TR7 Tight Steering

[stuart ochiltree]

Hi All

We bought a TR7 in March it had a steering wheel fitted which I am told is a TR8 wheel which I have changed for the original type. When I removed the previous wheel the nut was quite loose, on fitting the other wheel I can't tighten the nut as the steering goes tight and doesn't self centre .Any advice would be most welcome.

[Neil_W]

I supose if you tighten the steering wheel to the steering shaft & it goes tight - I would think it maybe to do with the bushes or knuckle joints connecting the steering wheel to the rack.

 

Maybe try & take the steering wheel off - then pull / push the steering column to see it there is any movement.

The bush at the top is known for failing after a number of years & think polybush type can be bought.

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.u...=item35be787775

 

 

Robsport has above but S+S are also good too if you give them a call - they maybe point you in the right direction as they can supply everything to fix problem.

 

Try also posting on http://www.forum.triumphtr7.com where you might get a quicker respose as lots of owners there who can help.

Edited August 6, 2012 by Neil_W

[TR8IAN]

Hi Stuart,

 

Welcome to the forum, I can really see why doing the wheel nut up should make the steering go much tighter, is it tightening down on the indicator/wiper binacle or suround?

Did you align the points for the indicator self cancelling?

 

generally speaking some people find the steering quite heavy in comparison to modern cars - there are a number of modifications which can be done quite cheaply - however there is something to be said for checking that all the moving parts are well lubricated and free from grot.

 

By the way TR8 steering wheels are no longer available new now so don't throw it away.

[stuart ochiltree]

Wow that was quick, thanks for the tips. No Play evident up and down with wheel off, bush sounds a good bet will try that first. The indicators are located correctly as they cancel ok. How do I know if it is a TR8 wheel?

[TR8IAN]

Hi Stuart,

 

TR8 steering wheels are leather three spoked (grey) 34cm diam, with boss fitting with 9 holes. (may say made in france on back)

 

The collumn bushes can wear but still dont see why changing the wheel and tightening down should make steering feel much heavier. The TR8 wheel is probably slightly smaller so you will be gaining mechanical advantage by fitting a tr7 wheel.

 

As Neil says are the universal joints free and lubricated - check to see if the steering rack has a grease nipple fitted - it's probably worth giving that a birthday!

 

Other than that, has the car stood for a long time with no use? the strut top swivel points can dry up and stick.

 

With the front of the car lifted in the air how does the steering feel then?

 

Cheers

Ian

[stuart ochiltree]

Hi Ian

 

Some confusion ,the steering isn't heavier in fact as you suggest it is lighter with the TR7 steering wheel the problem is it tightens up and won't self centre which causes the car to wander.I don't know if this has been an ongoing problem for the previous owner as the column cowl is black and one of the fixings is broken whereas the rest of the trim is grey

 

It has only covered about 1400 miles in two and a half years and over half of those have been done since march.

 

Can I lube the the top swivel points in situ?I will check to see if the rack has a grease nipple.

 

The wheel is three spoke but the leather is black,there are 9 mounting screws on the boss.

 

Many Thanks

 

Stuart

[TR8IAN]

Hi Stuart,

 

The black cowl is correct - and if it has broken round where it screws together, this is quite often what happens - as with anything plastic on the car at 30+ years old things are becoming brittle.

The steering wheel you have does sound like a genuine TR8 wheel.

 

As for lubricating the UJs, with the front of the car off the ground you could squirt WD 40 or the like over them and work it in then add a few drops of oil to keep it going.

 

The steering rack did not come with a grease nipple fitted but you should be able to see the bolt which needs removing - add a nipple and put a couple of pumps of grease (first at full lock one way then more the other way round).

 

As for wandering: this could be for a number of reasons from incorrect tire pressures, worn bushes in the suspension, or incorrect settings on the wheel bearings - these are all service points that get overlooked and really should be looked at on a regular basis.

 

There is a modification which incorporates Sierra strut top bearings, which can be bought for not a lot of money and will help - as long as everything else is in good order.

 

Do you have a workshop manual or last resort a Haynes manual which will give you pictures to look at for all of these points - other than that look at the web site Neil suggested and you will see loads of other detail which may be usefull.

 

But don't be afraid to ask any questions, we are all friendly on here and have loads of experience between us.

 

Cheers

Ian

[Hasbeen]

There is a clamp on the column, at the bottom of the housing, which controls how far out of the top bushes it can come. If the wheel you replaced was thinner than the stock wheel, you may be pulling this clamp up hard against the housing, as you tighten the nut on the wheel.

 

Dive down under the dash, loosen that clamp, tighten your wheel, then reset the clamp.

 

This should allow you to get the nut tight, without jamming the column.

 

Hasbeen