support washer top felt bush steering column

[Dennis Nicholas]

Help.
Steering column top felt bush has a support washer that sits down in the outer column against a small shoulder.  The washer can get pushed out when putting the inner column/worm back in.  My washer is somewhat worn so would like to replace as am putting in new felt.  Re-assemble now halted.
Does anyone have one spare? Part number in spares list 2K6787 (earlier was BM134).   Also same in Big7 column.

For recognition approx sizes:- I/D 0.9" X O/D 1.02" and is 0.068" thick (2.3mm).

Dennis

[Peter Clayton]

YOU MAY FIND THAT A B.L. MINI IS SIMILAR

[Robert Leigh]

I think I remember a nylon bush at the top of the original Mini column, or I may be thinking of the 1100.

[Peter Clayton]

later models were nylon. early ones felt as here :- eBay item number:

162144645516

[Dennis Nicholas]

Still researching/lathing and general thinking (with difficulty).
The MINI GSV 1095 seems to be the nearest size nylon bush.....needs outer dia. and inner dia. to be turned down a bit.

A man after my own heart - see https://www.mgexp.com/forum/mga-forum.2/...t.2691137/ MGA Forum "felt steering bush replacement"
Now that is how I go about detailed research too  

I am still struggling with the felt support washer......latest idea is to use a bit of thick tubing I have which can be held in the 3 jaw chuck and the O/D and I/D turned down then a parting tool used to cut off a 0.068 thick slice from the end.......problem is I have never done any parting off before, some time ago I broke what looks to be about the right size parting tool while playing and lastly the lathe is a bit worn all round!

Have found that the inner column has a groove of about 0.010 inch deep worn around about 2/3rds of its diameter just about where the felt support washer is located in the outer.

Nobody I have spoken to seems to know that the washer exists....I just wonder how many A7s are going around without them or with badly worn ones.

A further problem found is that when the shimmed end clamping plate is tightened down the top of the inner column is biased over to one side  (causing the wear groove on the inner?    I am investigating cause.  
1.  Lower bearing race being pushed in more on one side than the other?
2. 1. above being caused by uneven face of spigot of end plate pushing bearing race in more on one side than other?  Difficult to measure anything to see what could be out.
3. uneven seating around inner diameter of box where outer race is an interferance fit? (seems unlikely).
4. upper of the 2 thrustbearings has outer race not sitting square against the box shoulder? (seems unlikely).
5.  How do you get that upper bearing outer race out of the column?  Only way I can think is to drill 2 diametrically opposite holes in the box which come out just above the outer race so it can be tapped out with a thin drift?

A bit hampered as I only have an internal micrometer that is 2 inches upwards so mostly trial and error to get O/D of support washer just right to be a slight interference fit inside the outer.

Any help/suggestions welcome.

Dennis

[Jeff Taylor]

I couldn't get Dennis' MGA Forum "felt steering bush replacement" link to work - so here it is:

https://www.mgexp.com/forum/mga-forum.2/...t.2691137/

[Dennis Nicholas]

Thanks Jeff.  I have now edited my original to correct link  (it was the MGA that should have been just MG)

Dont know if last two posts can be removed to save any extraneous reading?

Dennis

---

So far outer of tube turned down and steering column just presses on and some of internal boring done.  Took about an hour and a half to set up the boring tool, to tip being in centre, ,using the method of scribing a centreline along the outside of the tube with the point of the cutting tool (used for turning the outside down set up for centre against a centre mounted in the 3 jaw chuck).  All learning as I go and all turning being done very slowly and very little at a time as I just don't know what the metal of the tube is.
Very anxious now about the parting off of about 0.68" of washer which is in the region of 0.94" from I/D to O/D.

Dennis