Is this normal?
 

i just got my car back after having a lot of things done to it; steering rack, bushings in front, brakes...... anyway, when i turn it seems very tight now and usually after a corner the wheel turns back by it self with no problem. now it will turn back by it self but if i go slow it will need a little help. it is really tight! IS THIS NORMAL?

also, the steering wheel isnt centered. a friend does it in his garage (for dirt cheap labor) and uses a "string" method of alligning. if i go to a shop to get it alligned, will it correct the steering wheel off center? (only a little though!)

thanks,

jim

It is very normal that the steering returns to center. The seals in your old power rack must have been really shot.

If you pick up a solid steering shaft from flaming river, it will eliminate the "rag joints" and give you an even tighter more precise feeling to the steering.

As for the steering wheel, the alignment shop will fix this by adjusting the tie-rod ends to center the wheel.

Re: Is this normal?
 

The "string" method is usually only used to get a vehicle driveable to get it to the alignment shop. Get a wheel alignment, and tell them about the steering wheel off center or they might not correct it on their own if they don't notice it.

You know what they calibrate the alignment computer setups with?

Strings, levels, and tape measures. :p Weird but true.