No you won't win. Forget the steering wheel. Take both wheels off, undo the 2 top bolts holding the steering arms. Adjust them according to Haynes making sure both track rods have the same length. While you are at it, check the steering arm ball joint for wear and readjust them. Put everything together (correct vehicle height and tire pressure)
The string should ride freely underneath the hub cap, no contact other than the side wall of the tire. Adjust both side equally turning both sleeves to 0-3 mm toe out.
After that fit your steering wheel correctly. Easy

Thank you, that's my jobs for this afternoon sorted out then!

Surely, if you pull the string round the front of the tyre it will always touch the trim? Or have I missed the point?

Maybe helpful

If you feel creative you can also make a tracking gauge using a couple of cheap laser pointers.

Old-Nail,
nil desperandum, as if you've done a good job of centring the rack before fitting the steering column, it may not be necessary to relocate the column on its splines.

Fwiw, when _everything_ has been apart, I usually leave the column loose until after the tracking is set. Then a short drive round the block is usually enough to confirm whether the wheel is sitting where it should.

Those are 135 section tyres on the Dyane, which makes life easier as the string lines clear the wheel rim.
With 125 tyres, I'd use thin packers at the front of the front wheel and the rear of the rear wheel.



p.s. Just had a better look at your close up pictures of the adjusters and I'd reckon that the outer end of the nearside assembly needs to be undone from the hub and wound further into the adjusting sleeve.
Alternatively, you may be able to equalise the projecting threads without disconnecting the track rod end from the hub, by unwinding the sleeve completely, but it can then be a bit fiddly to ensure that both threads are started simultaneously.
It's the outer end which has a left hand thread, if my brain hasn't faded with this heat today...

Well what I've done is to get both wheels with the correct adjustment both according to the string and the amount of measurement on the track rod adjusters, which is now equal at 12mm each. This leaves the steering wheel canted 30' to the right, so I need to remove the column and resit it correctly.

Try saying that quickly and it sounds simple, what it actually is a a stubborn bastard that won't come off even with the persuasion of a lump hammer behind it. I'm in danger of wrecking all the just fitted interior just for the sake of removing this effing column! If I had some sort of puller the job would be easier, but without one it's nigh on impossible to get it off again. I've lost my rag with it at the moment so I won't be touching it for an hour or so to save any damage.

Did you remove the steering lock first?

There is a lever available to get it off the splines of the steering column. No damage at all, it's a matter of seconds. Where are you? I've got one and I'm in Milton Keynes. all you need to do is undo the clamp on the rack, unscrew the collar for the steering lock and lift it up. No lump hammers are involved.

Edit,

There you go

http://www.2cvtools.com/id172.htm