Steering Column Repair: accuracy placement on steering wheel, tilt wheel, kitty cat

Question
Regarding my 2000 Toyo. Camry, tilt wheel.A whining, squealing, rubbing like kitty cat  sounds, seems like in the steering column area when I turn the wheel.Problem not found, then backing out one day the wheel would only turn in like intervals.Problem stated and fixed was the u-joint in the steering column all except 1 part replaced, old 1 still good. Drove and sounded better than ever, then sound is back, turning start to act up again, they tightened the power steering belts it stopped, then again this whinning sound so I got new tires and a alignment, sound dissapeared for a day, now its back. Heres the question when I drive my car the inside visual around the steering wheel is a perfectly centered square, after the first vist and the u-joint fix, i noticed that the hollow area in the dash(dosent and never has moved its stationary) is no longer perfectly perpendicular to or with the square insert that is connected to the steering wheel. It always set perfectly a square in a square, because I always admired and looked at the way it was perfectly set exact same amount of space across the top, I noticed it is at a small fraction of an angle off, after I got my car back!I talked to 2 mechanics who say that it being a tooth off wont hurt anything. Is that true? Like if you draw a line from left to right and then draw another one a half inch away under the first one,  from left to right but its not even now, it is at a slight angle could this be affecting my tires that I just had to replace, and got an alignment, plus now that sound is back. This is where I started!My tires that I kept balncd and rotated were worn in all kind of angles not repairable, please help I cant afford to do this again! This is a 4 cylinder le. Thank You so much for your time and effort, and for helping so many of us that really do need help!  melisa

Answer
Hi Melisa:
Wow, that's some tale....so,
The sound you are hearing is common on Toyota and Lexus.  We had it on ours and it drove me nuts til I found and fixed it.  You aren't going to believe me until you actually fix it and it stays quiet, but here's the fix.
Where the steering shaft goes into the floor, there is a rubber boot.  Spray the rubber boot and shaft with some WD40, then move the boot up and down a little to work the liquid around the shaft.  Start the car and turn the wheel and it will be gone (for good).

Regarding the wheel position.  I hope this is your concern... This mis-adjustment actually comes from a poor alignment, however this will not cause the tires to wear unevenly.  During an alignment, the mechanic gets the opportunity to put the steering wheel in any position (even upside down if he wanted) and then adjust the linkages and tire positions under the car to the factory specs.  It is these adjustments that determine if the tires will wear or the car will pull to one side or another.  Once the tires are set correctly the car should track straight and the tires should not squeel going around a turn or wear unevenly.  It has no bearing on the actual position of the steering wheel.  With that said, if you are not happy with the position he chose (or if the machine is not calibrated exactly), then the steering wheel will be slightly off center while driving straight.  That is correctable, but he will need to redo part of the alignment.  That's a discussion you will have to have with him and you will probably meet some resistance there.  No one likes to admit there was a problem with the work.  I would suggest you take him for a drive and appeal to is good senses of how irritating it is to drive like that, rather than bash his work quality or equipment.

I hope I have understood your concerns and addressed them.  If not, please send me a picture at through my company website at dgan@stolenandrecovered.com  then i can address your exact description (if I missed the mark)
Good Luck
Doug