Another steering related question 1300 dolomite fixed column

[Tamworthbay]

I have been preparing to fit the bush that sits in the hole in the bulk head and have found another bush just floating on the column. It's this one:

http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-152827

It is just sat on the column and can be slid up and down. Where should it be?

[Carledo]

It's supposed to be in the bottom of the outer column, below the clamp and just above where the inner column sticks out of the bottom of the outer.

Steve

[Tamworthbay]

It's supposed to be in the bottom of the outer column, below the clamp and just above where the inner column sticks out of the bottom of the outer.

Steve

Hmmm, that's where I thought it should be but there is one in already, so for some reason I have no lower bearing but two lower column bushes.......... And to think the car has receipts showing it was maintained by 'professionals'

[Carledo]

Yeah, but it doesn't say what they were "professional" at! One old boss of mine was a professional butcher - literally! He was fully trained in cutting up meat! I'm not sure to this day how much of this training helped him to be a better mechanic!

And there is still a whole country full of so-called mechanics out there who can't fix anything if it won't plug into their computer!

Sorry, hobby horse of mine, rant over!

Steve

I have seen it done, where an old worn bush is merely shoved further up the column and a second new one installed beneath it. This is the only way I can account for what has happened here.

[Tamworthbay]

The one bush is in exactly the right place, the other is just floating, it had migrated down to the bottom and was sat touch the plate that should have held the lower bearing which is completely absent. Did they think it was the lower bearing? If so surely the flapping about of the whole assembly would have given it away? It's beyond me which is why I asked just in case I was missing something or there was supposed to be a lower support bracket or something. I find the diagrams less then comprehensive at times so that could have been the case but I couldn't see the point in that scenario. I guess with any forty year old car there will always be a few quirks and things to fix, thankfully the steering seems to be only thing that has been fiddled with badly.

[Tamworthbay]

Got this all sorted over the last couple of days, both column bushes were worn and needed replacing but as I had a 'spare' already sat on the column I only needed one. Now it's back together with decent bushes and the lower bearing in place it all feels nice and tight (in the right sense - as in doesn't flap about an inch). I still can't believe this was riven for a couple of years in that state, how could he not notice? I guess it must have been put down to 'old car' feel.