Steering column upper bearing - replace in situ?

Everything that keeps your car in contact with the road, and from contacting other road users.
Post Reply
Message
Author
Vox
Groupie
Groupie
Posts:56
Joined:Tue Jul 23, 2013 2:32 pm
Location:High Wycombe
Steering column upper bearing - replace in situ?

#1 Post by Vox » Thu Sep 21, 2017 9:19 am

Hi all,
In driving over the ploughed field that was the car park for the Kop Hill hill climb last weekend I noticed a great deal of shuddering in the steering wheel of my PFL Mk2.

Last night I tracked this down to the upper column bearing having disintegrated. It looks like it can be replaced in situ by taking out the circlip and hooking it out - is this the case or for any strange reason does the column have to come out?

If it can be changed in situ the next question is does anybody know where to get one (part number 153393)? None of the usual suppliers have them, only the bottom one. If the column does have to come out CW does have a new column so I might as well just fit that but while I don't mind swapping the column if I have to changing it in situ would be a lot quicker and easier!

On a related note how does this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-STAG- ... Ed4QO2fp3g relate to my car? It says it replaces the funny star washers etc that hold the top bearing in but I can't see anything like that on mine, just a circlip - should there be? Maybe that's why mine broke up!

Cheers
Chris
OOY22L

User avatar
Alan Chatterton
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts:2945
Joined:Fri Feb 06, 2004 11:18 pm
Location:Redditch, Worcestershire

Steering column upper bearing - replace in situ?

#2 Post by Alan Chatterton » Sat Sep 23, 2017 7:07 am

Chris,

Stag column different, ignore that.
Are you sure the bearing had broken, very unusual too. Play in the top of the column is usually due to the outer column skipping down the inner column a bit.
Undo the column adjuster, then undo the nut a few turns on the adjuster to make it slack.
Grab hold of the outer column behind the stalks and give it a bloody good yank or 2, backwards, i.e. Pulling the outer column towards you.
Do up the adjuster again and see how that it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Alan Chatterton

Location; Redditch

DEL 33 1972 Lines Stag Estate Tartan Red

Blog http://vml3m.blogspot.com/

Vox
Groupie
Groupie
Posts:56
Joined:Tue Jul 23, 2013 2:32 pm
Location:High Wycombe

Re: Steering column upper bearing - replace in situ?

#3 Post by Vox » Tue Sep 26, 2017 11:20 am

Hi Alan,
You were totaly right of course but I didn't see your reply until after I had removed the column and bought a NOS one from CW. On the bench I managed to get the old one right again but the reason I thought the old bearing had disintegrated was that I can see bits of swarf around it - it has been like this all the time I have had the car (4 years) at least so has had plenty of oportunity to chew itself up a bit I suppose but has never been picked up on the MOT despite at least 1/4" up and down play.

Since I have a new column I might as well fit it but the grease has gone a bit thick over the years in storage (new column dated 1977) so am looking at how easy the bearings are to get out without danaging them to re-pack. I certainly don't think I could have changed the top bearing in situ (to answer my own original question) as it looks like it might have to be drifted from underneath - which would mean getting the bottom bearing out first without damaging it! - but I may be wrong.

My original column did not have the 'harness cover' 153813 (open sided tube affair) and cable strap 153076 that is shown in the very early and also the late parts books but the up to 1974 book says "fitted up to commision number" and then helpfuly doesn't include the commision number and then a revised cabe strap (which mine has - a bit like a Terry clip) "fitted from commision numer" again number missing! Not sure why/if it was re-introduced for later cars.

cheers
Chris
OOY22L

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 17 guests