why is my steering wheel not straight?

All boxes can be a little different. Use the tie rods to center the wheel. If the toe is correct, lengthen one while shortening the other the same amount.

Put a piece of tape on the steering wheel at the 12:00 possition with the wheels straight. That will give you a reference point while you move the wheel lock to lock. Count the turns and make sure the box is centered. I though my pitman arm had a master spline so you couldn't get it in the wrong spot.

[at first that sounded good, but if the steering box is not in the exact center position, then i'm driving down the road straight ahead with the steering box not centered.

Sounds to me like you have the box centered already. Manual or power box?

Funny no one suggested a wheel alignment...bring it to my specialized alignment shop here in Virginia where we use a process called WinToe...the steering wheel is first centered then the passenger front tie rod is adjusted to specification and locked down followed by the drivers side. The steering wheel will then be centered and your toe adjusted to specification. I know, I know..your too far away,,,,

On most stock setups, there is a master spline on the steering wheel and pitman. They can only go together one way. Agree best bet is to adjust it out with the tie rods.

Another thing to check - did you by chance have the pot coupler apart? if it is re-assembled 180 degrees out from original it can throw the wheel off. Reason I know is I did it once.

Do you have the pitman arm on the box in the right position? Most mopar boxes I have seen have 4 wide grooves on the spline coming out of the box and you can clock the pitman arm 4 different ways.

ok, so here's the scoop.

i marked the pitman arm and the shaft on the steering box with the wheels straight ahead, which means the steering wheel was 90 degrees to the right. i then pulled the pitman arm, and brought the steering wheel to center. the two marks hardly moved. then i realized that with the 96 turns lock to lock that the standard steering box has, 1/2 a turn is not going to move things much, which is why when i did this the first time, all i did was put it back in the position it was originally in. so i reconnected the pitman arm, in the same position.

looking in the FSM, it mentioned adjusting the tie rods to align the steering wheel, and then it struck me, that was it.

so looked at the tie rod sleeves, and on the left side there were only a few threads exposed on the tie rod ends, while on the right side there were many. i remember when we put this together a long time ago remarking on that, but it drove, steered and aligned just fine.

anyway, the direction i needed to go brought the tie rod sleeves more in balance with how many threads were exposed on each side. took almost 4 turns to bring it in line, and now the steering wheel is straight and it still cruises down the road nice and straight.

i think the thing is the old box has enough slop that it needed things set this way to keep it going straight.

Personally,since you adjusted the tie rod end's,I'd have the toe checked.

with the wheels kept immobile & moving 1 sleeve in & the other out the same amount which would move the pitman/box & would center the steering wheel but I think that'd move the box away from exactly centered but evidently that ain't causing an issue (so far) & it sounds like it's all good if the tire wear stays acceptable (toe in). I also would suggest checking the toe in

i'll have the alignment checked...