F1loco Posted August 30, 2017 Report Share Posted August 30, 2017 So, the steering wheel seems to move forward and back by about 1/4"? It doesn't move up and down, just pulls in and out ever so slightly? Is there a bushing or something that may have simply worn between the wheel and the shaft? All the brackets seem to be tight and taught. It's definitely a slight horizontal play v. vertical play. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Geko Posted August 30, 2017 Report Share Posted August 30, 2017 All the brackets seem to be tight and taught. Probably not ;-) - Check the big nut at the center of the steering wheel - Check if the aluminum steering column sheath is properly fastened with the brackets under the dash especially the half moon bracket with the felt under the facia. - Check in any play in the splines of the upper and lower steering column at the level of the doughnuts flexible coupling. They are notorious for not clamping tight enough. - Check in any play in the splines at the rack pinion level. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR4A1965 Posted August 30, 2017 Report Share Posted August 30, 2017 Probably not ;-) - Check the big nut at the center of the steering wheel - Check if the aluminum steering column sheath is properly fastened with the brackets under the dash especially the half moon bracket with the felt under the facia. - Check in any play in the splines of the upper and lower steering column at the level of the doughnuts flexible coupling. They are notorious for not clamping tight enough. - Check in any play in the splines at the rack pinion level. +1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Z320 Posted August 31, 2017 Report Share Posted August 31, 2017 (edited) Hi, on my car the brackets have been the problem, the gap in there was to short. I made the bolt/ nut as tight as possible, but they did not fix the spindle. So I took a metal saw some years ago to make the gap deeper. Shure Roger can tell you more, ask him Ciao Marco Edited August 31, 2017 by Z320 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted August 31, 2017 Report Share Posted August 31, 2017 (edited) Have a look at the joint that allow the steering shaft to extend (or collapse in a prang) Photo 1 The nut or either allen key could be loose. Also, as mentioned, have a look at the rubber UJ's. These are badly made and the clamp bolt will not (in many cases) clamp the joint fully - it will slip. See photo 2 - this shows a machine cut on one of the clamp side. A hacksaw cut will also do. The idea is to remove a small area of steel that holds the clamp apart Roger #1 #2 Edited August 31, 2017 by RogerH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peejay4A Posted August 31, 2017 Report Share Posted August 31, 2017 You need an assistant to do the pushing and pulling while you look for the lost motion. All else is speculation. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
F1loco Posted August 31, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2017 Many thanks guys. Love this site. Will recruit my daughter's assistance this weekend and have a look. I was under the dash earlier and all the clamps around the column all seem tight. Too bad it wasn't a vertical wiggle and a loose bracket at the bulk head. Cheers, Don Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Z320 Posted August 31, 2017 Report Share Posted August 31, 2017 Hi, to have someone as a assistant is a very good advice, on my car the brackets have been the reason. I used a hacksaw, opened it, put the saw blade through the bracket and made the cut axial down to the original gap. Sorry, I made no photos. Ciao Marco Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Malbaby Posted August 31, 2017 Report Share Posted August 31, 2017 Probably as per Roger's pic number one. You can check for any play yourself by standing by the car and push/pulling the steering column with your left hand while watching the pic one area. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PYU940F Posted September 1, 2017 Report Share Posted September 1, 2017 spent a day adjusting my steering wheel position after having to fish out an indicator switch spring from inside the column. Had the same problem after re-assembly and the cause was: The first spline on the steering shaft in the engine bay was tight but allowed the column to move in and out by the amount the upper clamp in the engine bay was away from the tube when tightened up. When I slid the clamp up against the tube the movement all but went away. Is the shaft supposed to tighten on the spline or is it part of the crash impact system that it I allowed to move in and out? Simon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted September 1, 2017 Report Share Posted September 1, 2017 Hi Simon, the spline and clamp should be tight with NO movement. You are slowly wearing the splines away. One day it will just spin. If the top one is loose just imagine what the bottom one is like which you can;t get to grips with. You need to do something soon. My idea works well. The hacksaw slot works OK but looks like a hacksaw slot. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PYU940F Posted September 1, 2017 Report Share Posted September 1, 2017 Hi Roger, I have only just looked at pic # 2 re the spline clamp. I guess mine has been like that for years, very worrying. I only noticed it by chance. If our TR's were aircraft they would be the subject of an Airworthiness Directive to check and rectify before next flight. I think all owners should have their steering checked for this fault/weakness. I will be sorting mine out ASAP. Cheers Simon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted September 1, 2017 Report Share Posted September 1, 2017 Hi Simon, AD's certainly concentrated the minds of the engineers. I wonder if BMW have any responsibility of these cars these days. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PYU940F Posted September 1, 2017 Report Share Posted September 1, 2017 If not an AD certainly a mandatory SB BMW? I thought they only bought the rights to the Mini. We will have to talk to the magnificent 4 who raped and pillaged Rover. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PYU940F Posted September 1, 2017 Report Share Posted September 1, 2017 Roger, Have these spline clamps been non-clamping since build or do they become non-clamping after a few off and ons? I see in the Moss catalogue they are NCA Simon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted September 1, 2017 Report Share Posted September 1, 2017 Hi Simon, I don;t know the day one history but I found mine loose in the 90's during the rebuild. Looking at the construction I can;t see how they ever clamped down successfully. The TR6 all metal clamp is better but not perfect. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted September 1, 2017 Report Share Posted September 1, 2017 If not an AD certainly a mandatory SB BMW? I thought they only bought the rights to the Mini. We will have to talk to the magnificent 4 who raped and pillaged Rover. BMW also own the Triumph name too. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
F1loco Posted September 5, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2017 Quick fix, thank goodness. The spline clamp at the end wasn't sufficiently tight. A couple of flats and it's nice and tight now. Thanks, Don Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Z320 Posted September 13, 2017 Report Share Posted September 13, 2017 I found a bracket and a old coupling in my scap box and made photos https://photos.app.goo.gl/H51qMay6mgacy3bu2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ianc Posted September 14, 2017 Report Share Posted September 14, 2017 An excellent set of photos, Z320. Exceedingly helpful to anyone having this problem. Ian Cornish Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Z320 Posted September 16, 2017 Report Share Posted September 16, 2017 (edited) Thank you Ian. Sometimes I like making photos more than working on my TR4A ???? But I think my hacksaw cut looks not so bad? Ciao Marco Edited September 16, 2017 by Z320 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.