Steering column refurb with pics
As promised I refurbished the steering column tube and got a number of photographs taken of the column being removed, refurbished and replaced. Well most of it. I hope it proves useful or interesting as I'll try to lay it out as best I can.
First things first, safety wear. I wore glasses, black rubber gloves, and ear defenders as a small rotary power tool was my weapon of choice at one stage of the game.
Next disconnect the battery negative.
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I had centred the wheels and marked the centre point of the steering wheel to the dash but turned out to be unnecessary as it was altered upon the fitment of the new column. I had to put the wheels in the dead a head position and re-centre the steering wheel at the end of the entire procedure.
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Improve the access to the defective column by removing panels, instrument binnacle and steering wheel.
Remove steering column
lower shroud. No photo sorry.
Remove the airbag by undoing two screws at the rear of the steering wheel and carefully prising out the connector with a fine flathead screwdriver.
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Next remove the steering wheel retaining nut. Separate the connector that links the rest of the electrical loom to the airbag contact unit and then retract the steering wheel.
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Remove the instrument binnacle surround by undoing two screws and pulling it forward. Sorry no photo.
Remove the steering column upper shroud by the power of greyskull because I can never figure out how I got it off without breaking it. It lifts up and away but the clips that hold it in place are inaccessible to pry apart so I just wiggle it and apply force evenly and steadily until it pops off without damaging it. No photo.
Remove the instrument binnacle. Undo two screws either side and it rotates forward, pull out the loom connection on the left hand side as you face it and lift the bottom pegs out of their recesses and jiggle it about a bit until it's clear of the dash. No photo, we're doing well here.
Remove driver side glove box compartment by depressing a tang on either side and pull forwards and upwards.
Remove the dashboard
lower section in the foot well to improve access. Two screws to be undone and it pulls forwards and out of position.
Remove the intermediate shaft cover for access to the coupling sleeve. Two 10mm plastic nuts to the left and right ironically just out of shot are to be loosened to achieve this.
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It is necessary to remove the indicator and wiper stalk switches and ignition barrel electrics away from the column to improve access to the shear bolts which secure the upper half of the column. This is done by cutting some cable ties and undoing the three screws holding the stalk switch gear. Then unclip the stalk switch connectors. The ignition barrel electrics easily pulls away from the part where the key goes in.
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Some people find that a sharpened punch or chisel is capable of unwinding the bolt when a hammer is used to strike the head of the shear bolt. I found that the access even with everything out of the way and the fact that the bolt head was a smooth dome shape made this method impossible. The first method I tried was to use easy outs but as I couldn't get directly straight onto the heads the easy out snapped in one bolt head and the drill bit snapped in the second bolt head so my third method was to employ a small rotary power tool with cutting disc attachments to make incisions in the bolt head for a chisel to get purchase on. I then drove the bolt out by rotating it with a hammer and chisel.
I masked up the electrics as best I could to prevent contamination from metal particles during the abrasion process. It did try and catch fire once or twice.
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Undo the retaining nuts securing the intermediate shaft connecting piece and remove it, the retaining plate will slide upward when the steering column is removed thus separating the shaft halves.
The column tube
lower securing clips simply pulls up off a plastic mounting bush sandwiched between the foot pedal controls pivot points.
The next step is to disassemble the column tube and its collapsible shaft.
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I found it necessary to replace items 12a,12,9 and 4. I also thought it prudent to change items 5,6 and 7 on a diagram that I will post or add to this reply. Don't have it to hand right now.
Use a bearing puller to remove the splined collar and spring from the top of the collapsible shaft.
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Removing the universal joint and half shaft from the bottom of the collapsible shaft is achieved by removing a nut and bolt and makes the process easier to manage.
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Undo the bolt securing the ignition barrel assembly to the column tube upper section and put the key in the barrel to the lock off position. Gently tap the ignition barrel from behind with a brass drift or soft face mallet until it separates from the collapsible shaft and the column tube upper section.
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I know this is the correct method as the first method I tried resulted in this.
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Nothing a bit of chemical metal can't fix. It doesn't bear a heavy load anyway.
The collapsible shaft may require being extended back to its original position/length. Do this by holding one end in a soft jawed vice and striking the underside of the temporarily positioned steering wheel retaining nut. There is a small circular cut out on the upper section which realigns with an indent in the
lower section to let you know that it is at its original length.
Lightly grease, with multipurpose grease, bearing no 7 and drive it into the base of the new steering column tube being careful not to shorten it's length. Do this by gripping the
lower section only as you insert the bearing and do not brace the top part against anything solid.
Prepare the collapsible shaft by cleaning off the old grease and lightly greasing the contact points.
Lightly grease and insert bearing no 5 into the ignition barrel assembly from below.
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Bush/bearing is absent from ignition barrel assembly.
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Slide the ignition barrel assembly and bearing down onto the top of the collapsible shaft making sure it engages fully.
Insert the bottom end of the collapsible shaft and ignition barrel into the top opening of the new steering column tube guiding it down the way being careful to
guide the bottom end of the collapsible shaft through bearing no 7 before driving it home with a soft faced mallet. Tap the ignition barrel gently and not the shaft end.
Secure the ignition barrel with a bolt.
Put new spring no 6 in place and reattach the universal joint/half shaft assembly securing with a nut and bolt.
Put the spring no 8 and splined collar no 2 back on top of the collapsible shaft and pull it down by tightening the steering wheel retaining nut.
Test that the steering lock mechanism is functioning correctly before proceeding any further.
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Place the sound absorption pads,no 12a, in the column upper mounting points and then the new metal pads, no 12, while it is on bench/table and more accessible. The pads fit neatly into the pads in one direction only to let you know their fitting orientation.
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Installation of the column assembly is reversal of the removal with a few points of interest to note and observe.
Offer the column assembly into position and engage the
lower retaining clip into position on its bushing.
Semi tighten the upper locating bolts.
Slide the retaining plate over the two shaft halves.
Loosely secure with the connecting piece and nuts.
Progressively and evenly tighten the shear bolts until the heads break off as designed to do so.
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Now torque up the connecting piece nuts.
Use new nuts and bolts were possible and if not then medium strength thread lock.
Reattach the remaining fixtures in reverse order of their removal and reattach the battery negative terminal and test drive.
As previously stated I found that it was necessary to find the wheels dead a head position and re-centre the steering wheel.
I will post another reply with the exploded diagram of the steering wheel assembly and whatever torque values I know of.
Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed.