Steering wheel removal

I have a 1998 Freightliner Century that had a tie rod end fall off completely on a location. I went out there and replaced both tie rod ends onsite and then drove it back to town to get the front aligned and toed in. But after it was done being aligned the steering wheel is now ####ed to the left (passenger side) while the tires are driving straight down the road. I've looked at the tie rod over and over and I can't imagine how changing the tie rod ends could have changed the steering wheel alignment. I tried to take off the steering wheel but it wasn't as simple as taking the horn button off. And then I tried disconnecting the steering column at the bottom but the splines have a bolt that goes through them and it can only connect in one spot. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong? Also the ABS light came on and I think it is messing with my steering sensor.

 

The sensor probably got knocked around a bit. Steer sensors are easily seen, and pushed back in. The wheel is a problem. It needs to be taken off with a puller and centered. Unless you can find an adjustable pitman arm. I would get an alignment first, or you’ll be doing it again, afterwards.

 

I already got an alignment so everything is straight (toed in). Where do I find the sensor?

 

Follow the little wire, that goes to the backside of the brakes, usually runs along the air hose. It plugs into the sensor, near the center of the wheel assembly, just push it in with your hand. Might have to tap it lighly with a flat punch, wooden dowel works best, won’t damage the wires. Do both sides. If that doesn’t fix the light, check the others on drive axles. You definitely need a dowel or flat punch for the drives, they’re up in there. If that don’t fix the light, further diagnosis is needed, using the flash codes. Might be a bad sensor wire as well. Make sure both ends are plugged in.

 

Is your drag link adjustable?

(Runs from the pitman arm to the steer knuckle)

If it is, just need to adjust its length to get the steering back to center. Just don't thread it out too far if that's the direction it needs to go. The drag link ends need to be threaded in past the open slit in each end of the drag link tube.

 

It's adjustable in the sense that when I roll it one way it goes the tires in and when I roll it the other way it pushes the tires out. The tire rod ends just screw into either side.

 

That’s what I meant, adjustable drag link, not pitman arm. My bad. Here’s a pic of what we’re talking about.

 

Oh, no I don't have one of those. But the grease bushings on my drag link are ruptured and broken so maybe I'll price out a new one and make sure it's adjustable...

 

What you are referring to is the cross link from one side of the truck to the other and is NOT the drag link.
The drag link is the short link from the Pittman arm to the steering knuckle as stated previously by others.
Unfortunately most modern trucks don’t have adjustable drag links any longer.
On my 2007 Columbia ( same steering column as a century I believe) you can pull the steering wheel and adjust it.
Also even though the steering shaft at the steering box is sloted you usually can move it one tooth in either direction from center and still get the bolt in.

 

Just don't remove and re-spline the pitman arm on the steering box. You'll put it out of time, which will make it cut too sharp one way and subtract wheel cut from the opposite side.