Steering Column Joint

[Pete Lewis]

  sorry the shaft clearly has a groove to allow the bolt to pass and this physically  stops the shaft disconnecting 

if the shaft pulls out you have not fitted it fully into the coupling or rack idler  etc  

come on   the design is fail proof ,  but not the owners    Ha !

pete

 

https://www.canleyclassics.com/triumph-spitfire-mkiv/1500-wheel-and-columns/

[NonMember]

Steering wheel sliding in and out is far more likely to be the result of the intermediate clamp for the crash protection "collapsible column" feature. Parts 122669, 125782, 125781 etc. in the diagram. If that's not properly tight, the upper column can slide in and out quite easily.

[Colin Lindsay]

1 hour ago, NonMember said:

Steering wheel sliding in and out is far more likely to be the result of the intermediate clamp for the crash protection "collapsible column" feature. Parts 122669, 125782, 125781 etc. in the diagram. If that's not properly tight, the upper column can slide in and out quite easily.

I've looked at mine Rob and it's definitely the steering joint; you can see the end of the shaft move in and out. Only a 1/4 inch or less but still worrying.

[Nigel Clark]

1 hour ago, Colin Lindsay said:

I've looked at mine Rob and it's definitely the steering joint; you can see the end of the shaft move in and out. Only a 1/4 inch or less but still worrying.

I've had the same on my GT6. It was definitely the steering joint at the rack, cured by tightening the clamp bolt.

Nigel

[Peter Truman]

yes Pete your right the rack has a groove all around the input shaft so no up/down movement there, and the steering inner column has a 1in chamfered notch for the bolt and I assume that's where the up/down movement occurs, but the shaft can't fully pull out, but it does scare the hell out of you!

I had thought about converting to the later Triumph small steering UJ alternative, but it's relatively expensive, not shock absorbing, and some indicate the aftermarket options are of poor quality failing after a few years.

I think Rogers one side undercutting of the original (TR4) looks a good option to increase the clamping effect, and keeps things looking original, I might play today on a spare set up and also get it ready with a poly re-bushing kit.

Peter T

[RogerH]

A few years back a friend in our local group turned up and apologised for not being there the previous month.

On his way to the meeting he was turning a slow speed corner and pulled on the steering wheel and the whole column came upwards - then no steering.

Thankfully no damage done and the underpants were usable after a wash.

The previous owner had a very clever idea for getting that bottom UJ clamp bolt in (on a tR4A) he filed the thread and shank into a 'D' section - aaarrrggghhhh.

If it doesn't fit - you are doing wrong.

 

Roger

[NonMember]

I don't think I've ever had any trouble fitting those UJs. The Spitfire one is awkward for access to the upper clamp bolt but the way round that is to temporarily remove the telescoping clamp and slide the lower column right up so you can fit the UJ to that in a convenient location before sliding it down to fit the rack. The lower bolt - for the clamp to the rack - is readily accessible in situ.

[Pete Lewis]

when i had the modern  UJ version fitted to the Vit6  there was a close jockeying for clearance with the turret and the 631 primaries

all very close , if the shaft cleared the exhaust the uj would foul the back of the turret , took a lot of rack jiggling to  compromise a fit 

Pete