Steering play

[GrahamFountain]

But on a related topic, I've got play in the upper steering column. I'vbe looked in the ROM, but it only tells me how to pull the whole mast, but not how or what bearings etc., to replace.

So can anybody point me at a list of the parts I will need to buy - I want to do the job in one go c.w.m. I have a spare mast, but it's not much better, and the ignition key for that doesn't fit one of the doors all that well. But I'm sure we can make a good one of the two, given the service parts.

Graham.

[sprint95m]

Graham, the upper column bearing is 153393 (on a 1500HL or any 1850 or Sprint).
These were listed as discontinued so ( a while back) a TDC member ( Jez) looked at getting them remanufactured. However a batch was not commissioned because
of the likely lack of demand. This is going to remain the case, I suspect, for so long as there are good s/h steering columns available to use.

A while back I bought a bearing on ebay (I was the only bidder I think) but since I hardly look at ebay these days I cannot comment on how often these turn up.


Sorry, not really a lot of help I'm afraid.





Ian.

[Jon Tilson]

Rebuilding a column mast and changing the top bearing is a pretty fiddly job for not much reward.
You will have trouble getting a new bearing as Ian says.
That being said, years ago I did one by swapping the little ball bearings and regreasing one.
Mega fiddly, but the little bearings were on hand at a bike shop.

You will be much quicker changing the whole column and swapping your locks and switchgear over.
You can change the steering lock by sawing screwdriver slots in the shear head bolts.

Jonners

[GrahamFountain]

I take it from the replies that it's the upper bearing, 153393, not the lower, 136936, that's like to need replaceing.
The symptoms are some slack in the rotation of the steering, about 4 mm measured at the edge of the steering wheel and some rattling at low speed. I can't say there's any obvious up and down or bending movement in the mast though. I thought it was the upper UJ that was the problem at first. But I can feel that the bottom of the mast, just inside the car, is not moving when the wheel is turned v. slightly.

Graham.

[Jon Tilson]

Then you have worn splines in the sliding part of the inner column or on the splines that the steering wheel
sits on.

The later is almost unheard of. The former only on extreme mileages or if the column is pushed up and down a lot.

Jonners

[GrahamFountain]

Pretty sure it's not the wheel turning on the shaft, but I'll check.

So it sounds like its the inner column. The clamp isn't so good, which might mean it's been adjusted a lot. Indeed it had a length of steel strip wrapped in insulting tape, and wedged in, to keep the column elevated a bit when I got it. I have the column full in and full down. So that's not been a problem.

Good job there's a spare in the shed.

Graham.