Paul,
Last summer, I performed the same project that you're intending to do
on my '72 TR6. To be succinct, it turned out to be a three week project!
But, it was well worth it, in my opinion, since there is no rattling of
the steering column anymore.
Contrary to what you've been told, I found that the lower bushing was
just
as worn as the top. So, that meant taking out the speedo and tach and
removing the
entire column. Without going into detailts, I ruined the outer casing
and
had to get
another one. They don't make them anymore, so I got a used one. Wouldn't
you know
it - the only one my shop had was from a '69 TR6 which didn't have the
hole
for the key lock mechanism. The ones from '70-'76 are the same, however.
Removing the bushings proved to be the easiest part. But I can't imagine
removing
even just the top one without taking out the entire column. Besides the
back-breaking
ordeal of removing the column, I found that replacing the bushings were
impossible.
So, I went to my local machine shop to have them pressed in. (no charge
-
he did
all my machining for me when I rebuilt the engine).
Even if I had all this information before I started the project, I'd
still
do it! It's
so much better without all that rattling.
Contact me off-line if you want some more help.
Jeff N.
At 10:08 PM 1/12/01 -0500, you wrote:
>
>Listers:
>
>I'm planning my late winter projects on my TR6. One item in need of
>attention is the steering cloumn bushings. From what I can tell, almost all
>of the slop in on the steering wheel end of things.
>Being a big fan of time saving, here's the question- has anyone changed the
>top bearing with the steering column in place?
>I'm thinking along the lines of tearing the topside off with the column in
>the car. Then, fish out the old bushing and putting in the new bits and
>closing the wound in place.
>IS this possible? Or am I making more work for myself doing it this way?
>
>Paul Burr
>
>
Director of Product Development
Manufacturing Systems & Technologies, Inc.
Web site: www.msystech.com
Telephone: 856-874-1884
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