First ride - steering wheel jumped alignment

[erfoster]

Done a lot of reading and I've found a few references to this happening, but never a cause. Took my new X for it's first ride yesterday. Rode really tight trails at my buddies place, average speed was only 5-10mph. At some point during the day, the steering wheel seems to have jumped. It's now at about 45 degrees to drive straight. I ran strings to check alignment, and found slight toe out, but not enough to cause the pull to the right. When the steering wheel is centered, BOTH wheels are currently turned to the right, so it seems to me something in the steering column may have slipped. That said, I locked the wheels in place with ratchet straps and tried to turn it (engine off), and everything felt tight. Wasn't about to force it just to prove something to myself. At any rate, am I best off just adjusting the toe, then taking off the steering wheel and re-centering? Or is there more I should be checking? I don't see any evidence of anything being bent in the front end, nor do I think we were riding hard enough to bend anything. Didn't hit anything hard enough to know it either.

 

[hondabob]

Check the steering shaft joints, there is a recall on the Pioneer 1000. The bottom bolt wasn't installed properly and could get some damage. Your dealer will know what to check so it may be best to let them fix it. If the shaft splines have slipped they should replaced all the damaged parts. I think the U-joints are the same on the Pioneer's. Honda Tech will know a lot more about the recall.

 

[CID]

Check the steering shaft joints, there is a recall on the Pioneer 1000. The bottom bolt wasn't installed properly and could get some damage. Your dealer will know what to check so it may be best to let them fix it. If the shaft splines have slipped they should replaced all the damaged parts. I think the U-joints are the same on the Pioneer's. Honda Tech will know a lot more about the recall.

@HondaTech

 

[PaulF]

At any rate, am I best off just adjusting the toe, then taking off the steering wheel and re-centering? Or is there more I should be checking? I don't see any evidence of anything being bent in the front end, nor do I think we were riding hard enough to bend anything. Didn't hit anything hard enough to know it either.

My R turned more to one side because the dealer just threw on the steering wheel to a non-centered rack (came non-centered from the factory) so if you do it yourself, make sure and center your rack (not the steering wheel) and then set your toe to the centered rack. Once the rack is centered and the toe is set, then remove and center your steering wheel if necessary.

You can also center the rack and then center the wheel if needed, then set your toe.

 

[volkspower]

Do what Paul said. Mine was slightly off center. The rack/alignment was perfect they just slapped the wheel on to get it on the showroom floor faster.

 

[Corvettejo]

Does anyone want to weigh in on what Honda recommends the toe be set at?

 

[Lil_Steve]

Does anyone want to weigh in on what Honda recommends the toe be set at?

Factory service manual spec is zero toe -in.

 

[Corvettejo]

Factory service manual spec is zero toe -in.

Thank you.