In a message dated 97-06-04 10:22:20 EDT, you write:
<<
Once again I come looking for the wisdom of the list. My Midget has
just begun to make some unusual sounds from the steering column.
When I turn the wheel in either direction, I hear the distinct sounds
of "flat friction." It's not grinding, its not squeaking - like to
pieces of rough plastic sliding against one another. The sound
oscillates as the wheel goes 'round.
It just struck me that I've only ever heard the sound after a good
rainstorm. God knows we've had a few of those in Vancouver the last
couple of weeks. Might just be that the roof is overhead so I get
less ambient noise.....I dunno!
>>
Chris,
I had a similar problem on a 72 midget after about 80k miles. It happened a
long time ago, so the memory is a bit dim. As I remember, there is an
electrical contact at the top of the steering column, I guess for the horn.
There is a narrow rectangle of metal pressing an electrical contact onto a
disc of metal that rotates when you steer (sorry I don't know the technical
terms). The electrical contact wore away leaving the metal rectangle to make
contact. Sometimes it squeaked and sometimes it didn't. If that's the
problem, you just need a new contact.
- Roy
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