A few weeks ago I mentioned that I had rebuilt a steering column and
I got several requests for an in-depth. Well I did it again, so before the
memory dump...
This saga refers to columns from a '74 roadster and a '69 roadster, both of
which I'm pretty sure are stock. It also refers to a unit from a rubber car
of indeterminate age.
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DISMANTLING
Keep in mind that the collapsible columns aren't really made to be
rebuilt. There's one particular move that some folks might not like. Your
move. Also, there are several different designs. I have three at the house
and none are the same, but some of the parts are, so you MIGHT be able to
mix & match. I started this at 9:00 am and had it back in the car by 4:00
pm. I could have done it in 5 hours but I pulled another one apart looking
for parts and I wasn't in a big hurry.
After removing the unit from the car, first remove the turn signal
dog. It's not welded on, it's just a clip. Under that, after you clean it
up, you'll see either a C-clip on top of some washers (69? > 74?) or an
inside jesus clip(tm) set way down inside. If it's the C-clip keep in mind
there are springs underneath pushing it up. Nothing big but they're there.
If it's the jesus clip I advise buying a cheap jesus tool(tm) because you'll
probably have to bend it to get there and you don't want to trash a good
one. Remove said clip(s). If it's a jesus clip there's another one (outside)
underneath it. Out with it.
At the other end you should see a spring and a bizarre plastic nut
on the C-clip type or yet another j-clip. At the end of the casing there is
a ridge with a little triangular detent on the outside. That ridge is the
outside of the bearing which has worn out and you can't buy. Anywhere. Score
the edge of the bearing at the triangle for later alignment. If it's a
j-clip consider yourself touched by the gods. If you're dealing with C-clips
there are two ways to get it out;
1. Beat on it from the inside. The ignition is supposed to lock,
right? The thing that the ignition locks into makes a dandy slide hammer and
it won't cost you $45 like I've seen advertised here by someone doesn't say
much anymore. Easy does it. Remember, you can't buy a new bearing.
2. Slice & dice (the right way). Find a screwdriver that will fit
into that triangular detent and still give you some prying space. Twist it,
and then it's like opening a paint can.
At this point, you should be able to remove the entire inside column
from the ouside case. The lower bearing and all will come with it. Now comes
the fun part. If you're into the easy life and don't mind living it
dangerously, you can take a brass hammer and while holding the lower
(fatter) section up in the air, beat on the ignition lock until the upper
(thinner) section comes out. IT'S NOT REALLY SUPPOSED TO. But that's the
only way you can get the bearing off the column for cleaning. On the sides
of the fat part you'll see two little holes per side. When the columns were
built, what they did was put them together and inject a liquid plastic in
there. It went around a groove in the thin part and when it hardened, the
ring and the little tit going up through the hole locked the two units in
place. When you use this method you're breaking that lock for good. What
this means is that when you put it back together it won't be as solid as it
was before. If you do this, make sure you measure the length of the shaft
end to end, or score the thinner part at the fat part so you can get it back
to the same length at refit. The only other way to do this is to clean the
bearing while it's still on the shaft and it's a major pain in the ass.
On the upper end of the case is the other bearing. It's a unit and I
don't advise trying to take it apart, but it should come off the casing.
Some are screwed in and some are riveted. Your move.
Clean all the parts well. Be very careful with the lower bearing.
The first one I did came apart on me and I played hell getting it all back
together. If it's the kind with the fiber insert and it comes apart on you,
you might think hard about $275 for a new column.
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EXAMINATION & RENOVATION
The upper unit comes in two different styles. One is the jesus clip
type and the other is the C-clip. If you've got j-clips you may actually be
able to get new bearings from a bearing supply house as long as you don't
tell them where it came from. If you mention anything about LBC's they'll
laugh at you and maybe hand you a free sample of some new lubricant.
If it's the C-clip all you can do is take that brass hammer and a
suitable driftpin and carefully beat on the top edge of the casing holding
the bearing in. All the way around. You're just reseating it. If it was
tight when you took it out you may still want to do this since some of the
tightness was probably from age hardened grease which you hopefuly removed
most of when cleaning.
The lower unit comes in at least three different styles. One has a
j-clip. That one is actually able to be completely dismembered and new balls
installed, maybe SLIGHTLY larger. The other, the C-clip type, all you can do
is clean it and grease it. And find a stiffer spring. That's half the trick.
The other half of the trick is - when you put the lower bearing
back, put it back 90 deg from where it was before. Whatever punishment it's
been taking has been generally in one direction. Give it another direction.
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REFITTING
To refit, reverse etc., except for:
1. Finding a stiffer spring. If you've got the C-clip unit, you've
probably got a cheap-assed, chimp-hut, almost pen quality spring pushing the
lower bearing into place. Find something more substantial. Like a spring off
of a j-clip type. You need something as long but something about 3 times the
thickness with flattened ends. Something that will rest against the Bizarre
Plastic Nut, instead of slipping down inside the Bizarre Plastic Thread
Strange Unit Thingy that the Bizarre Plastic Nut threads onto. The only
thing I can think of that that Bizarre Plastic Nut does is to vary the
tension on the spring that the Leyland Phlegm Sucking British Corporation
never installed.
2. When re-seating the lower bearing make sure you set it 90 degrees
from where it was before, on both the shaft and the casing. THAT'S WHERE THE
PLAY IS.
3. If you took the two shafts apart, DO NOT refit without the
plastic rings. You'll have to carefully tap the end of the upper unit into
place while feeding the edges of the rings through into the lower unit. Once
this is done and you've got it in the right place, you can take a red hot
pin and push it through the holes and slowly retrieve it pulling some
plastic along with it. This will help lock the shafts into place again. I
didn't do this cause I just now thought of it and I'm not about to take the
damn thing out of the car again. Or you can peen the top edges of the lower
unit into the upper unit. That should have the same effect. Just be careful
- Remember it's supposed to be collapsible.
That's all, folks. Put it back in the car and make sure the pinion
shaft is aligned with the column and drive on. I think you'll be surprised.
Some of these procedures are NOT approved by the federal government and are
not necessarily approved by the Ladies Home Journal nor do they have the
Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. The worst that can happen is that you
can get so far into how good the car feels while driving it that you lose
contact with reality and wind up driving yourself into a bridge abutment at
80mph. I didn't tell you to do that either.
Glenn "nobody ever accused me of being wordy" Schnittke
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Schmaltzando = A glissando with grease. Preferably chicken.
Glenn Schnittke Recovering Musician
Nashville TN 615-385-2800
glenns@edge.ercnet.com 72147.3635@compuserve.com
'74 MGB - fatally wounded
'69 MGB - prim little touring car
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