Damn - steering collumn knuckle joints

[Julesprivate]

Damn, after a great day working on the car today I have hit a snag.

The yop knuckle joint in the steering collum has worn and needs replacing. I have bought a pair of joints and was going to fit them today.

Umfortunately the top one seems to be impossible to change. By that I mean the "prong" for to joint is actually and integral part of the sterring rod, rather than something that bolts on and off.

Mine is a S1, i wonder if that's "unique" to them as i did source and buy a top knuckle joint but cannot see how to make that work, short of cutting the old one off and welding the new one on (?)

Has anyone come across this before? Am i missing anything obvious?

[Julesprivate]

This is the issue:



the column has the "tang" welded on, so the new bolt on UJ won't go on. I "could" cut the welded section off and see then if the new UJ will clamp on (or weld it on) but once I cut that off there is no going back.

Does anyone have a "spare" steering column they'd be willing to sell?

[Julesprivate]

Has anyone tried one of these in the past:

http://www.rallydesign.co.uk/product_info.php?cPat...

It "looks" about right...

[Alan Whitaker]

Hi
What's on the other end of the shaft, the lower end looks well corroded, would need to clean off all the rust to get a good weld. Car Builder Solutions do some splined shafts

http://www.cbsonline.co.uk/product/Splined_Shaft_S...

This may fit into your new end ,and could be welded to the top of your rusty shaft (if pos and not rusty) where the metal is good. I would not weld the rusty bit and trust it


Alan

edit same idea, is the other end of your rusty thing splined

Edited by Alan Whitaker on Sunday 5th May 12:20

[Julesprivate]

This is the full length:




It's predominantly surface rust, but I'd be more than happy to change the shaft if I could find one the right length and diameter at each end...

[Alan Whitaker]

Just get a new shaft with the right splines and cut it if you need it longer, do a better job of the splice that TVR did.

Alan

[Julesprivate]

Cheers..

I think I'll give this one a go:

http://www.rallydesign.co.uk/product_info.php?prod...

Who knows, it might be the perfect length without cutting LOL..

Thanks for the input

[Barkychoc]

Get someone to measure their car that has a splined shaft - or go to Thoresby on Monday with a tape measure ;-)

[Gerald-TVR]

Julesprivate said:

Has anyone tried one of these in the past:

http://www.rallydesign.co.uk/product_info.php?cPat...

It "looks" about right...

That fits the S2 so ther's a good chance, but contact phillpot he had a shaft and u/j's from me and i know he has replaced his shaft with a very shiny one so he might well have a spare for you to try etc

[Julesprivate]

Gerald-TVR said:

That fits the S2 so ther's a good chance, but contact phillpot he had a shaft and u/j's from me and i know he has replaced his shaft with a very shiny one so he might well have a spare for you to try etc

Cool thanks, as you say, if it fits an S2 it has a good chance of fitting my S1. I'll drop Phillpot a PM too :-)

[Loach1]

I have a similar setup on my S1. If the shaft length is measured from joint centreline to joint centreline, 400mm looks right on. I have a length of thick walled tube in the middle of mine, which appears to be pinned and welded to the shorter shafts. Not sure if this is original or not. Quirky as usual.

[Julesprivate]

Loach1 said:

I have a similar setup on my S1. If the shaft length is measured from joint centreline to joint centreline, 400mm looks right on. I have a length of thick walled tube in the middle of mine, which appears to be pinned and welded to the shorter shafts. Not sure if this is original or not. Quirky as usual.

excellent - many thanks

[phillpot]

Gerald-TVR said:

contact phillpot he had a shaft and u/j's from me and i know he has replaced his shaft with a very shiny one so he might well have a spare for you to try etc

Might have

If this is any use to you give me a shout

[Julesprivate]

SHOUT

Mike, the PM facility seems to be broken, I'm very interested though can you mail me at julesprivate at hotmail.co.uk please?

Thanks!!

Jules

[Top Gear TVR]

i think i would have cut it..........

[Julesprivate]

Top Gear TVR said:

i think i would have cut it..........

I was Soooooo tempted.. But as I am really only doing the car in prep to sell it I'd feel much more comfortable replacing the whole thing.

If I were keeping it I'd probably have done that..

[Top Gear TVR]

i used to work for an ex merchant seaman who was used to doing everything with 'just what yer had'.

he used to use an awful phrase which was something like 'the faint hearted never fxxxd a pig' when anyone showed a sign of weakness.

Bravery is great - until it goes wrong! Or involves pigs from what i can see!

at least you have it covered.

[Julesprivate]

Top Gear TVR said:

i used to work for an ex merchant seaman who was used to doing everything with 'just what yer had'.

he used to use an awful phrase which was something like 'the faint hearted never fxxxd a pig' when anyone showed a sign of weakness.

Bravery is great - until it goes wrong! Or involves pigs from what i can see!

at least you have it covered.

Yep "faint heart never f***ed Pig" is a great old naval saying :-)

Being ex RAF myself ours was "Close enough for government work" and I do use that at work sometimes!
Not on the car though, I take more care with that..

Good job i don't work in the Nuclear Power sector..... oh no wait, I do...

[phillpot]

Julesprivate said:

SHOUT

Mike, the PM facility seems to be broken, I'm very interested though can you mail me at julesprivate at hotmail.co.uk please?

Thanks!!

Jules

Got it ?

[steve j]

Julesprivate said:

Yep "faint heart never f***ed Pig" is a great old naval saying :-)

Being ex RAF myself ours was "Close enough for government work" and I do use that at work sometimes!
Not on the car though, I take more care with that..

Good job i don't work in the Nuclear Power sector..... oh no wait, I do...

I know that phrase very well, used to hear it at St Athan on VC10 majors.