Upper Steering column bushes

[TomB]

My upper steering column bush has partly broken up, in that the plastic centre is no longer present. I suspect it fell out when the steering column was slid out of the way when I removed the engine for some work. I have ordered 2 replacement bushes, and now need to know how to replace it. Any top tips, apart from buy a f-ing big hammer 😳

 

Do I hammer out the dashboard bush, then get a longer chisel to get the bottom one out?

[Peter Carmichael]

You won't have to disturb the bottom one. You can replace the plastic in the bottom one without removing the rubber mounted bit. If you have a quick release steering boss, you can replace the plastic in the top one without pulling the whole bush out too. If a standard steering column, then you can use the column itself as a slide hammer to knock the bush out.

 

Rubber/nylon silicone lube helps everything go back into place.

[TomB]

AFAIK, the lower bush is fine. I have a quick release Racetech wheel. How would I replace just the inner plastic core? Would I slide it out of the new bush & then lubricate it & slide it into the old bush in dashboard?

 

It was suggest to me to hammer out the upper bush with a socket, extension bar & hammer, then extend it to take the bottom bush out, then replace both of them

[Peter Carmichael]

No much simpler than that.

 

 

Undo the clamp joining the two halves of the column. Slide the upper column out - with the quick release it shouldn't have any steering lock lugs stopping you doing this.

 

The plastic bits can then be snapped into place. Just be careful gettign the column back through the lower one.

 

[TomB]

Were do the plastic bits you refer to come from? The new bushes I have bought from caterham?

[Peter Carmichael]

Yes. Only think about replacing the rubber/metal bit if you are a masochist.

[Bilbo]

masochist 😬 😬 😬

 

Its not that difficult Peter see here its half way down page 1.

 

 

'Can you hear me running' ......... OH YES and its music to my ears 😬 😬 😬

1988 200 bhp, 146 ft lbs, 1700cc Cosworth BD? engineered by Roger King, on Weber's with Brooklands and Clamshell wings, Freestyle Motorsport suspension.

[TomB]

Ive got 2 bushes in the post now, and I see the plastic core in the centre of the bush. How do I get the core out of the new bush to place it in the old one?

 

Or should I try and get the old bush out by cutting the metal sleeve of the bush with a hacksaw blade & wriggling it out and replacing it with a new one?

[Peter Carmichael]

The plastic is split and you can lever up the end so it forms a spiral inside itself with overall a small enough diameter to pop out the end of the sleeve.

 

That is far too many words for a very simple act that will be obvious once you've done it.

[Bilbo]

Peter

 

The new ones have a bonded white plastic its not like the old yellow insert that just easily slipped out. Hence being a masochist 😬

 

Does that sound like your new ones Tom

 

'Can you hear me running' ......... OH YES and its music to my ears 😬 😬 😬

1988 200 bhp, 146 ft lbs, 1700cc Cosworth BD? engineered by Roger King, on Weber's with Brooklands and Clamshell wings, Freestyle Motorsport suspension.

[TomB]

I did the job last night. I had to partly cut out & persuade the plastic sleeve out of the new bush before sliding it in the old bush. I tried remving the old bush but gave up after it started mangling the dashboard with all the screw driver prising action. I peeped down the steering column tube and could see the old type of sleeve down there. It all went back togther OK, I just hope the new plastic sleeve doesnt work it self out & move down the tube. I wish I had aralidited it in place now, but there you go. Cheers for you help, it really wasnt that difficult