DavidM
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| posted on 26/3/06 at 11:31 PM |
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One Step Forward, Five Steps Back.
This weekend was a bad one. I decided to to order an SVA pad for my Mountney steering wheel as the wheel I had fitted didn't have a centre horn
push, and I didn't want to mess about with my wiring.
So I fitted my Mountney wheel, 5 minute job, I thought.
First time I fitted it I had the indicator cancel orientated wrong, so had to remove wheel to reposition. It wouldn't come off so I had to knock
it off with a hammer and piece of wood.
Refitted wheel but this time it wouldn't go far enough onto the shaft before the nut went fully tight even though it was located correctly. I
had to knock it off again with wood and hammer to reposition, and finally got it fitted correctly.
Big problem now is that the steering column is bugg*red. It has a flat spot in the dead ahead position meaning you need to hang off of it to get the
steering started. I think the hammering messed up the bearings.
So, next weekend I'll be getting a new column from the scrappy, which means drilling out the lock because its unlikely to have a key, removing
my dash and scuttle to get at the mounts and refitting the bl**dy wheel!
So much for being nearly finished.
Watch out in the "For Sale" section, it's still possible it could turn up in there as an unfinished project.
Proportion is Everything
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Kissy
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| posted on 27/3/06 at 06:14 AM |
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Are you sure you've knackered it? - you have to give it some abuse to do that. I'd take it out and just be 100% it needs replacing rather
than repairing.
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DavidM
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| posted on 27/3/06 at 07:33 AM |
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I disconnected it from the steering linkage, and it's still tight to turn. How much work is involved in changing the bearings?
David
Proportion is Everything
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NS Dev
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| posted on 27/3/06 at 07:52 AM |
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unfortunately it's more likely that you've bent the column.
I guess you hit the wheel somewhere?
I have done the same thing myself in the past and bent a column surprisingly easily, gives it a nasty tight spot!
Retro RWD is the way forward...........automotive fabrication, car restoration, sheetmetal work, engine conversion
retro car restoration and tuning
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02GF74
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| posted on 27/3/06 at 09:10 AM |
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if the innere is bent, you should be able to strighten it; the outer is quite thin and if has deformed inwards, it will be diffiult to pull the dent
out; you can grind the bit out and weld over or mabe drilling hole and using self tappers to piull on.
Not sure what exactly you were doing.
A mountney has a boss, if escort mk2, then that has splines. The wheel itselft. attaches using 6 bolts.
to get the boss off you would use a puller so that should cause no damage.
To aline the steering wheel to straight ahead, you can remove the boss and put it on again, use one of 6 position of the wheel to boss mount or undo
the splined end on the rack drive.
If the splines are damage then you need to get new column.
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Marcus
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| posted on 27/3/06 at 09:27 AM |
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In an ideal world a puller would be used, but i guess he didn't have one!
I've never used a puller, so I usually pull the wheel as hard as possible and get an assistant to gently tap the steering column with the nut
still on a few threads.
It's been awkward, but I've never damaged one.
Marcus
Marcus
Because kits are for girls!!
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 27/3/06 at 09:29 AM |
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If it's anything like the Mountney boss I had (and returned) you would have needed a 6lb sledgehammer to make it fit properly.
My current Astrali boss can be fitted and removed with a gentle blow with my open hand.
DJ
[Edited on 27/3/06 by David Jenkins]
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02GF74
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| posted on 27/3/06 at 09:44 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Marcus
, so I usually pull the wheel as hard as possible and get an assistant to gently
there are many broken and bruised noses to show that that method works 
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MikeRJ
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| posted on 27/3/06 at 10:25 AM |
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Which is why you always leave the nut on a few turns...
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Peteff
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| posted on 27/3/06 at 11:12 AM |
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Which column is it? Did you disengage the steering lock before you tried to tighten the wheel down? It might just be the steering lock tab catching so
try forcing it back down with a flat bladed screwdriver. I did this and was surprised to find it worked again after. Put the key in and turn it to the
first position while you do it though.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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DavidM
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| posted on 27/3/06 at 11:49 AM |
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It's a Sierra column with a hexagon. I had the steering lock off each time I fitted it. I didn't have a puller to hand so I had to knock
it back off the hexagon, with the nut on a few turns, but it was REALLY tight. First time I've ever had a problem changing a steering wheel.
Resulting symptom is as NS Dev describes.
David
Proportion is Everything
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