Steering wheel problem!!

[REGGY5GT]

just put my new dash in this weekend and ive got a problem with my steering column that i havent noticed before, the whole column inner shaft is sitting about a inch too high thus my steering lock not working plus the self cancelling indicators as the boss is away from the indicators cancellor shaft, i cant seem to get my head round this as the car hasnt been in a smash. the column dash screws line up perfect it just seems the inner shaft is the problem, any help would be very much appreciated, thanks.

[Sparkie]

get a block of wood on the metal bit of the steering wheel. use a large lump hammer and tap the steering wheel back down. - do not tap too hard or too often else the boss catches on the dash cowl surround.

[REGGY5GT]

ok sparkie ill go give it a try now, thanks very much, id be gutted if someone had broke in my 5 and realised it had no steering lock,lol, thanks again buddy

[Valfrid]

I had the same issue- the end shaft hadn't properly located at the bottom end. Block of wood and hammer did the trick fro me as well...

[SCHWARTZ]

you looked at the bolt on the colum 13mm i think that allows you to move the wheel up and down?

[REGGY5GT]

ive sorted the issue out now, brill bit of advice lads, hammer and chunk of wood worked, now i have a nice flush steering wheel plus it doesnt look so bus like now,lol.

[car.crash]

mine was the opposite, i just removed the dash so whilst i was there i pulled the colum out further to stop it from rubbing.

[Nick k]

Has everybody missed the point here!! if the column has moved it means one of the bolts is loose on the universal joint ( if it has them) or the knuckle on the rack.

Might be worth checking that as well, not just hammering it back into position and thinking all is fine, They don't just move out of alignment for no reason.

[car.crash]

nick the colum sits in a tube surrounded by bearings and can slide in and out if pushed or pulled.

[Nick k]

Yes i know that!! It can be moved once you undo one of the joints. Does the guy say he has undo anything? No. This column has moved because he has pulled his steering wheel off and in doing that the column has pulled out abit due to either the uv clamp being loose or the rack knuckle. So he needs to check it.. This was the point.

[car.crash]

i didnt undo any of my joints and i moved the steering wheel out slightly tonight as it was rubbing the dash. if i adjusted the uj then it would not sit in line with the 4 bolt holes so i put it back to where it was and hammerd the top colum with the bearings and steering lock down and the shaft then came out further and now it wont rub on the dash. the top of the colum with the bearings slides in and out if forced, this has nothing to do with the uj or the bottom of the rack.

[Nick k]

You really don't understand how the whole steering column works then do you. The outer column with the 4 bolts does'nt move period! its positioned so everything around it lines up, hence thats why the dash board has 2 screws in it that line up and screw to the outer column underneath the dash. The inner column can be moved in and out by undoing the uv joint or rack knuckle to line up the height of the steering wheel and steering lock/indicator cancel. If once lined up the wheel is rubbing on the dash board its because the dash board it not fitted correctly and proberly not screwed to the outer metal column as mentioned above. Been there, done it!!

If the inner column has moved or can be moved by pulling it, its loose and needs tightening up.

[car.crash]

i did the job few hours ago, the dash is out so i can see the whole colum. everythings tight. but you know best



part number 2 slides in and out of part number 1 if forced.

[Nick k]

Somebody has messed with your column in the past! And yes 14 years of experience with GT's i should know best.

If advice offered by other appears to be un safe and needs to be checked to determine the route cause of the problem then yes i will get involved and comment on it

[Dudders]

fight fight fight fight like being at school again lol
i can laugh coz i am happy i dont know what the hell im talking about

[Nick k]

fight fight fight fight like being at school again lol
i can laugh coz i am happy i dont know what the hell im talking about

yea like the other guy. I'd love to MOT that car.

[Dudders]

yea like the other guy. I'd love to MOT that car.

would you??
why??

[Nick k]

Too fail it on his steering column. Thinking about it. If his rear bearing is worn you might be able too put the column up abit. Still a fail. Night all.

[Dudders]

jack daniels and MOTD2, for that reason im out.

better to keep quiet and let people think you a fool...than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.

this has nothing to do with steering colomns or mot's but then im a pit bissed so i dont care.

[JRP]

Car.crash is on the ball here correctos
mimimal movement in it but will cure the original posts issues... major movement you have a prob small you will be all cool

[JRP]

[Nick k]

So if its out of alignment then. hit it with a hammer!! Not set it up correctly. If thats your method of repair then fair play too you.

Just read the first post again JRP carefully. ( the bit about the dash screws lining up to his outer column!!

[Brigsy]

When i had the subframe off my van i noticed the column moves up & down when the u/j is undone, 5 mins work to loosen/tighten if you want to adjust the steering wheel height.

[Nick k]

When i had the subframe off my van i noticed the column moves up & down when the u/j is undone, 5 mins work to loosen/tighten if you want to adjust the steering wheel height.

Thankyou. I rest my case!

[car.crash]

If you look at the diology you can see the colum sits within the tube with the 4 bolts. Even if the tube is bolted dead tight with all 4 13mm nuts done up you can still move the colum in and out a little with force. This will not move the colum on the uj if it's done up properly, it will just alter the angle of them slightly. The colum is not fixed within the top part otherwise you wouldn't be able to turn the wheel.

[REGGY5GT]

MOT whos car nick??

[REGGY5GT]

car crash that is right what you are saying about the column, ive also read the haynes on this and the inner rod is pressed into column sleeve and with a fair bit of pressure either back or forth will move the inner shaft, ive just done mine with the trusty hammer and wood and there ISNT a mm of play anywhere in the column, (side to side up down ect) the inner column will not move if the uj's are undone as like you have said its pressed in.

[Nick k]

Right lets start again..

The column is a metal tube with a rubbish plastic bearing in each end of it and 4 13mm bolt holding it in position.

The steering shaft lives inside the column and passes through and runs on the bearing and is attached to the steering wheel one end and the other to the rack via a uv joint.

The metal column is bolted into the correct position in the factory and the dash is screwed to it to obtain perfect alignment.

Then the steering shaft is located on the rack stud and moved up or down to align the steering lock to work correctly. ( hence moves up and down withinn the metal steering column )

the uv joint is then bolted up tight.

The steering wheel then sits perfect in position. ( 2mm gap between dash and back of wheel)

So we know the shaft does move if pulled really hard due to the bearing flexing with the force on them.

My point is the steering shaft should not of moved ( First post problem ) if he has only removed the dash! Its moved that much that this steering lock does work anymore and has proberly happened because he has roughed up the steering wheel trying to get it off and pulled the steering shaft up due to it not being tight enough on the rack joint.

Your method of moving the whole column yes will work and align the steering lock up again but that only masked the original problem. Your problem was different to his.

Using a hammer to push the steering shaft back into position again will work but you have to ask yourself why has it moved in the first place. Answer - Because its moved up on the uv joint. So its needs nipping up on the 13mm bolt that holds it.

[car.crash]

your still missing the point but both cars are fixed and im bored.

[Nick k]

Nice job John Wayne

[car.crash]

Nice job John Wayne

14 years of 5's and you ran a car with no bias valve and you have the cheek to rip my workmanship. top man

[Nick k]

14 years of 5's and you ran a car with no bias valve and you have the cheek to rip my workmanship. top man

OMG.... How long much effort did that take to get a come back!!

Profile stats are very handy to use as ammo. I'll have a look at yours if i have nothing better to do and get back to you

I first thought, " How the hell did he remember that!!"

[Sparkie]

just put my new dash in this weekend and ive got a problem with my steering column that i havent noticed before, the whole column inner shaft is sitting about a inch too high thus my steering lock not working plus the self cancelling indicators as the boss is away from the indicators cancellor shaft, i cant seem to get my head round this as the car hasnt been in a smash. the column dash screws line up perfect it just seems the inner shaft is the problem, any help would be very much appreciated, thanks.

there are too many variables to say for sure why your steering wheel was sitting too high. can you say for sure that it wasn't like that before? did you give the steering wheel a good tug to get it off?
last time this happened to me was when me and my mates dropped one side of the subframe to take out the gearbox without undoing the steering UJ. when we put the subframe back on the steering wheel was about an inch too high. all joints were tight. desperation and a big hammer were needed....

[REGGY5GT]

i hadent removed the steering wheel to take out the old dash, it was that hidious (painted white) i ripped it out the car in ten pieces without even moving the wheel,lol, the steering wheel has always sat high since ive owned the car, took the s/wheel off carefully to put my new dash in, finished installing it and put the s/wheel back on and wanted the dash perfect so asked on here for a bit of advice about why it was sitting so high, i know this is a TECHNICAL DISCUSSION but please no need for the arguments MY problem has been solved.

thanks
Tim