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TR4 steerinmg colukn top/bottom bush replacement


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HI All, car went for MOT this morning and passed :D, but with an advisory for the top steering column bush :(.

 

I'll add this to the winter jobs list as it is only very (very) slight and does not present an issue now, although I must confess I knew about it.

 

Looking at the exploded view of the column, it looks quite straight forward, but I have a couple of questions.

Will the column just pull out through the top once the bottom coupling is disconnected?

Can it be done in the car or is it best done on a bench?

And are the bushes a push fit or do I need a special tool to extract and replace in the outer column?

 

Mark

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There's masses of information about these bushes and the best replacements to buy. I took the whole upper column assembly out to do mine on the bench.

 

Search for "steering column bushes" and you'll get lots of hits.

Edited by peejay4A
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Hi Mark,

I am about to do this very same job on a friends 4A. I'm using the Revington uprated bushes as I'm not paying for it :lol::lol: .

 

I have done the job in the past with standard bushes and it all went fairly easily.

You do need all the bits on the bench,

 

Roger

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I did it the proper way on the bench with the Revington bushes about a year ago.

There's a definite knack to the job but once mastered it goes pretty straightforward.

 

Problem is, there is play at the top again after about 10,000 miles of thrashing about.

 

I seem to recall you can just push a new bush on top of the old one without removing the column.

As I wrote in the other threads, removing the column leads to all sorts of other jobs.

Very satisfying when you get them all done right, but I am definitely not ready to go there again yet.

 

Anyone done it this real cheating way?

Edited by Paul Harvey
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I don't think I'd use the cheating way. If the new bushes don't go in square they can bind and you get a "sticky" steering action which isn't nice at all.

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I did the same job on my tr4 surrey and gt6 (same column).

 

I used the lazy procedure:

 

Cut off the 2 bubbles on the sides and push the new bush on top of the other one (pressing the old one downwards).

What happens to the old one? Does it just drop out?

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The old ones just move down the column and stay there. I guess you can only use this technique so many times before the column is full of old bushes :-)

Edited by peejay4A
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FWIW friend of mine has just replaced these on his TR5. Bushes he bought from Moss had the holes miles offset to o/d. So bit the bullet and got the Revington ones. These were excellent and not much more expensive with the carriage costs factored in.

Alan.

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14 years ago, I removed the upper column assembly from the car, took it to the bench drove out the old and fitted new Revington bushes.

Subsequently, Neil told me he does the job in situ, as described by Edwin in post #4.

Ian Cornish

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can the lower be replaced insitu.

 

 

Roger

I think they can.

If the ali capping at the lower end of the outer column is removed and the inner column is disconnected from the top rubber doughnut I should be able to slide a new bush up and then tap it into the outer column with a suitable socket/drift.

As Edwin says, if the lugs have been sawn off the old bush that should slide up the column and be replaced with the new beauty.

As long as it goes in sweetly I can't actually see a problem with it staying near the bottom of the outer column to do its own thing, and I might simply cut the lug off the new one before I attempt the exercise and leave the old one where it is?

 

I shall start with the top bush which is easier and where most of the free play can theoretically be eliminated......

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What is an acceptable movement in the column/bush. My 4 has just sailed through the Mot with perhaps about a mm of wear up & down & side to side in the column/bush. No advisory or comment.

Cheers.

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Hi, thanks for the advise, I can see there are a few options. Think I'll take column out and remove the old bushes (plus any extras I may find in there!).

Revington bushes seem to be cheaper that the Moss uprated ones as you have to buy each one separately at £20.00 each rather than a kit of 2 from Revingtopn as £32 the pair. And they appear to be the better ones from the posts above.

 

 

Monty, I think certain aspects of the MOT are very subjective and one tester will decide a certain amount of play is a fail and another may decide it perfectly fine, should not be that way as there are guidelines, I'm sure, but human beings being what we are, there will always be some differences in opinion.

 

Mark

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Hi Mark,

I have just this minute come in from doing the steering column bushes.

 

Remove steering wheel

Remove the clamp that holds the two section of the inner shaft together.

Mark the end of the steering wheel inner shaft to show vertical with the tyres pointing forwards.

Remove the collapsible column clamp in the engine bay

Remove the forward outer column clamp

Remove the rear outer column clamp

Remove the cover for the cables below the column.

Remove the three switches and cables

Disconnect the cables (AND remember where they go)

The outer and inner shafts should now pull out.

Using the inner shaft you can knock the bushes out - fit the wheel nut back on the shaft, remove the outer steering column end cap (knocks off).

The upper bush will go in easy - use a metal/wood square end rod 1" diameter. I put vaseline on the bush to help slide in :wub:

 

Mark the bush so you know where the lugs are.

 

The forward end bush is more awkward as the column is square ended and the sticky out bits get stuck. You could file the ID of the column to alow the sticky out bits move over the end. Also I used some large Mole grips to squeeze the sticky out things down.

Hold the rear end of the column in your stomach and push the bush against a wall whilst squeezing the moles.

Use the 1" wood/metal drift to insert the bush.

 

Not difficult (except for the wiring) and the things you find along the way

 

Roger

Edited by RogerH
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If I remember correctly, the instructions supplied with the uprated bushes suggest that only finger pressure is required to compress the lugs when fitting. I suspect this is probably true if your name is Geoff Capes. For everyone else use mole grips to squish them down as Roger suggests or, as I found, a large cable tie fitted tightly works quite well and should just slide off as you press the bush into place.

 

Steve

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Cheers Roger, sounds like you had some fun!

Ahh the other thing. Have not done a single job so far without uncovering somthing else, and spending more money. But might as well do them whilst you're there otherwise...

 

Mark

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Cheers Roger, sounds like you had some fun!

Ahh the other thing. Have not done a single job so far without uncovering somthing else, and spending more money. But might as well do them whilst you're there otherwise...

Mark

That's all very well when it's your own car but when you are doing a car Numpty a favour, you end up doing a rebuild.......!!!!

Especially when they purchased the car unseen from someone who put the car to auction ( in St Pirans land) and it didn't make the reserve......!!!

 

There are favours and then there are favours .....!!!!! and then there are people who take advantage.

 

Another divorce in the offing if a hint isn't given and taken soon..............

Edited by SuzanneH
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Especially when they purchased the car unseen from someone who put the car to auction ( in St Pirans land) and it didn't make the reserve......!!!

..........

Are you referring to this county Sue when you say St Pirans land?

Stuart.

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Hi Roger sounds like Flowers, Grovelling, Chocolates, Grovelling, Weekend away, more Grovelling (repeat as required), may be in order.

But at least you friend (soon to be ex by the sounds of it, if somebody gets their hands on them!) has a working steering column.

 

Mark :D

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