Steering Column - Spitfire 1500

[Anglefire]

Following on from this topic 

but not the same, I have an issue with my column.

When I changed my steering wheel, I found a couple of screws wedged in around the top mount by the crinkle bit of the column - around UKC5664. Clearly they shouldn't be there and so I removed them.

Now I've been out in the car, I do get some rotation on the outer column - steering is fine in that there is no slop so the bushes etc seem ok. But when the steering column mounted switches rotate a little - its disconcerting!

The obvious thing is to replace UKC5664 and UKC5665 - but they are NLA - but they shouldn't be a really tight fit so that the column can collapse in a head on (Not planning on that one!) 

So the other place I can see to tighten or replace something is the bottom mount and the felt pad (608223) - but is this really going to do anything?

Or am I missing something? I really don't want to bodge some screws back in the top mount!

[NonMember]

If you have UKC5664 (or, for that matter, the earlier design that looked similar) there should be a wrinkle clip thing (not shown in the diagram) fitted inside it. That's what prevents the rotation of the outer column. If it's missing, or worn flat so it's loose, then you need something to tighten it up. That's probably why a DPO has bodged the screws in there.

I don't think the bottom mount does much against rotation as the felt pad prevents it clamping tightly.

[Anglefire]

Ah ok thanks for that! No clip inside. Bet they are nla too. 

Dont suppose you know the part number for them?

[Pete Lewis]

609636   and 606639  dont know why the numbers changed 

mick dolphin has  a 639   that might be a mick typo   parts lists show   636

Pete

 

[Anglefire]

Thanks Pete - I've found the 639 part in the PDF parts catalogue I have now - though not sure how you would find it without your knowledge!

Interestingly mine (75 on) does say 609639

I've just emailed Mick!

[Pete Lewis]

The 636 is in my triumph 1600 parts manual

The 639  was in a spit mkIV   manual

Some changes over the years of evolution maybe 

[Anglefire]

I've contacted Mick and he doesn't believe its the correct part - that is for the previous type column (The one with the steering wheel horn push I assume) - and won't fit.

He doesn't know how it stops rotating! The only thing i can think of is that it is the two clamps with the pair of slots to hold the crinkle bits to stop the rotation.

Might have to fabricate something to fit in the slots to allow the crush tube to crush but not rotate.

[Gully]

The Mk 3 GT6 also features clip 609639, but the clamp references are different to the diagram above: 611368 for the upper part and 619850 for the lower. This suggests to me the parts evolved to omit the clip - as per the later diagram.

Gully

[Anglefire]

Well, I've sorted this out today - just bought some fine mesh and placed a layer over the top of the column and a couple of pieces in the "W" at the bottom - just enough to take out the slack and to stop it from rotating, but still allow it to function correctly. Not that I plan to test that out!

[yorkshire_spam]

On 5/13/2018 at 0:47 PM, Anglefire said:

Well, I've sorted this out today - just bought some fine mesh and placed a layer over the top of the column and a couple of pieces in the "W" at the bottom - just enough to take out the slack and to stop it from rotating, but still allow it to function correctly. Not that I plan to test that out!

I did pretty much the same thing, but I bought a sheet of rubber and cut a small piece out and placed it in the bottom to take up the slack/provide grip.