Steering Column Bush - UKC2322

bmcecosse · Postby **bmcecosse** » 26 Jul 2009 11:24

Well - the manuals always INSIST that the washers be replaced - and there is no 'collapsible' section as such - except the angled section with the two universal joints. I'm guessing the washers and bush are intended to hold the shaft firm so the universal joints will buckle over on them selves in a hard frontal. The steering wheel shaft should be held firmly radially in normal use by the two nylon bushes in the outer column - one at the top one at the bottom.

Reddragon · Postby **Reddragon** » 26 Jul 2009 12:37

BMC

If you look under the dash along the steering column you will see a 1/2" x 2" X 2" block that straddles the steering shaft. That block has 2 bolts on one side and a nut with allen set screw on the other.

There is is an intermediary shaft that is adjustable that this block locks to some degree in place between the upper steering shaft and the shaft to the rack. This intermediary shaft has the ability to be pushed about 6" along the upper part to the steering column in a hard front hit. It also allows for some adjustment to the u-joint at the firewall.

I have found in most cases that age and rust make it hard to move this intermediary shaft. With time, a lot of penatrating oil, and a hammer and flat bar it slide.

Dale
1974 TR6
1977 TR7 FHC

bmcecosse · Postby **bmcecosse** » 26 Jul 2009 17:38

Ahh - thanks for that Dale - yes - I know the bracket etc - but didn't realise that was in effect a sliding joint. Roy

REPLIC8 · Postby **REPLIC8** » 21 Jun 2010 19:40

Is it possible to replace the steering column bush in the bulkhead without removing the sheer bolts & taking the column out first? I've removed the lower column & the universal joint anyway & thought it might be a good opportunity to change the bush.

Andy
1981 UK SPEC TR8

Beans · Postby **Beans** » 21 Jun 2010 20:01

I replaced the break bolts from the column with machine Allan head bolts.
Now pretty easy and quick to remove the steering column ...

Gives you the opportunity to replace the two upper bushes.

<center>

1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, now restored and back on the road)
1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)
[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]My Weblog[/url]</center>

Bobbieslandy · Postby **Bobbieslandy** » 21 Jun 2010 21:15

yes, takes about half an hour. MARK EVERYTHING with a scribe or similar! undo and remove the two bolts which secure the UJ in the engine bay to the steering column, cover the splines at each end of the UJ in penetrating oil, knock the UJ down off of the steering column end and down onto lower shaft. Inside the footwell remove the clamp which secures the steering column shaft (there's two clamps around that area, one seems to have three bolts, you don't touch that one the one you want is further up the column with just two bolts) then sitting in the drivers seat pull the steering wheel towards you and it will slide up clearing the bush in the bulkhead enough for you to remove and replace the bush. But, as Beans says it is best to replace both, i just didn't have time!

Rob.

Oh, i used the polybush version and it seemed that the I/D was slightly too large so might be an idea to measure first before buying one.

fastman · Postby **fastman** » 21 Jun 2010 21:33

I just changed mine last week before the 8 hour drive to a large British car meet. I had no fitment problems of my poly bush from Ted @ TSI, but after soaking the bush in hot water for 5 minutes, liberally oil the bush to avoid squeaking with penatrating oil. This job needed doing and has a great affect on the feel of the wheel now that I'm not hearing metal on metal clanking.

I was the only TR7 out of just over 100 cars. There were two TR8 DHC, and my TR7 FHC.

nick · Postby **nick** » 22 Jun 2010 01:30

With a dremel tool, cut some slots in the brake bolts and then you can remove them with a screw driver as you please.

nick
'79 TR7

REPLIC8 · Postby **REPLIC8** » 22 Jun 2010 06:10

I thought there was only one bush? Are there some in the column itself?

Andy
1981 UK SPEC TR8

tr7sprint1 · Postby **tr7sprint1** » 22 Jun 2010 12:27

The steering has two more in the upper part close to the steering wheel.

See Rimmers Bros part illustraition of them, look for part no. FAM2406.

"GETTING SPEED OUT OF A LOW POWERED CAR IS OFTEN MORE REWARDING, THAN WITH TIRE-SMOKING BRUTES"

Hasbeen · Postby **Hasbeen** » 03 Aug 2010 00:26

Some patches of roads on the way back from Sydney were pretty bad. Poorly built sections in wet areas have been continually damaged by heavy trucks, & are now a series of bituminised potholes for a Km or 2 in places.

Over these the steering wheel was jumping around, behaving a bit like scuttle shake, & the whole car felt sloppy.

After a very good look, the only thing I could find was a very little play in the steering column firewall bush. Closer inspection revealed that the bush was actually a steering column upper bush, slightly modified, & was rotating in the firewall, & a little loose.

Got the right bush, & as the manual does not even mention this bush, had to muck around a bit getting it fitted. Off down a smooth road, I could not find much difference, but down a bumpy back road, WOW!

On the bumpy stuff the car is transformed. Firstly the wheel is rock steady, but the whole thing feels so much more solid, & the steering is easier, & more accurate. If your steering is at all sloppy or soggy, replace this bush, you'll be so glad you did.

I have never got so much improvement from such a little job. The 8 is now almost as nice a cruiser as the 7, & that's saying something.

Hasbeen

bmcecosse · Postby **bmcecosse** » 03 Aug 2010 08:57

That's interesting - I have been thinking about this 'bush'. Is it really a 'bush' in the sense that it grips/steadies the steering column - or is it just a seal/grommet where the steering column passes through the firewall ?? Mine is a bit sloppy - and I'm worried the MOT inspector will fail it (he's always got to try and find something!) - so was thinking of fitting a polyurethane bush there. Did you dismantle the column to fit this Hasbeen - or did you just slit it and slide it into position ?

Beans · Postby **Beans** » 03 Aug 2010 08:59

Indeed a job well worth the effort [:)]

I replaced all three steering bushes on the DHC (poly bush in the bulkhead, and some very tight fitting plastic ones for the upper column).
OK the steering is slightly heavier than before but absolutly no rattles.

<center>

1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, now restored and back on the road)
1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)
[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]My Weblog[/url]</center>

Hasbeen · Postby **Hasbeen** » 03 Aug 2010 12:06

Beans, I have done the upper column bushes in a couple of cars,
including my 7, but this is the first bulkhead bush I've done. How
did you get the bush through the bulkhead?

bmcecosse, I could not get the UJ to slide down the lower column
spline, so I undid the clamp under the dash, that holds the upper
column down, & slid it out the top about 4". Did not have to touch
the indicators or switches. In retrospect I don't think we could
have got the bush in, with the column in place.

The flange on the inner side of the bush is very large, & when I
tried to force it through with a bolt through it, I could see the
bush deforming. [Boiling or grease did not help].

We then cut through one spot of the bush, at about a 45 degree
angle, with a very sharp knife. It was easy to spread the thing at
the cut, & wind it into the bulkhead, in a couple of seconds.

The steering felt a bit heavier, with the wheels off the ground, but
not any heavier driving down the road, just much nicer.

Hasbeen

Beans · Postby **Beans** » 03 Aug 2010 12:13

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Hasbeen

... How did you get the bush through the bulkhead? ... <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
As always, I just pushed it in with the help of a large and slightly blunt screw driver.
Very easy as there was no steering column in the way [:)]

<center>

1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, now restored and back on the road)
1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)
[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]My Weblog[/url]</center>

Anonymous