Joined: Aug 2021 Posts: 55 Threads: 13
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Location: Norwich, UK
Car type: Austin7 RN saloon
I have just dismantled a spare steering column I acquired some time ago.
I think something must be bent. Seems to be sticking in the lower bush.
I can turn the inner column all around applying considerable force to a spanner on the wheel nut, however, in one small area it is free for about 10 degrees of movement.
Is it possible to ease this by reaming out the outer column lower bush?
That appears to be where it’s sticking.
Plan was to take out the free play in the worm gear using the valve paste technique then replace my current steering gear.
Any advice greatly accepted.
Joined: Oct 2017 Posts: 1,549 Threads: 56
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I'd check to see what is going on, if the inner column is bent then i'd scrap it as you don't know it's history.
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 477 Threads: 63
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Location: West/North Devon England
Yesterday, 01:15 PM
(This post was last modified: Yesterday, 01:26 PM by Dennis Nicholas.)
My steering column which had been in the car when it had a bad crash was catching at the column top as evidenced by wear on the felt seal retaining ring and wear marks on the inner column. A strip down and mounting the inner column in a big strong lathe and using a DTI mounted on the feed carriage revealed more than one out of alignment areas. With those positions marked with chalk, and a stout block mounted on the cross feed the slight out of alignment of each of the places on the column was pushed back into alignment by winding in the cross feed.....I did say it was a large very strong lathe!
Eventually it was near enough within a few thou strait. BUT I noticed that it would still not run true concentrically when mounted in vice without sector fitted to box and the top felt fitted and the shaft rotated 360 degs. The conclusion was that the shaft was bent just above where it exits from the lower bush....BUT BUT...since that was all checked for straitness as above there must be some other reason for concentric rotation of top end in relation to outer. Brain now steaming I thought well if the lower bearing was not mounted in the box exactly right then that would cause the fault? Also if outer column tube was slightly bent off true at the box then maybe that would...but no the inner would just run concentrically but just off centre? I did eventually get everything together and with only the merest of not quite right and perfect.....sorry but I cant remember everything I did in the end.
I should have said it is the hour-glass later box.
Dennis
