steering column play

[pharesnape]

Hi, I wonder if anyone can provide some advice on a bit of a problem I've been working on. My Stag MK1 has had a little bit of play at the steering wheel end of the steering column. Last year the MOT guy marked it as an advisory. I bought the bearings from Rimmers and last week I had the steering wheel off and stripped down the column mounting block (the bit with the steering lock, wiper switch and indicator switch). I replaced the bearings and reassembled. I was a bit bothered by the puny serrated washer that they supplied, it seemed much thinner than the one I broke to get off. I found it difficult to apply enough end pressure with this serrated washer on the bearings to stop any side play. Sure enough when the whole lot was reassembled there was still a noticable amount of play on the steering wheel.
In my opinion what this needs is some pressure on the internal bearing race, and this seems difficult to arrange if the serrated washer, which does grip the column but is too weak to apply this end pressure.

Anyone else found this, if so,what did you do about it?

[Stagdad]

You could use one of the uprated replacements which is a ring with 3 grub screws around it ,much better.When putting it back together you can use a spacer and the nut that holds the steering wheel to get pressure and hold it whilst you do the ring up.

Another cause of slop is this roll pin (left arrow) on the rack which you should be able to change without taking the rack out
Rack.jpg
Cheers Steve

[pharesnape]

Thanks for this Steve, that sounds just what it needs. Any clues as to where these can be acquired?

Paul

[Stagdad]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Triumph-Stag-2000-2500-Steering-column-top-clamp-ring-/350444341783?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item51981c4a17

Also avaliable from other suppliers.

no connection etc

[pharesnape]

Brilliant, I've just ordered one.

Thanks for the heads up on this.

Paul

[v8wgm]

I had a LOT of play in the upper portion of the steering column and tried previous advice of tapping the serrated washer down with a suitable diameter pipe. This didn't work as I could see the washer slipping back up the column.

This time I went around the washer tapping the tip of each finger with the screwdriver/hammer combo & it's now a solid as a rock with no play whatsoever. It grips now OK.

[singapore stag]

You could use one of the uprated replacements which is a ring with 3 grub screws around it ,much better.When putting it back together you can use a spacer and the nut that holds the steering wheel to get pressure and hold it whilst you do the ring up.

Another cause of slop is this roll pin (left arrow) on the rack which you should be able to change without taking the rack out
[ATTACH=CONFIG]8958[/ATTACH]
Cheers Steve

Hi Steve, How do you go about changing this roll pin, easy? how long does it take?, will appreciate a quick brief.

cheers,
Sukh.

[martin]

Hi Paul, Stagdad's right of course, the sprag washer that Triumph used was never meant to last 40 odd years, and mechanically it's terribly primitive, when you're fitting the modded one, hold the lower column in your left hand and pull the column up, while tapping the new ring into place with a suitable sized tube, other wise you'll still wind up with movement. Enjoy, Martin.

[Stagdad]

Hi Steve, How do you go about changing this roll pin, easy? how long does it take?, will appreciate a quick brief.

cheers,
Sukh.

Hi Sukh,I had my rack out at the time and drilled the hole slightly larger to fit a bigger roll pin,but you can see it from under the car with the rack in place and if you were just replacing the standard roll pin with no drilling it would be a quick job

Cheers Steve