Hello Ken, saw your post :
>Tom Tweed wrote:
>
>> Hello Ken S. and anyone else who's curious,
>
>> You were asking about the 2 studs that mount in the metal dash, to
>> hold your steering column. I was out to Dad's barn this morning,
>> looked at the parts car ('75 TR-6, CF37749U built April) and
>> here's what I found:
>
>Tom, thanks for taking a look at the studs for me. The
>one thing that I wasn't sure of was how they were connected
>to the dash.
>
>My problem isn't that the studs are loose (they are both
>in there quite securely), but, rather, that one of the studs
>has been shorn off, flush with the back of the clamp, and
>the other is stripped (a nut is on the stud, but won't tighten,
>or loosen -- it has that 'stripped threads' feel.)
>
>Accordingly, on my car, the clamp that you mention is just
>kind of sitting there, on the studs (one stripped, and one
>shorn off) loosely held by the stripped nut. Also, the top
>clamping piece is properly attached to the bottom piece.
>However, the top piece doesn't connect to anything other than
>the bottom piece on late TR6s, but the bolt holes in it are
>a vestige of the early TR6 column mounting scheme.)
>
>In any case, in my car, the clamp is properly attached to
>the steering column, but isn't attached firmly to the dash,
>thus letting it wobble, particularly up or down.
>
>I am clearly going to have to remove the wood dash in order
>to fix this one, but it will give me an excuse to fix the
>one torn crash pad while I'm at it.
>
>I take it that you don't think the studs can be easily
>removed from your parts car (as I will need to replace
>both of mine.) If not, it looks like I'll either have to
>replace the whole metal fascia (severe overkill), or simply
>break out the old studs from my dash, and become a DPO who
^^^^^
>bodges in some non-standard stud, if I can find one --
>my jam nut experience (see earlier mail today) is still
>altogether too fresh in my mind...
>
>--ken
>'74 TR6 Daily Driver, once we get a good rain to wash this
>salt off the roads...
>
>--
>Kenneth B. Streeter | EMAIL: streeter@sanders.com
>Sanders, PTP2-A001 |
>PO Box 868 | Voice: (603) 885-9604
>Nashua, NH 03061 | Fax: (603) 885-0631
Rather than attempting to break out the studs, which looked to have
three good spot welds apiece holding them to the metal dash, once
you get the wood off, you might be able to use a small hole saw to
cut them out from the front; a hole saw just slightly larger than
the flat heads, using no lead drill in the saw...it should be held
on center by the stud head anyway. Then you could fabricate a small
patch piece, about 1 inch by 3, and have two same-size studs already
mounted in the patch. It should fit down in the stamped recess that
the stud heads are in now, and might serve as an invisible fix that
would still mount the column clamp, lower cradle section (casting)
as originally. If this is not clear enough from just this brief
description, inquire, I can inspect and measure the dash on the
parts car easily, maybe even send you a drawing of what I have in
mind. (oh no, another 2-cent brainstorm)
Best regards,
Tom Tweed
SW Ohio
'72 TRident 750 basket case
|