviously left. His machine says it's lined up pretty good on camber and toe. Caster shouldn't play a huge role in a major pull left. It's around 2* and the spec calls for 4-5* if I remember right.

So my question is, could a misaligned clockspring cause the alignment machine to not correctly align the truck's suspension? If the previous owner replaced it, but didn't make sure the wheel was straight when he did it, would this lead to a natural pull to one side or the other on the steering wheel? Is the clockspring in fact a "spring" that's simply pushing the steering wheel left, when really the suspension is fine (ish)? Should I pull the steering wheel again and try to realign the clockspring better based on the natural tendency of the wheel to drift left?

I'm supposed to drop the truck off at the alignment shop again on Monday evening so they can have it all day Tuesday to dig into any other potential issues that would be causing me this grief. I could tear into the steering wheel this weekend if that might fix the problem.

Thanks gang! I know this isn't exactly "which headlight is best" sort of stuff, but I'm hoping someone out there might have an answer.

Clockspring has nothing to do with alignment. It is merely electrical for the airbag and horn.


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How about the steering wheel itself? Any chance it is misaligned? If I go full left vs. full right I end up with a symmetry in stopping positions, but I don't know that to be important.

Steering wheel won't make the truck pull either way though. The steering wheel could be on upside down and that wouldn't affect the alignment. If it's pulling to the left, it's an alignment issue. If it tracks straight, with the wheel turned to the left or right, it could be that the steering wheel is in the wrong position. Either way the steering wheel doesn't affect the alignment.

This just leaves me wondering what could be causing the truck to pull significantly left when the alignment machine shows it to be in spec on camber and toe. Caster is a little out of spec, but I wouldn't think it would account for how much it's pulling.

If the truck was aligned by the numbers with the steering wheel physically positioned to be center (despite it not being aligned correctly), would this have any impact on the alignment of the truck?

What type of tires are you running? MT's are notorious for making a vehicle pull left or right. Also, for some reason the steering stabilizer can cause a vehicle to pull one way or another. I think it's generally more a aftermarket issue than stock.

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I was gonna say. Try swapping all your tires on a diagonal. There could also be a brake hanging up that can possibly cause it to pull.

1500ram12 said:

What type of tires are you running? MT's are notorious for making a vehicle pull left or right. Also, for some reason the steering stabilizer can cause a vehicle to pull one way or another. I think it's generally more a aftermarket issue than stock.

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The tires are garbage. I intend to replace them along with rims in the next couple of months, but the wallet needs a little time to recover after all the parts buying recently. I don't remember the brand off the top of my head, but it's not one I was familiar with, and they were take-offs from someone else that the previous owner slapped on to sell it. I have no doubt that they're out of balance, and need replacing. They do have an aggressive, MT style to them, and I believe they have a directional tread.

justin13703 said:

I was gonna say. Try swapping all your tires on a diagonal. There could also be a brake hanging up that can possibly cause it to pull.

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I've got new rotors and pads at all four corners, but for a little extra backstory....

When I bought the truck the rear axle brake system was completely disconnected. The main feeder line supplying fluid to the rear axle had been burned by an exhaust tube, so someone in their infinite wisdom decided to just jam a screw in the line and roll with it. I don't know how long it was being driven this way, but I replaced the line (a $12 part) and the rear calipers seem to not have been affected adversely. It could have been a week, or it could have been a year. I do know that the previous owner frequented construction sites with the truck, so if dirt/dust were going to get into the caliper and cause it to stick, it would have certainly had it's chance. That all said, I don't feel it favoring either side when I hit the brakes. I'll mention that to the alignment guy on Monday though in case he wants to take a look at that.

I do believe that the tires are directional, so cross rotating might not be a good idea.

Thanks for spit balling ideas with me gang. I appreciate it.

Out of balance tires won't pull just give you a vibration. But worn tires may be your issue. If the alignment checked out and all the steering and brake components are in working order your left with tires. Also not sure if a bent or twisted frame would be a issue

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The frame is suspect. I've already noticed a body mount perch that is slightly bent on left front. I suspect the previous owner bottomed it out good there. I may try to press the body mount back into place today, but that wouldn't address any suspension geometry frame twisting.

Thanks for the input!