steering Column pinch bolt!

[davidmuir]

Folks, Is there a 'trick' to getting the pinchbolt through the column?..........column slides nicely on splines but cannot get bolt (1/4UNF) to slide through. Do the columns generally need a tap at horn end to go 'home' fully?
Ta!

[ivor badger 2]

Align the groove in the rack splines with the pinch bolt in the column

[davidmuir]

yes, was trying to do that for ~2 hours, hence question.
Thanks

[ianh1968]

Do the columns generally need a tap at horn end to go 'home' fully?Ta!

Could be the other way round... (Needs an un-tap)

Or try this:

Line up the slot and locate the column on the spigot.
Push in the bolt as far as it goes.
Keep your finger on it, and push.
Tap the column centre down until the bolt slides through.

Maybe I haven't explained it correctly, but hopefully you'll
have some idea what I'm on about.

Good Luck!

Ian

[Spider]

Have you undone the upper column mount? That'll make it difficult if you haven't! Best to re-align the rack to the column while you're at it.

[davidmuir]

top bracket removed, pinch bolt hole 'relieved'. try again tomorrow, second go always easier/successful!

[davidmuir]

No!, cannot persuade a 1/4 UNF bolt through, or a slightly smaller metric one. As far as I understand the clamp has to be at the 6 0'clock on the column to allow the indicators to cancel. Strangely , there is a rebate at 12o'clock which I'm guessing was where the column was clamped when I got the car 4 months ago, since the column had a lot of 'play' in it..........hence my dismantling/fettling.
Anyone got a photo of the steering rack 'stub' for me to compare?
Thanks

[ianh1968]

No!, cannot persuade a 1/4 UNF bolt through, or a slightly smaller metric one.
As far as I understand the clamp has to be at the 6 0'clock on the column to allow the indicators to cancel.

This can be a difficult job, but you seem to be suffering more than most...

1) Can you actually get the bolt through the hole when the column in not on the spigot?
A: If you can't, then you don't stand much chance.

1a) How far in can you actually get the bolt?
1b) Does it go through the first bit of column, then jam on the spigot?
1c) Does it go past the above point, then jam up in the second side of the clamp?

2) Trying to judge the angle of the slot is always difficult. What I do is get a bolt and hold it
against the side of the groove. This enables me to see the correct angle that the slot is at.
If I remember correctly, most steering gear has 36 splines. So, only one spline out of
alignment will be 10 degrees and you will have no hope of getting the bolt through with this
much error.

Keep trying!

Ian

[davidmuir]

Thanks Ian, Slot in clamp nice , clear and inline. Are you saying that there is only one part of the rack 'stub' through which the bolt will pass?-I was thinking that the bolt could fit through at any spline on the circumference(ignoring the self-cancelling indicator function)i.e. the groove was 360 degrees-is this not the case?
D

[minimans]

I've seen racks over the years that have a 360deg slot around the pinion and others that have a single position for the clamp bolt (like a Slice) around the pinion. I would as previous poster suggested hold a bolt against the pinion at the "slice" and get a mental picture of the angle/position then slide the column on.

[ivor badger 2]

Thanks Ian, Slot in clamp nice , clear and inline. Are you saying that there is only one part of the rack 'stub' through which the bolt will pass?-I was thinking that the bolt could fit through at any spline on the circumference(ignoring the self-cancelling indicator function)i.e. the groove was 360 degrees-is this not the case?
D

That's exactly the point I was trying to make. The bolt only fits through on one spline setting. The groove is not circumferal, but only a slot on one side of the rack shaft. It only fits together on one spline.

[graham in aus]

Is your rack one of those with the hole on the passenger side where you can remove a bung and insert a rod (1/8?) to centralise the rack?

If the pinion only has a 'one position slot' and when centralised (as above) the column does not line up (indicator cancel etc.) I would say something might be amiss with the way the rack was put together? Wrong Pinion, or not in the correct orientation? think like a distributer drive! ?

[davidmuir]

Well!-slot was at 11 o'clock ! -now bolted up tight ,[ clamp 'gap' increased with double hacksaw blade,was originally shut tight meaning that there's now a bit of wear on splines!].
So , self-cancelling bolt now 180 degrees out and although I could drill/tap at correct place , will leave at moment and get on with other MOT type stuff!
Sorry for this saga and being completely led by the 'correct' position of the clamp/self-cancelling bolt instead of reality!
thanks for input.

[1071kev]

David,have sent you a PM.
Kev

[davidmuir]

Can a LHD rack be fitted 'upside down' to make the car RHD??..............my car was originally exported LHD to Germany!

[ianh1968]

The groove is not circumferal, but only a slot on one side of the rack shaft.

Minimans is correct, I too have seen racks with a groove all the way round.
Most of them that I have seen do just have a single position, though.

So far as alignment is concerned, put your steering wheel on loosely,
without the nut.

Wind it fully left.

Then wind it fully right, counting the turns - It should be about 2&1/3 or
2&1/2, if I remember correctly (Later racks?).

Wind it 1/2 way back and reposition your steering wheel. Put the nut on finger tight.

Adjust your track-rod-ends so that they point straight ahead, but with 1/16"
toe out and you'll be close.

Drive the car on a straight road and fine tune the steering wheel position.

TIGHTEN UP THE NUT!

Sort out your indicator cancelling last.

Good Luck!

Ian

[cheleker]

David, Can't flip racks to convert from one hand drive to another.

[rich@minispares.com]

David, Can't flip racks to convert from one hand drive to another.

you can fit a lh rack to a rh car (or vica versa) but the steering is then the wrong way round.

years ago one of my trade customers sold the wrong rack to a customer who did just this and got a bit of a shock when they tried to drive it.