Steering doesn't return to center.
 

At low speeds, the steering wheel will not return to center by itself, and will actually pull into the turn at really low speeds. At high speeds though the car handles great, doesn't pull to one side, no clunking or anything.

I just pulled out both steering knuckles to have new ball joints pressed in, but putting it back in, everything tightened up fine except the new ball joints; even with the weight of the car on it, I could only tighten the one to about 44 ft-lbs and the other about 25 ft-lbs when they're supposed to be 59ft-lbs.

I also replaced the tie rod ends because my dumba** smacked a hammer on the threads to get it out of the knuckle, and they were grimy anyway, figured I just replace em while I was at it, but I could swear I put them back where the old ones were.

Does any of this seem like it would cause this problem?

Jack up the front of the vehicle and make sure there isn't a bunch of resistance in the steering, turn the wheel by hand without the engine running and it should EASILY turn from lock to lock.

You probably just need to get the alignment done, anytime you take off tie rod ends you need to be realigned and it doesn't take much (one turn too much or little) to throw the alignment off.

Also, there's typically a flattened edge on the ball joint so you can throw a wrench on it to keep it from rotating while you torque the nut.

I'd hope you got the car aligned after all the work, correct?

There is a nut on the drivers side of the rack (near where the input shaft enters the rack). This houses a spring that sets tension on the rack/pinion. Depending on the age/miles, you can dial in or out the tightness of the steering rack. I tightened mine about 1/4 turn and it made a big difference in the off-center play and responsiveness. It should help the rack hold its position.

Not yet, its in the plans, but I figured the only thing that could've changed is the toe from the tie rods, and if it was out enough to do something like that, shouldn't it act different at high speeds too? And would the nut on the steering rack change anything here if it changes where the center is? Going down the road at 40 the steering wheel stays dead center without hands on it

Don't touch the nut on the rack, that's for setting preload on the R&P and you should only adjust it if the car is either not returning to straight out of a corner fast enough or straightening too quickly. It will not change the geometry of the front, it changes the amount of resistance on the R&P.

The vehicle not tracking straight in the road is 100% alignment, sometimes you feel it at low speed, sometimes at high speed. The geometry changes as aero downforce is applied to the front of the car. This isn't something you want to put off either, it will cost you a front set of tires before your next oil change if it's really bad.

But like I said, it tracks perfectly at speed, straight down the road without holding the steering wheel. Would it still be alignment?

Absolutely 100%, especially if you just swapped rod ends. Firstly though get that ball joint torqued, find the slots where you put a wrench on it to keep it from turning.

Well this is super embarrassing. Got it aligned which fixed it. Toe on both sides was almost 1.5 degrees out. I was really prepared to take everything apart again to put more reputable ball joints in.

It was just a situation you had never dealt with before. You came to a source of information, asked the questions, got answers, applied them, fixed the problem.

This is exactly what you SHOULD do, no reason to be embarrassed. Glad it's all working again.

How to tighten the bolt properly
 

can you please post pictures or a write up of how you did this!!!!! Thank you

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/g35driv...46921c904f.jpg

That's right where the steering column goes into the rack.

Does anyone know how you know how to set it (without trial and error)? I am still struggling to understand how increasing the yoke tension would make the steering wheel return to center. Mine was very loose and leaking fluid (seems to be normal on these racks?), and the guy at the shop suggested that nut might need adjustment. I tightened it a little and my steering still doesn't self-center, though the steering effort went up (I'm taking that as a sign it's too tight and friction is slowing the rack).

That nut adjusts the clearance on the pinion gear inside the rack&pinion, it will have pretty much zero effect on the wheel returning to center. Yes it's somewhat "normal" for those things to have very minor leakage (not dripping just enough to collect dirt).

Basically my rule of thumb for adjustment with the rack on the car (you set the preload with a gauge to factory spec when it's out of the vehicle) is get in an empty parking lot and make a tight corner at about 20mph then just LET GO OF THE WHEEL and use your best judgement to "feel" how quickly it returns. If it snaps back so fast it actually sends you going the other direction then it's too loose, if there is so much resistance it feels like it returns slowly then it's too tight.

With the rack on the car you're just going to have to trial/error it.

As for the steering wheel not centering while driving that's your "steer ahead" which is determined by your total front toe. Keep in mind the crown of a road causes a car to not track straight as well, roads are crowned for water drainage and depending on how much crown you might have to correct back to the center of the road a bit.

Could it be something other than alignment? I've never had steering that has this little centering force on any car. I just got an alignment, 0.1 deg total front toe is what the sheet says. Perhaps I need to really loosen that yoke spring adjustment nut.

Yes there is also a u-joint on the steering shaft right before it goes into the rack and pinion that is highly notorious for binding up. Spray it down thoroughly with WD40, that's probably the issue.