[Steering & Suspension] steering column bearings

[smutts]

Having an ever wibblier wobbly steering wheel, I finally took off the airbag to tighten the steering wheel torx bolt.
But, the torx bolt is tight (well, to spec which is 20NM which isn't tight at all )

So looking more closely,
the Steering wheel bolt is tight,
The column assembly is tight to the dash frame,
the adjusting clamp is tight,
the steering column outer tube doesn't move,
the inner column shaft wobbles.

Feeling at the bottom, I can feel an escaped bearing cage loose on the bottom of the shaft.
So I know what's wrong, a roller bearing has come apart and spat all it's rollers out everywhere.

Question is, what's the fix & part numbers?

[geoff]

Cannot give a bearing number but would say you’ll likely be better off buying a second hand unit from a breaker / eBay they don’t seem to go for much money.
Whether you strip and swap the bearing or the entire column is your guess, I’ve not done job so cannot say.
Good luck ?

[smutts]

Agreed also upon the 2nd hand fleabay route. 
So a fun little job for the Crimble break.

If you find a dozen or so little steel rollers in your foot well, 
you now can guess where they fell out of.

If there is any comedy value to my repair attempts, I will keep you all posted.

[smutts]

And, the comedy starts,
The replacement column came without the universal joint, but a generously big splined hollow into which a splined shaft (which has the universal joint) should slide into.
I assume this is to give the bottom shaft somewhere to go other than into your chest organs in a crash.
My original column came apart, leaving it's insides still parked on top of the splined part, simples, pull it off, except it won't.
Any ideas?

[smutts]

On a closer look, there is a stamp mark where the outer splined tube is deformed to the inner spline shaft. So they aren't an easy slide fit to each other. Why? Oh, I forgot, it's French.
So undo bolt on the upper universal joint, (remember how it went, as else the joints will be out of phase with each other), out comes the assembly & out comes the dremmel.
Cut a square window around the stamp mark, carefully. Pry out and chuck irritating bit of metal suitably far away. Now the wretched thing can be separated with reasonable hammering. (you did remember to carefully measure how far the splined bit was sticking out? as that will need to be copied when you hammer your old UJ shaft into the replacement splined tube of the steering column (which still has that deformed dent on the splined tube). Put the whole mess back together.

[smutts]

To recap, if you do get a replacement steering column, make sure it comes with the universal joint, it will be worth the extra few quid and save a load of hassle.
(Assuming you haven't been flogged one that's been in a crash, ie. too short!)

Also, to get the steering lock off, there is what appears to be a rivet that holds it all onto the steering column.
It's actually a shear bolt, so dremel a pair of cuts each side of the "dome" and then it can be turned with your bodge of choice.
Once the bolt is out, there is a spring loaded button on top that needs to be pressed down, when the key is turned to the right position. Then out it comes.

[smutts]

Wibbly Wobbly Steering Wheel..............................Begone!

Now I have to hammer the front wheel to some sort of roundness.
Just shows how bad the Devon potholes are now, if they can hurt an old French car!

[geoff]

Sorted !!!!!!!!!!