On my first install of my steering wheel I found that it bound on the steering column surround abrading the back of the wheel. After a lot of effort I managed to push the steering column through steering column enough to be OK. It seems though that there is a lot of thrust pressure thought that plastic mid bearing and the UJs.

Is there something I'm missing here in the set up of the steering column and surround? It seems a lot of spring loaded force on a plastic bearing held in place by a rubber gromet. I have the plastic steering column spacer and the bearing.

Is it supposed to be like this? I even had to do the bolts up on the steering rack to ensure that I could provide enough thrust to allow the steering wheel to be tightened up.

i'M NOT 100% sure from your description what it is that's wrong, but it definatly does'nt sound right

I was about to say the same thing

The shaft does slip into (ooer missus) the column when you take the wheel off sometimes, but it usually pulls back through when you put the wheel back on....

Yeah its as if the spring that goes though the column surround and out the back is pushing the whole steering column down.

The column looks fine from the outside. I'll have to take some photos once the missus is back with the camera.

It was, at first, so bad that it was griding the ally of the back of the wheel leaving fine shavings on the floor.

Its as if someone is pulling on the triangular part of the column trying to pull the steering wheel though the surround. I wondered if I'm missing some thrust bearing or something?

There is a spring which trys to push it all apart when you take the wheel off.

Theres a bearing in the bottom of the column housing which goes up against a ring on the column itself. Think the spring is in the bottom there too.

Then in the top theres another bearing and a plastic spacer.

When you do the steering wheel nut up it pulls the inner column through the housing and puts some thrust on both the bearings.

Old, crap pic attached which is probably no use

David
Rescued attachment Wiring 1.jpg

Is this a Sierra steering shaft? If so, there should be a spacer that fits between the top bearing and the wheel - in the 'real car' that had the bump that operated the indicator cancel. Readily available at your local Ford spares dept.

Originally I turned up a brass spacer that fitted between the top bearing inner race and the back of the wheel, but eventually I fitted the left-hand switch lever, so I needed the proper cancel spacer.

If it isn't a sierra steering column - just ignore me!

Yep I've got the small spacer that locates in the steering wheel. That seems fine and dandy.

I do wonder if the lower bearing that rests against the ring is missing or something like that. I'll have to take it all off tomorrow and have a look before I commit to replacing the nuts with nylocs.

quote:

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Originally posted by flak monkey
There is a spring which trys to push it all apart when you take the wheel off.

Theres a bearing in the bottom of the column housing which goes up against a ring on the column itself. Think the spring is in the bottom there too.

Then in the top theres another bearing and a plastic spacer.

When you do the steering wheel nut up it pulls the inner column through the housing and puts some thrust on both the bearings.

Old, crap pic attached which is probably no use

David

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Just a thought, IIRC you can't put the wheel on unless you disengage the steering lock. Ignore me if you have done.

Thanks, yep its disengaged. Looking at the Haynes book of lies for the Sierra I may be missing the upper thrust washer, but as thats not a bearing (and is loose fit) I don't think it matters too much in this case.

I have both bearings in there fine. I've dropped the shaft out of the surround and there is nothing much too it. It just looks like it is supposed to be like it is.

It looks as if I could just put a spacer in to pull the steering column thought, but that feels like a bodge to hide a real problem.

I've got a couple of images here


Naughty Wearing Steering Bit

The nughty bit that rubs

Its not the actual curved plate but the leading edge of the bracket that the plate is welded too directly below the rear of the curved plate, i.e. the wheel is pushing down on the bracket if you see what I mean.

Worn Bits Steering

The column
The red circle shows the spring pushing the shaft through/
The yellow arrow shows the abrasion
THe blue arrow points and the naughty bit.

[Edited on 30/5/07 by Catpuss]

Yay, fixed it.

It was the small plate below the steering column surround. Somehow it had been knocked forwards a few mm. A quick hit with a medium persuader and it moved back in to place. Hey presto a non binding steering wheel.