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Steering column/Stator tube


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I'm a bit concerned at the alignment of the steering column on my 61 3a in that it is sitting about 3/4 of an inch below the semi circular hole in the dash, I have completed a previous rebuild of a 1959 car and the column finished much nearer dash itself, probably 2 or 3 mm. Apart from my concern that this may be placing undue strain on the free movement of the column, it also makes the fitting of the threaded tie rod to the facia bracket very difficult as this is now too low?

 

Also, the stator tube has a split on one end, should this go at the top or the bottom of the column?

 

Thanks

Graeme

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By the 'split' I take it you mean the end which mates with the short section from the indicator/horn control head ? - so yes, at the top. The steering box end is plain so the olive can make an oil-seal on it.

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Hello Graeme

 

With the column fixed to the chassis at the steering box end, and nowhere else, if the column is not being pushed in any direction by the bodywork, or other clamps, then the column is not under any sort of stress.

 

I think what I did when I was at that part of the rebuild was to fit the column to the chassis, and “fettle” any other clamps to make a stress free fit.

 

Bearing in mind the tolerances that the bodies were built to, the dimensions you mention don’t seem too significant.

With the length of the column, a fraction of a degree difference at the chassis end will make a large difference at the steering wheel end.

 

As an aside, I find it amusing (and I do exactly the same) that you mention the first measurement in imperial, and the second measurement in metric.

 

As far as the slot in the stator tube goes I’m pretty sure that it has to go at the top.

 

 

Charlie D

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Further to Charlies post I would say that ther is a certain amount of "slop" in the steering box fixings, & that when fitting I would not fully tighten the two bolts until the column was supported at the top end. Otherwise gravity (especialy if the steering wheel is fitted) will tend to try to bend the column down a tad at the top.

 

Bob.

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Thanks for the replies, all sorted thankfully; I've just come in from a successful Sunday on the car (mainly underneath fitting the tank and fuel lines) but I also had another crack at the steering column and started by slackening everything off behind the dash and then moved the upper nuts on the steering column support bracket; this allowed me to raise the column enough for everything to line up;

Thanks for the info on the stator tube Rob/Charlie; obvious really, hadn't thought about the seal at the bottom with the olive etc.

Graeme

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| am just starting on the refurbishment of my horn push/indicator head. When completed & ready for refitting ,should i glue the tube into the short tube on the head

Keith

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Keith,

 

No need to glue it. If you did it may be difficult to take apart again.

 

The head tube has indents in that fit into a slot in the stator tube.That's what keeps it from moving.

 

Charlie D.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Charlie D

 

My stator tube does not have a slot to slide into the indents,that could be the reason the head turned with the steering wheel. So i reckon that cutting an appropriate slot should solve the problem

Keith

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Keith,

 

It's a bit odd that there is no slot. Something is not right !!!

Maybe some PO just stuck a tube in and thought that was all that was needed.

 

Take a look at:

http://www.britishca...for-a-TR2/page5

It should help you work out how to do it.

 

By an amazing coincidence, a plain tube that I ordered arrived today.

New stator tubes are available but I think they cost about £32.00

If you want to make one from scratch you need 3/8 inch steel tube.

I could not find steel, but I did find ally. Yes, not as strong, but the wall thickness is 1.5mm, so hopefully it will compensate (It still leaves about 6mm hole for the wires to go down.

Just a thought, you don’t have the tube upside down do you? (Slot at the bottom.)

 

Charlie D

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Charlie

Thanks for the website, very helpful. My tube is steel, in good condition and i did not have an elderly moment.! Now proceeding to the exciting bit-cutting

 

Keith

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Back in the '70's when I was putting my '3 together for the 1st time, I found that the slot / indent system was so worn that it kept slipping, so I ended up welding the two together.

It is still like that now, & has not caused much of a problem. easy to drain the oil, & pull the whole lot out on the rare occasion that it is necessary.

 

Bob.

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The short section of tube on the reverse of my horn push is approx 16.5cm does anyone know if this is intended for an adjustable or non adjustable steering wheel/column? I ask the question as I thought I saw a previous post suggesting if you are looking to use a horn push from an adjustable steering coumn car on a car that has a two piece non adjustable column/wheel ( which is whatIhave) then it will need to be cut down as it's of a longer length. Hopefully this makes sense!

 

Also, Charlie suggests that the indents on this short tube align with the slot on the stator tube to lock it in place and to stop it from turning; If I do need to cut this down are thereany suggstions on how would I re introduce the indents?

Thanks

Graeme

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Hello Graeme,

 

The tube on my horn push is only 5 cm, so yours may well be for an adjustable column. (Although, to me, 16 cm seems a lot).

 

Maybe you can just make the slot on the lower tube longer. It seems a shame to cut down the horn tube, as adjustable columns are quite rare, so I would guess the horn push bit is as well.

I think you would struggle to put the dents in and get them to work.

 

You could always do what Bob suggested, and weld the two together, but again, you would ruin the original long adjustable horn push section.

 

I guess it’s up to you if you want to destroy it of not.

 

 

Charlie.

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If something needs shortening Graeme why not chop it off the plain end of the lower tube so that the top mating slot is retained ?

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Rob's suggestion seems a good idea, Presumably I could just push the short tube into the slot on the stator tube and keep going until the horn push reaches its final position on the wheel. The stator tube should I assume extend out of the steering box end allowing me to mark and cut accordingly - sounds simple!!

 

just to check, am I correct in assuming that the stator tube is intended to rotate within the steering column?

 

Graeme

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The stator tube is free to rotate inside the steering column until you tighten the olive at the lower end (once you have aligned the horn push correctly). Then it is held static along with the horn push and indicator stalk and the steering column rotates around it as you turn the wheel. That way the indicator is always at 12 o'clock irrespective of the steering wheel.

Edited by RobH
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Thanks for the explanation Rob, hadn't realised this previously so there's a definite sequence for installation with the olive being the last in the process?

Presumably in previous articles that I've read where the cables have become twisted and tangled within the tube has occurred because the stator tube isn't being held captive by the olive?

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Yes the olive is fully tightened last when you have the alignment correct. The twisted wires probably happen if the upper part with the horn-push becomes detached from the lower tube so that the whole head rotates when the wheel is turned.

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Just by way of an update; I cut the stator tube down as per Robs suggestion but once the short tube attached to horn push is located into the stator tube slot it wouldn't push down into the steering column as its a larger diameter so I had to work away at the outside diameter with a grinder to enable it to slide down the eering column freely. All now finished satisfactorily and in place so another job completed and ticked off the list. Thanks for you help and assistance

Graeme

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