Richard
>
> I have a 1960 TR-3A with a split steering column.
> I have been
>working on the steering for several months. The upper
>column had a lot
>of slop in it. The column would move inside the the
>tube that bolts
>onto onto the dashboard. I took the steering wheel
>off and took out the
>upper column. There was no bushing for the upper
>column to ride on.
Revington TR do a very cost-effective replacement nylon and rubber bush that
cures this problem. They're around #5 each and weigh nothing so airmail will be
cheap
The best way to do this job is to remove the whole outer column and then fit
the bushes. Do use 1/2" spanners when doing this, and not 13mm! This
description is based on an early TR4
There are two holes opposite each other in at the top & bottom of the outer
column. The bushes slide into the outer and a rubber key engages in the holes,
anchoring the bush. Push one bush up from the bottom, one down from the top
If you find the bell at the top of the outer column is sloppy or bent, drill
out the rivets holding it on, straighten it out, then rerivet it in place. Be
careful as the column outer is very soft ally
The column then slides home into the bushes and you can reattach the sliding
joint under the bonnet (hood)
Be aware that the bolts holding the sliding joint may well have stretched over
time and they should be replaced. The procedure as per the manual to fit this
joint is to slacken the locking nut & the allen centre bolt, fit the joint &
tighten the two bolts, then tighten the allen bolt till the allen key bends,
then lock it in place. Overtightening the two bolts will just stretch them and
doesn't make the joint any tighter.
Also the steering UJs will probably be shot - I _strongly_ recommend replacing
them with the solid steering joints also available from Revington
You should also check that the main shaft is straight and - very important -
that the splined areas are not worn. You need to wire brush them to bare metal
then examine them very carefully to see if the shaft is reuseable. S/h shafts
are available for around #15
Finally you will find that the outer column will tend to wander around where it
exits the dash. The clamp under the dash edge does not hold the outer tightly -
it has a felt washer so it holds it snug and it may be a little loose for your
tastes. Remove the speedo & tacho and check the diagonal bracing bar is bolted
in tightly and, if you still don't like, proceed as below
This is the big one: remove the whole dash and make up a new diagonal brace to
match the one that's already there. Bolt in place. Then put a jubilee clip
(hose clip) round the steering column outer and the lower dash brace (the one
that runs fore-aft) and tighten so it just pulls the column slightly. The outer
(and inner, with the new bushes) should now be pretty solid
Just avoid using the wheel as a lever to get in and out of the car...
Revington TR
http://www.revingtontr.com
Nick Froome
http://www.bolide.co.uk
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