Steering wheel movement- other peoples experience?
Discussion
Hi All
Does anyone else contend with the issue of the steering wheel having movement in the upper mounting just under the dashboard?
My 350i has the Ford column which is adjustable. The upper mounting consists of 2 'L' shaped brackets which drop down from a cross member behind the dash (which I can only feel!). There are plastic spacers etc around a long M8 bolt which is attached to a lever for adjustment. There are so many different parts in this upper mechanism that the tolerance build up allows for excess play.....or at least it does on mine.
Is it just that mine is badly adjusted or have others taken to doing what I am considering, which is to remove the adjustment mechanism and bolt the column tight to the upper mounting- maybe by putting some metal spaers in there to take up the slack?
Your thoughts would be welcomed.
Cheers
Adrian
Does anyone else contend with the issue of the steering wheel having movement in the upper mounting just under the dashboard?
My 350i has the Ford column which is adjustable. The upper mounting consists of 2 'L' shaped brackets which drop down from a cross member behind the dash (which I can only feel!). There are plastic spacers etc around a long M8 bolt which is attached to a lever for adjustment. There are so many different parts in this upper mechanism that the tolerance build up allows for excess play.....or at least it does on mine.
Is it just that mine is badly adjusted or have others taken to doing what I am considering, which is to remove the adjustment mechanism and bolt the column tight to the upper mounting- maybe by putting some metal spaers in there to take up the slack?
Your thoughts would be welcomed.
Cheers
Adrian
Hi Mate..I dont have an adjustable steering column but there is a lttle bit of movement up and down and even in and out..I have replaced the steering bush..(Not upgraded) and the upper and lower steering UJ's..Nothing was mentioned at the MOT so its ok..However if you turn the steering to full lock L&R and then feel a slip type of movement of around 1/2" then the UJ's might need looking at..I think you might have more movement due to the fact that you have adjustable steering column...Cheers..Ziga
I think your last sentence summed it up.
The upper UJ is fine and I have just changed the bulkhead bearing. But the movement is definitely coming from the top.
In fact I clamped the upper joint tegether just after I posted the initial message and have since been for a drive and the movement is reduced. I think I shall move onto a more permanent (but reversible) clamping mechanism as I don't like clamping plastic parts.
A.
The upper UJ is fine and I have just changed the bulkhead bearing. But the movement is definitely coming from the top.
In fact I clamped the upper joint tegether just after I posted the initial message and have since been for a drive and the movement is reduced. I think I shall move onto a more permanent (but reversible) clamping mechanism as I don't like clamping plastic parts.
A.
Hi Adrian , my 350se had the same problem, I've since stripped mine down, and found the plates were bolted to the frame with weedy m6 bolts and thin washers, so changed them to m10 and heavy penny washers , then before nipping them up, I made sure the adjustment bolt mechanism was correctly fitted ad tightend up. Then nip the 3 bolts and it should be better, however check the dash frame is not loose, because that's a piece of crap too. I think because wedges suffer a bit of scuttle shake its all prone to needing a tighten up all round the dash and pedal area now and again.
Kev
Kev
Thanks Kev
Sounds like that might be something to look into in detail when I remove the dash for veneering. Access to the bolts holding the 'L' shaped brackets is difficult, as you will know, but I would imagine it will be a lot better without the dash in place.
I also want to tidy up some of the wiring behind there as it has obviously been moved around over the years and is a bit wayward!
nice to hear that it's not just me though.
Presumably you still have an adjustment mechanism working on it then?
A.
Sounds like that might be something to look into in detail when I remove the dash for veneering. Access to the bolts holding the 'L' shaped brackets is difficult, as you will know, but I would imagine it will be a lot better without the dash in place.
I also want to tidy up some of the wiring behind there as it has obviously been moved around over the years and is a bit wayward!
nice to hear that it's not just me though.
Presumably you still have an adjustment mechanism working on it then?
A.
Yes, definitely side to side movement and the scuttle shake accentuates it.
Of course one option would be to remove the 2 'L' shaped brackets between which the clamping mechanism holds and have a web welded onto each of them so that they cannot flex. That would mean that the clamping mechanism could still be used. But it would rely upon there beeing enough room for the webs not to clash on anything else around there.
I think a mod would make a big improvement so I shall have to list it as a project!!
A.
Of course one option would be to remove the 2 'L' shaped brackets between which the clamping mechanism holds and have a web welded onto each of them so that they cannot flex. That would mean that the clamping mechanism could still be used. But it would rely upon there beeing enough room for the webs not to clash on anything else around there.
I think a mod would make a big improvement so I shall have to list it as a project!!
A.
I was looking at the Heath Robinson arrangement on mine ('83 280i) last year when I discovered a bit of movement in the column. I had the bulkhead bush done years ago, made a big difference, but I couldn't work out if the top bracket was supposed to be 'like that'. There were two ali spacers holding the column away from the top mount, but they were too narrow and allowed the plastic washers below to ride up, also a bit too long forcing the column down. I fixed this by replacing them with broader ali spacers to keep everything apart securely at what looks like the correct distance. How far below the top mount the column should hang is whatever keeps the column straight (there is a bit of flex) but 22mm seems right on mine.
It's a bugger to access but at least the steering is a bit lighter now.
It's a bugger to access but at least the steering is a bit lighter now.
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