Removal of steering column

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Sat Aug 09, 2008 3:01 pm

Hi all, have found some time to work on the car, only, I'm having trouble removing the steeering column.

The collar part that is attatched to the dashboard. I have tried levering it with a screwdriver hitting it with the hammer but it won't move

I've read the manual but can't find anything on removing that collar.
Any suggestions

Thommo · Post by **Thommo** » Sat Aug 09, 2008 4:47 pm

Gday Tim
There are two nuts under the dash that are attached to two studs
that are screwed into that bracket.
Also when unbolting the steering box from the Y frames,
there will be shims between them, make sure you know how
many, & from which bolt they came from, they will need to go back
from where they came.
Cheers
Jeff

robbyr · Post by **robbyr** » Sat Aug 09, 2008 4:54 pm

Hi Tim,providing u have undone the 2 nuts holding it 2 the dash,it shold pull away. U have 2 pull it strait or els it will jamme,this collar part

allso holds the pedal assemberly 2 the dash ,this is what it gets stuck on,Try moving pedal assemberly side 2 side while pulling on collar part[coloum mount] good luck

FB MAD · Post by **FB MAD** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 7:54 pm

Where's ya bin Tim??

I'll give you a call at your shop tomorrow and talk you through it on the phone if you want.

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 9:25 pm

thanks for the tips,

I didn't relise they were studs on the column mount.
I was looking for bolts.

Hey Terry, have been very busy at work, new staff and lots
of late nights, call me tommorrow mate, that would be great.

Cheers.......Tim

mrs ratbox · Post by **mrs ratbox** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 10:20 pm

not doubting you THOMMO but i've pulled alot of colums out and i've never come across shims

FB MAD · Post by **FB MAD** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 10:38 pm

Sometimes they did shim the steering boxes at the Y frames as I've read "somewhere" if the box housing and Y frame bolt up faces had excessive clearance when tightened up at the factory.

Thommo · Post by **Thommo** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 5:40 pm

ratbox wrote:not doubting you THOMMO but i've pulled alot of colums out and i've never come across shims

I've ever only removed two, and they both had shims.
As Terry mentioned, they would have only be used if required.

I know in the van that, with the shims left out,
the steering column was not centered in the dash recess.
the shims bought it back a lot closer to lining up.

ratbox wrote:not doubting you THOMMO

You are so kind Rat, but I have been wrong before, no doubt, I will be again sometime.

FB MAD · Post by **FB MAD** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 5:55 pm

Sorry Tim,

Got tied up at work and couldn't call you, will call tomorrow.

Well, actually I didn't get tied up like with ropes and things....... I sort of got busy and couldn't ring ...... Ummmmmm...... not that I couldn't ring because my hands were tied to something but I mean............

Errrrrr ..............

I'll give you a call tomorrow Tim after I untie myself.

Brown Bear · Post by **Brown Bear** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 9:15 am

I just completed this job yesterday... those column clamp nuts are well hidden!

No shims in this one - my wagon is a genuine million-miler but must've been made right in the beginning. I could start another round of FB/EK superiority nonsense

, but the new column is an EK unit...

Hopefully this will cure the 'hollywood' steering box it's had for some time now

Keep at it, Tim

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 7:30 pm

I got the steering column out on the weekend,

and yes there were shims..
thanks for the help with that one fellas.

Thomo, I didn't pay attention to were they came out(I forgot), but I'm putting an auto column in so I hope it doesn't matter.

Terry, I tried pulling the column out through the interior like you said, but after trying to manoeuvre it for five minutes I was convinced it would'nt go

,
Then I tried one more time, I put my hands on the column to start moving it and somehow it just fell through

Oh, and that steering arm thing you said I might have to heat to get off, well I used a fence bar and gave it a tap and it fell off, easy

BB whats a Hollywood steering box

Ive got lots of work to do so sorry in advance for dumb questions

Cheers.....Tim

FB MAD · Post by **FB MAD** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 11:46 pm

Ain't no dumb questions asked on this forum Tim, we're all out to help each other.... just ask away whether you think it's trivial or not

Glad you managed to get the column out OK.You were lucky the steering arm came off the shaft easily as they can sometimes be difficult to remove without a puller and/or heat because thay fit onto a tapered spline.

Stewart is probably referring to the steering box of his to a "Hollywood box" as its "full or dramas" just to get it to steer.

Thommo · Post by **Thommo** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 8:26 pm

Nice work Tim

Keep those shims handy.
When I changed from a manual to an auto column in the van,
I needed to shim the steering box to get the column to line up
properly to the dash. It was pointing to the right a little, so shims
where put the top rear bolt to align it.
Cheers
Jeff

Brown Bear · Post by **Brown Bear** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 7:49 am

A 'hollywood' steering box is one where you have to drive as though you were in an old hollywood movie, waving the steering wheel side to side...

Biggest drama was replacing the column shift linkages with the new column in place, as I had removed them in anticipation of removing it via the cabin. How wrong I was!

All told, the steering has improved, as has the gear shift... definately something broken in the old column!

FB MAD · Post by **FB MAD** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 2:08 pm

Sorry Mathew, I thought it was Stewart that made the "hollywood steering box " comment

My bad