bulkhead steering bush

[Robert ody]

Hi Gents

After doing a bit of work on my wedgie today i noticed the bulkhead steering bush is a bit slack and with the front of the car jacked up and turning the steering from lock to lock it whines and moans and groans i was going to replace it before the MOT i would like to replace it with a bearing type rather than the bush. So any advice would be appreciated what is the best set up to use and where can i get the parts to do this job or is there anybody who makes this item all ready to use please


Regards Rob

[TVRleigh_BBWR]

When I was last thinking about this, I was tempted to use a spherical bearing (like a rose join without the shaft) but you would need to make a housing to fix to bulkhead. this would be very strong though once done.
McGill do very good Rose Joints and spherical bearing at a fair price.

[Tasmin200]

Everything you need should be here. Loads of info in the welcome to the Wedge wiki.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Robert ody]

cheers i will look into this


Rob

[Tasmin200]

Lovely looking car you have there Rob, I love the series 1 280. Those wheels are unusual but they work well on it.

[Grady]

I did mine a couple of months ago. It made a huge improvement and should last longer than the OEM bushing. Couple of things:

I made the (boneheaded) mistake of trying to sandwich the bearing brackets. One in the car and one in the wheelwell. Wrong, they clamp together metal to metal.

Some folks have the room to put the new bushing in the wheelwell. Which is much easier but I didn't. It had to go on the footwell - which is more difficult to get to.

I think one of the threads discusses being able to do it without removing the steering column. Not for me. The column came out (bolts and some wire connectors). But inside the steering column is a separate steering shaft which "floats" in the column. It resisted coming apart and I was sure there was some mechanical lock. But no. Once apart, cleaned and lubed it went back together.

There is a small spring inside the clamping mechanism that allows the up/down in/out movement.

It is mostly a one person job but a helper is handy for remounting the steering shaft into the upper knuckle (it was easier to have someone hold the knuckle steady and slip the pinch bolt in its groove while someone else taps the end of the shaft). Also having someone to hold the heads of the two mounting bolts while someone else tightens them up.

Grady

Edited by Grady on Monday 3rd August 15:16

[Robert ody]

cheers gents the car is nice it has been stood for a few years it has done 39000 but i am now finding all the little niggles

cheers Rob

[Robert ody]

HI Guys my steering column seems to be 19mm if i get a bearing with an internal diameter of 19mm or 3/4inch will that fit or does it have to be 20mm ID as i see most have a grub screw



rob

[Wedg1e]

Robert ody said:

HI Guys my steering column seems to be 19mm if i get a bearing with an internal diameter of 19mm or 3/4inch will that fit or does it have to be 20mm ID as i see most have a grub screw

rob

The bearing should be as close a fit on the shaft as possible; if it's not then as you tighten the grubscrew it pushes the shaft off-centre in the bearing which will make it describe a circle as you turn the wheel, rather than rotate axially.

[Stog]

I did this very job, I had to fit the bearing inside the footwell too but in my mind that'll also keep some of the crud out of it.
I've an early 280i too and I got the 19mm bearing, I had to smooth out a few little bits of the column with sandpaper to get it to fit but it's nice n snug now. You may also need to pinch your mother in laws Pot for a piece of chunky alloy

[Stog]

[Stog]

it was a handy but fiddly one person job, took about two hours.

[Robert ody]

HI Stog where did you get your bearing from please ? and do you have any details eg size or part numbers please


Rob

[adam quantrill]

Stog said:

I did this very job....You may also need to pinch your mother in laws Pot for a piece of chunky alloy

I am afraid now your car will get stuck in a jam.

[Wedg1e]

Stog said:

it was a handy but fiddly one person job, took about two hours.

I'd have put the nuts inside the car - and used Nylocs or threadlock adhesive.
The threads will fill up with road cack and corrode so getting the bolts out in future might be more difficult. Also if the nuts vibrate loose it'll allow the column to move around, bu99ering up your steering response.

[440Interceptor]

Robert ody said:

HI Stog where did you get your bearing from please ? and do you have any details eg size or part numbers please


Rob

Yes, second that, my bush was destroyed so I'm keen to improve things during the rebuild.

[mrzigazaga]

Stog said:

I saw a pot very similar to this on the Antiques roadshow last week sell for £2500...

[Stog]

Robert ody said:

HI Stog where did you get your bearing from please ? and do you have any details eg size or part numbers please


Rob

Here's the link to the one I got Rob.
http://m.rs-online.com/h5/mobile/uk/catalog?url=%2...

[Robert ody]

cheers

[Stog]

Wedg1e said:

I'd have put the nuts inside the car - and used Nylocs or threadlock adhesive.
The threads will fill up with road cack and corrode so getting the bolts out in future might be more difficult. Also if the nuts vibrate loose it'll allow the column to move around, bu99ering up your steering response.

Ian the pic is just a dry fit to see if everything fit ok, it's a bit awkward with one set of hands Nylocks will most definitely be going on the inside!
I also put a sheet of rubber between the plate and the bulkhead to help keep crap out.

mrzigazaga said:

I saw a pot very similar to this on the Antiques roadshow last week sell for £2500...

Doh! If I knew that I could have sold it and paid someone else to re-wire Trevor