Advice sought - steering
Discussion
Hi all,
Finally got round to looking at the steering column today which has a bit of play in it at the steering wheel end. I checked all the securing bolts - all are tight (total of 2) and got into position 235 of the Karma Sutra to put my head in the footwell and wiggle the column while looking at the mounting arrangement. the mount seems secure but moves by about 1-2mm when you wiggle the column from the wheel, which translates to about 5mm at the wheel. The bulkhead bearing seems fine and the column move with the mounting bracket. You can't move the bracket by hand without the lever effect of the steering wheel and column.
My questions are:
1. Does anyone know how the mounting bracket is secured and if so can I strengthen it to remove this play (I think it will pass MOT it did last year and I don't think it is any worse) because it is really irritating?
2. How much play is acceptable?
3. Does anyone else have play like this?
4. Does anyone have good photos of all the supporting arrangements? (it started to rain so car had to go back in garage before I could progress any further. Norm please help with photos from Gerald's Friend
Thanks
Mark
Finally got round to looking at the steering column today which has a bit of play in it at the steering wheel end. I checked all the securing bolts - all are tight (total of 2) and got into position 235 of the Karma Sutra to put my head in the footwell and wiggle the column while looking at the mounting arrangement. the mount seems secure but moves by about 1-2mm when you wiggle the column from the wheel, which translates to about 5mm at the wheel. The bulkhead bearing seems fine and the column move with the mounting bracket. You can't move the bracket by hand without the lever effect of the steering wheel and column.
My questions are:
1. Does anyone know how the mounting bracket is secured and if so can I strengthen it to remove this play (I think it will pass MOT it did last year and I don't think it is any worse) because it is really irritating?
2. How much play is acceptable?
3. Does anyone else have play like this?
4. Does anyone have good photos of all the supporting arrangements? (it started to rain so car had to go back in garage before I could progress any further. Norm please help with photos from Gerald's Friend
Thanks
Mark
Photo dosent show the right hand side where the angle bracket is bolted to shell at the front on the door, you will find the heads of the bolts twix thefront edge of the door and the back of the tub on an S1/2 I guess the arrangement for the S£ and later must be different as the doors are longer
The big alloy bracket which bolts to the angle brackets can be clearly seen
Mark,
I have exactly the same situation as you by the sounds of it. I haven't given the UJ's a full inspection so it could be them, but my initial thought is that the plastic bush which sits inside the bulkhead bearing could be the culprit. I've been putting off sorting it for months now
Matt.
I have exactly the same situation as you by the sounds of it. I haven't given the UJ's a full inspection so it could be them, but my initial thought is that the plastic bush which sits inside the bulkhead bearing could be the culprit. I've been putting off sorting it for months now
Matt.
Mark
I had a similar problem with mine a couple of weeks ago, see my thread.
Ever since I bought the car last year the Steering Column had some up and down movement in it, about the same amount as yours, and it had just passed the MOT. However, when I checked it I found that there was no movement in the Column mounting point but some play in the Bulkhead Bearing. When I removed the column to replace the Bulkhead bearing I also found slight movement in the column housing bearings. Check out my thread above for the details.
I replaced the housing bearings and the bulkhead bearing and the movement in the column has been reduced to about 1mm, but you have to heave on it (its a problem of a single mounting point and leverage). The Tiv also feels much better on the road and has now passed its MOT with flying colours .
If you do replace the Bulkhead bearing, the steering column is best removed anyway, it makes access that much easier and you wont have to study the Karma Sutra to replace the bulkhead bearing
. You can then check your Column housing bearings for wear.
Pete
I had a similar problem with mine a couple of weeks ago, see my thread.
Ever since I bought the car last year the Steering Column had some up and down movement in it, about the same amount as yours, and it had just passed the MOT. However, when I checked it I found that there was no movement in the Column mounting point but some play in the Bulkhead Bearing. When I removed the column to replace the Bulkhead bearing I also found slight movement in the column housing bearings. Check out my thread above for the details.
I replaced the housing bearings and the bulkhead bearing and the movement in the column has been reduced to about 1mm, but you have to heave on it (its a problem of a single mounting point and leverage). The Tiv also feels much better on the road and has now passed its MOT with flying colours .
If you do replace the Bulkhead bearing, the steering column is best removed anyway, it makes access that much easier and you wont have to study the Karma Sutra to replace the bulkhead bearing
. You can then check your Column housing bearings for wear.Pete
Thanks, After the post my thoughts had moved to the bulkhead bearing and leverage, but didn't have time to go back and check. I may just change this anyway. I am reasonably confident the column bearings are fine as the column has been out recently and checked out ok, hence my initial thoughts of the mount.
Mark
Mark
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