When I took the column off my donor car I was surprised how compresed the "corrugated" part of the outer column is - can someone tell me if this is normal or whether it has already collapsed please.
Rescued attachment steering column.jpg

Andy, that is not the collapsable bit. The actual part that collapses is the solid square shaft into the squared off tube. If you put it into a vice and tap the lowere end out or in you will see the movement.

David

Umm!!

Yes that is one of the bits that are meant to collapse, and yours has.
White is correct in saying that the lower triangular section will slide in and out but also the bellows section should allow the whole assembly to push forwards under impact. The bellows section should be about 5-6" long.

Mick

It's already concertina'd on them. The triangular bit shoves in and out and it has an extra u.j. on a short extension. I helped fit one lthe other week from a posh Sierra with no damage and it was like that when it came off. You are alright with that one.

Cheers for the replies - the adjustable rack being different makes sense - there was certainly no sign of any impact damage on the donor when I took it apart so was puzzled about how it could have collapsed, but thought I had seen bellows much longer than mine.

Andy,

Your column looks like it did when it left the factory, The adjustable ones have a very small collapsable section - I have no idea why, but that the way they are!

Whenever these section do collapse, they always go off at an angle, there is no mistaking it

Ooops!!

Sorry for the bad info, I've got columns from a Sierra and an escort and on both the bellows are 5-6" long. You live and learn.

Mick