Sorry for the brevity earlier. Running real hard today.
BTDT and SMP Yes, been there, done that, had the column pull off after a
rather "spirited" left hander, hence SMP. Go figure. Your real concern
shouldn't be play, but disengagement. Here's the deal, and Frank agrees
with me on this... I think he's had a similar experience, the bolt which is
meant to pinch the clamp also is meant to locate into a groove on the
pinion shaft. That bolt frequently wears a bit so it no longer locates the
column and the slop becomes in and out until, well, it becomes just out.
The cure was to buy a new bolt, and not any bolt, but one with the proper
unthreaded length, and install it. Then drill through the reenforced clamp
part and the pinion and drive in a suitable roll pin.
I suspect that if you have side to side play because of the
splines being worn, that the bolt is worn as well. Pinning will solve both
issues.
I hope everyone runs out to the garage and checks theirs. I'll
wager that almost 50% need attention. Honest. This applies to
pre-collapsible columns. After that, I'm not sure.
Take care. Peter C
==
At 03:46 PM 11/7/2001, chuck wrote:
>BTDT - Been There, Done That ?????
>
>I think you mean to drill through the clamp and the splined
>shaft and pin them together, right? But if the splines are
>buggered, would I not still get a trace of play??
>
>chuckC
>
>"Peter C." wrote:
>
> > BTDT..... Drill and pin.
> > Peter C
> > ===
> > At 01:23 PM 11/7/2001, chuck wrote:
> > >I have once again got just a faint trace of play at the steering
> > >wheel. Last time this occurred, I traced it to a loose clamp
> > >where the steering column clamps onto the splines that go
> > >into the rack.
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