Horn / Indicator Bastuck conversion. Steering rack

[Chris Mountford]

Hi all,

It's been a very long time since I posted..... the backbiting became too much. so I decided to be 'read only' .

Anyhow, I could do with some help and as the irritants no longer post, I decided it's about time I became a contributor again.

I am building a '59 3A which I bought totally in bits, largely original bodywork but started life as LHD and the new holes for RHD had been cut before I bought it. Many of the original parts had been disposed of or lost and I had hundreds of new parts in MOSS / Rimmers / TR Bitz + others bags. I have some experience of early 2, plus 4,s 5,s and 6,s but the split column TR3A is new on me. The rack conversion brackets (bolted in the chassis) didn't seem to be the best and I struggled to get the rack to lie parallel to the chassis as it was 'up' at the RH side. I corrected this and went about fitting the rest of the oriental parts. I think it's a mini steering rack). I recently purchased a 'Bastuck' horn and indicator conversion to fit to the lower end of the 'new' upper column. I also have a bulkhead clamp bracket to secure the lower end of the upper column.

That's the scenario of what I have, however there is no room to fit the 'Bastuck' nylon drum assembly between the rubber gaiter+ bulkhead clamp and the lower end of the upper outer column. The inner part of the steering column is pretty much fixed all the way from the rack as the clamp bolts on the UJ's all pass through 'cutouts' in the splines. On my car this puts the steering column / wheel about an inch further out from the dash from where I think it should be.

Sorry it's so complex a description but there is something fundamentally wrong somewhere and as all the parts are 'replacement' I have no genuine datum to work from.

It may that the steering conversion and 'Bastuck' adapter are just not compatible. Photographs are beyond me too I'm afraid!

Thanks in anticipation

Chris   

[stuart]

Sounds as if the lower section of column that goes between the upper and the rack may not be the right one, some of them use a lower section from a TR7 column but this is shortened to suit. If you can post some measurements of the lengths of it all then I expect someone who has a rack conversion maybe able to help pinpoint the problem. I dont have one here to check unfortunately.

Stuart.

[roy53]

i have a Moss one on the shelf so can check any measurements you may require .   Cannot help regarding the horn conversion.

Roy

[Ian Vincent]

I have a Bastuck slip ring in a TR3a so if you let me know what measurments you need, I'll do my best to get in the engine bay and measure them.

Rgds Ian

[Chris Mountford]

Hi again,

Firstly I must give a big thank you to Stuart who rang me to try and help when he saw my post. As ever, above and beyond ! - Milky Bars on me at Malvern.

Thank you Ian and Roy for your contributions (Roy; Hope to see you at the Equipe GTS race meetings over the Summer)

We are minded that the lower shaft is too long for this application. I have no idea which supplier it came from but if it was shorter the problem would be resolved. Having said that, it goes against the grain to cut it down especially as it appears to be 'factory style' and not a cut and shut piece.

Anyhow its length is @465mm (it's on the car so not easy to measure exactly as the end is cranked) Any information on lengths gratefully received.

Best regards,

Chris

[Mick Forey]

Hi Chris, it is not easy to measure or photograph. I have the slip ring unit on my LHD TR3, it works well. The only measurement I could reliably get was the distance between the two UJ yoke centres which was 330mm. The centre of the top UJ is where the white ignition wire, very helpfully crosses over the yoke. My bottom UJ is identical.

A word of caution whilst installing and setting up the slip ring unit. Make sure that there is not excessive end float in the whole column arrangement, as if there is, then if you pull on the steering wheel, you can pull the inner sleeve out of line with the outer. This a) messes up the springs and bullets and b) in the extreme can cause shorts between the horn ring (which is earth) and the indicator power feed bullet. This is indicated by the ammeter swinging violently in time with the indicator. As you can see on the photo, you can just see the first brass ring in the gap between the inner and outer sleeve, this is about the maximum allowable. My inner sleeve works its way up the upper column over time and is restrained from going any further by tie wraps.

Mick

 

[Lebro]

There certainly doesn't appear to be much room to spare.

Bob.

[Chris Mountford]

Hi Mick,

I think you have confirmed what we had suspected. You quote a measurement of 330mm between the UJ centres on the lower shaft on your car. On the shaft I have, that same distance between UJ centres is 367mm, so there is the problem.

It explains why my steering column sits too far out of the dash, and why there is no room between the top UJ and the bulkhead support bracket / rubber gaiter for the horn and indicator conversion 'drum'. I believe the shafts included in the rack kits were originally cut down TR7 lower steering column shafts. The shaft I have is brand new and of 'factory' appearance shaft so may be a standard part.

At least I now know for sure where the problem lies.

Thanks everyone for your input, it really is much appreciated - it just goes to show what this Forum can achieve! 

Chris

[Ian Vincent]

Hi Chris,

A bit late I know but ... the distance between the yoke centres on my lower  shaft is 345mm. I’m pretty sure my rack conversion came from TR Bitz. 

Rgds Ian

PS I have about 7mm between the lower end of the Bastuck slip ring and the top of the UJ so any dimension above 352 wouldn't fit without modification to the steering tube and support bracket.

 

Edited April 22, 2021 by Ian Vincent

[Ralph Whitaker]

I used a TR7 lower section and had to shorten it. From memory I took out 1.25" (30mm), to get the wheel nearer the dash and make room for my home made slip ring setup for the horn.

Ralph.

[Chris Mountford]

Hi Ian & Ralph

Thanks for your input regarding the lower steering shaft length.

As I said earlier my car was completely in bits / in boxes when I bought it. The P.O, may well have known it was a standard TR7 shaft but I wrongly assumed it was part of a 'fit and forget 'kit'. However, once I realised that it was the lower shaft that was causing the problem (Thanks Mick) I went back to first principles and marked it out as fitted to my car. I cut the shaft in two, fitted both ends with the pinch bolts in place and laid both ends of the shaft side by side. This then gave me the correct length, and as per Ralphs suggestion it was approx 30mm too long. I then cut this piece off, slid a steel sleeve over, clamped the assembly in a v block and welded the shaft back together and then slid the steel sleeve over the joint and welded it around both ends. Not an ideal situation but I couldn't find one to buy.

I suppose if someone needs one in 25 years time and this post comes up on a Gurgle search engine, at least they will know now that if they cut 30mm out of a TR7 steering shaft then it will do the job...... Assuming of course that you can find a TR7 lower steering column in 25 years time, or even that anyone will care.

Thanks everyone for your contribution.

Chris