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+--- Thread: Steering Side Tube (/showthread.php?tid=1344)
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Steering Side Tube - David.H - 17-06-2018
My steering arm (the one on the car) has worn ends & I have bought end kits to make them tighter. There are a couple of problems with putting in the new parts
1. Getting the ball pins out (I don't have access to a press)
2. Getting the half cups out of the tube. As far as I can see they are pushed into the tube up to a step? After 86 odd years they are not keen to leave their ancestral homes. Penetrating fluid, judicious heat; they don't want to come out. I am concerned that dropping the tube onto a hard surface to encourage them to drop out will end up damaging the tube. It is relatively weak because of the cut outs.
various shims & hard thick distance pieces have dropped out of the end caps presumably to increase the spring pressure, they do not feature in the parts list. Do I put them back or keep them for future use (instead of replacing the spring perhaps!!)
Any ideas?
David
RE: Steering Side Tube - Nick Lettington - 17-06-2018
That mirrors my experience.
Start with the end that looks least rusty. I found i could get one moving with a pin punch through the bolt hole, then tapped it back. I then scraped the inside of the tube and tried again, finally dropping the tube on the back of the vice repeatedly. The second end is easy as you can pass a bar through the centre and drift it out.
A little work with a rat tail file restored the slightly fattened end of the tube to allow the new part in.
There are sometimes issues with the springs allowing too much movement of the ball, so you may need to pack and shim the end caps. A sash clamp aids re-assembly.
As for the ball section, Ruairidh posted a link for a small fork type ball joint splitter on a similar Facebook thread recently... He will hopefully do so here soon...
RE: Steering Side Tube - Bob Culver - 18-06-2018
Tapers in place can sometimes be persuaded with a robust g clamp or small vice and a spacer tube. Never throw out pipe and tube oddments.
Before everyone owned pullers a common technique was to support the eye transversely with a sledge hammer head, large axe head etc and deliver a sharp hammer blow opposite. The well coordinated may be able to deliver simultaneous opposing blows using two hammers. More than one or two whacks not recommended.
As Sevens do not have hydraulic brakes can get by without a wife. But useful for compressing the tube for assembly. Some use a carpenters cramp; I have a gadget made from two lengths of threaded rod.
RE: Steering Side Tube - Terrytuned - 18-06-2018
David check BA7C technical website there is an article under steering drag link refurbishment that should give you all the information you need.
Terry.
RE: Steering Side Tube - Speedex750 - 18-06-2018
(18-06-2018, 10:04 AM)Terrytuned Wrote: David check BA7C technical website there is an article under steering drag link refurbishment that should give you all the information you need.
Terry.
Experience from Mini ball joints is that the taper flopping about is too loose and not being able to push it over is too tight. If you can just about push it from side to side with your thumb - that should give no undue play in the joint. You adjust this with shims behind the end cap. You can make it adjustable by welding a nut on the end of the end cap and fitting a through bolt and lock nut. Equally a grease nipple on the top like the 36-39 ones is a good addition.
RE: Steering Side Tube - David.H - 18-06-2018
(18-06-2018, 10:04 AM)Terrytuned Wrote: David check BA7C technical website there is an article under steering drag link refurbishment that should give you all the information you need.
Terry.
Thank you for that information Terry. A really comprehensive article (& another showing how to assemble the ends to the arm when it has strong springs. Suffice it to say mine more or less dropped off! No pressure there as they say!!!
I look forward to reassembly....
D
RE: Steering Side Tube - Terrytuned - 18-06-2018
Details of drag link ball joint adjuster.
RE: Steering Side Tube - peter burton - 19-06-2018
Hi everyone,
Wonderful drawings and picture would have taken me a thousand words to explain.
I can only guess that Sevens must never wear out as commercial vehicles have had adjustable ball joints since the year dot, not quite the same as explained but adjustable to obtain the correct 'pinch' as doing it with shims would take ages to get things 'just so'.
Loose springs plus a slack steering box along with dodgy tracking results in a nice meander down the Queen's highway.
Have fun, Peter
RE: Steering Side Tube - David.H - 19-06-2018
Sorted!
Application of heat with a gas torch, followed by quite firm, but gentle tapping around the area with the tube resting on a small anvil resulted in the offending cups popping out. Similar technique freed the old pins from their tapers. Now to reassemble it.
Thanks for the advice...I won't be making them adjustable though!
David
RE: Steering Side Tube - Dave Mann - 19-06-2018
Heres a pic of the original method of adjusting the steering tube ball float.