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Triumph TR6 - Steering Column Wobble

On two occasions I have had my steering column get sloppy / wobbly... maybe 1/8 to 1/4 inch of play at the steering wheel end. Enough to make the horn circuit close and beep the horn at the most inopportune times. Very embarrassing.

I pulled the wheel off today and the turn signal, OD switch, and headlight dip switch to see what was going on. Further down from the turn signal cancel collar there's another collar around the steering column shaft that seems to work its way up and loose. When I bang it back down with a drift or slot screwdriver the steering column snugs right up and presto no more wobble.

This part is not shown in the Moss catalog so I cannot buy it me thinks. It's located between the bearing p/n 525-020 illustration 115 on page 33 and the turn signal cancelling clip p/n 854-245 illustration 9 on page 32. Anyone know what this thing is? It has been suggested that I dab some Loctite on it so it stays in place.

Your thoughts?

Ken
Ken Shaddock

Ken

There are 2 such bearings in the illustration and I believe they are supposed to be secure to the column not the steering rod. I believe one is close to the top and the other at the bottom. There may be a securing screw. I see in the illustration of the column a small circle which may be such a device. I never pulled these bearings out of mine so I am not sure what holds them in.
Michael Petryschuk

Yep, there's two Mike but I was speaking only of the top one nearer the s-wheel. In the Bentley there are instructions on how to tear down the top end but after reading it three times I was too dense to follow them. Some ramblings about dowels which to me are wooden... maybe a bonnet & boot terminolgy thing... eh.
Ken Shaddock

Ken, I think you are refering to the delrin bushings in the steering column. These are 2 bushings at the top and bottom of the column that supports the shaft . I had the same embarassing problem of the horn coming on. To relpace these is not expensive but is a pita because the steering column has to be removed to replace those bushings. There is someone somewhere making a kit that just goes on top of the column right under the steering wheel that is supposed to solve the problem without tearing the whole column apart. I can't remember who right off, maybe someone else does. If I remember I'll pass it along.

Rob
rw loftus

It being a pain is long past there is a gentleman who builds nice little bushings that are easier to use.

Find it here
http://tr6.danielsonfamily.org/SteeringColumn.htm
DON KELLY

Hi Rob/Mike... here's another site with great illustrations etc. but again, it does not show the thin metal collar or band I speak of further down from the signal cancel collar but up from the one shown in most catalogs. I may have a maverick part here that was put on by a PO.

If the issue becomes cronic I follow this guide and disassemble the the upper half. That way I can find out what this thing is and install the new rubber bearing / bush I spoke of from the Moss catalog.

Ken

http://tr6.danielsonfamily.org/SteeringColumn.htm
Ken Shaddock

525-020 is the delrin bushing I mentioned above. If you are not going to pull the steering apart, I would heartily suggest Art's bushing.
DON KELLY

I had missed your post Don... thanks for that option. It'll be good to avoid another fracus over my horn having a mind of its once I reconnect it. Ken.
Ken Shaddock

I've heard back from Art, Don. Before I order I'll see if the "bearing" I've received (as per the Moss catalog) would do the same thing as what the Art Lipp solution proposes.

K
Ken Shaddock

Wrap-up

The Moss bearing/bushing worked perfectly after I cut off the two little nubbies. So I now have three of them. With the steering wheel, OD switch, turn signal and dip switches all pulled and the signal cancel collar removed the bearing slipped on and down the rod into the tube to snug everything up. Voila, no more wobble or intermittent horn. One more little victory.

As Ringo says... I get by with a little help from friends.

Ken
Ken Shaddock

Ken,
Photos????? Thanks.
db
Doug Baker

Doug: Sorry friend... I did not take any. Funny thing is, I title the threads and post what I've learned in such a manner as to help others... via bbs archive search. BUT, I also think that 95% of what I have to offer is simplistic, been done, is on CDII and just too basic for most of the BBS contributors I read. And, in this case, Bob's website and Art's re his bushing were good sources.

In looking back over the past two years I should have built a library of web based images like others have done. Bob's website covers the steering column quite well so one tends to think one has nothing to add. I did not pull the rod as he did because my bearings, mounts, etc. were solid so I guess my short cut to be wobble free should have been filmed.

Ken
Ken Shaddock

Don

I just pulled my column to replace both the bearings.

The whole dash needs to come out along with the 2 big gauges.....lots of fun. I am not sure how you remove the lower bearing without removing the entire column.

Why didn't you mention this sooner?


The steering wheel is much tighter now.

PS have not been on for a while. Had a bad virus on my laptop and my login had been compromised. I was told I was banned from the BBS. Finaly got an answer back from Mike Plumsted and it looks like I am OK. My computer was trying to log on as someone else.

Had totaly forgot my log in name and password. Have not used in about 12 years:)
Rick Crawford

This thread was discussed between 19/08/2010 and 24/08/2010

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