Steering Column

[peter_m7uk]

Hi All,

 

I've been looking at mounting the steering on my Lightweight, but when I tried a test fit, it seemed that the steering wheel would protrude too far into the cockpit! In the first attached pic, you can see that my steering shaft (the universal jointed bit) ends an inch or so before the footwell begins. This seems to be about right compared to pics I've seen of other Lighweights.

 

In the second attached pic, you can see the steering column part attached to the shaft and lying in the driver's footwell. When I put the scuttle on, and lift the column up, it seems too far away from the dashboard to me.

 

In the remaining attached pics, you can see the steering for the RH demo car and for Warwick's, Simon's and Graham's cars. It looks to me like the RH demo car sticks out too far as well, similar to mine. But for Warwick, Simon and Graham, things look a bit neater....

 

So I'm wondering if anyone cut their column down a bit? Or pushed the collapsible part inside further? Or did they have a different column?? Mine is a non-adjustable one from a 1988 Sierra Ghia, but the one in the build DVDs is adjustable and the design looks quite different. I have plastic cowls for both types, but only the adjustable cowl would bridge the gap at the moment, although I'd have to cut it up a bit to make it fit the non-adjustable column.

 

Any advice appreciated

 

Cheers,

Pete

[peter_m7uk]

RH demo, Warwick

[peter_m7uk]

Simon, Graham

[agent_zed]

yep just push it further up the tube, its just on nylon bushes. Just make sure there is still enough room to move incase of an accident pushing the column.

 

hth

 

oh and the sierra wheel is prob a bit thicker than one of the small ones so wont stick quite so far out.

Edited February 10, 2010 by agent_zed

[peter_m7uk]

yep just push it further up the tube, its just on nylon bushes. Just make sure there is still enough room to move incase of an accident pushing the column.

 

hth

 

oh and the sierra wheel is prob a bit thicker than one of the small ones so wont stick quite so far out.

 

 

Thanks for that. I would probably have to push the rod up the tube 2 or 3 inches, but I'd still have a few inches protruding , so I guess that would be ok for collapsing the column in an accident. I wonder if there's anything in the IVA manual about a minimum length of the collapsible section...

 

Cheers,

Pete

[Guest snotfart]

i have just been through all this on mine and we appear to have the same column.

under no circumstances push the triangular part further up the column as the inner nylon bush is closed

and when the column is collapsed the bush is dislodged leaving only the outer one working,

this may not present a problem if the rest of the column is well supported but if it is not you will

end up with a load of play laterally.it is a real pain to relocate the displaced bush if the play is

excessive.shorten the lower rigid part instead.

[peter_m7uk]

i have just been through all this on mine and we appear to have the same column.

under no circumstances push the triangular part further up the column as the inner nylon bush is closed

and when the column is collapsed the bush is dislodged leaving only the outer one working,

this may not present a problem if the rest of the column is well supported but if it is not you will

end up with a load of play laterally.it is a real pain to relocate the displaced bush if the play is

excessive.shorten the lower rigid part instead.

 

Hiya David (or snotfart, if you prefer! ),

 

Thanks for pointing that out I hadn't actually reached the stage of shortening the column yet, so no harm done. Sorry to hear about your trouble, though I suppose I'll just take a hacksaw to it, then drill out a new hole to locate the UJ.

 

Cheers,

Pete

[agent_zed]

Hi,

i didn't have a problem pushing mine in, still as good as new but i guess i may have been lucky.

You may be safer cutting it as suggested.

 

As an aside I periodically shake my steering column and shafts to check for wear/loose joints, which is always a good habit to get into.

 

good luck