31 replies to this topic

[Min E]

Hi all.

Yesterday several of you kindly helped my lad Danny with his problem of the damaged splines on the steering column due to the fitting of the drop bracket.

In the thread it was mentioned that a new column was about £40. Can you please tell me where from?

I phoned Mini Sport this morning and they quoted £194.80 because the unit for the 1989 Mayfair is an inner and outer assembly, apparently you cannot just buy the inner (£24.68) column for this model.

They also said that they had what were probably the last 10 units in the world .

Any suggestions please.

Thanks.
Dave.

Edited by MINY, 03 November 2009 - 09:34 AM.

[Wil_h]

This bit?

http://www.minispare...=...INNER 85 ...

These must be available 2nd hand, try the wanted section

[Min E]

Thanks Wil.

That's more like it. I'll give them a call.

If anybody out there has fitted one of these how easy will it be for him? If its supposed to be an inner / outer assembled unit do they 'split' easily?

Dan is in student accomodation with limited resorces. Just a few spanners and a hammer, the usual equipment needed for working on a mini .

Dave.

[Wil_h]

Hardest job is getting the steering wheel off, he may need to take it to a garage with a suitable socket.

[Min E]

Hardest job is getting the steering wheel off, he may need to take it to a garage with a suitable socket.

He's already hit that problem! Fortunately he's got a flat alloy sports wheel so the nut is getatable with a pair of mole grips.

The bl**dy annoying part of this is that the drop bracket does not come with any instructions telling you that you have to adjust the rack.

When I was told the price of the column assembly by Mini Sport I commented on the fact that the problem had only occured because of lack of information at the point of sale of their bracket and was told "everybody already knows you're supposed to adjust it".

[GraemeC]

If he's got the wheel off everything else should be straight forward. Once the emergency is over you will probably need a 1&5/16" socket to tighten the steering wheel nut up again properly.

As per the note on MiniSpares he may not get self cancelling indicators if he fits it straight out of the box but I guess this isn't the end of the world.

Take the column assembly out of the car, slide the inner coloumn out of the outer downwards (ie so the steering wheel end goes into the outer column).
Slide new column into place.
Finally re-assemble. Remembering to loosen the rack U bolts!!!! To be correct the slot in the rack splines should be horizontal and on top when the wheels are pointing straight ahead.

Remember to send him a new pinch bolt too:
http://www.minispare...;title=STEERING COLUMN PINCH BOL...

[dansalter]

i've already stripped the colum except for the steering wheel but i'll get it off somehow.

mini sport do a new one for 40 quid
http://www.minisport...fo_NAM5058.html

[GraemeC]

You don't need a new rack!

[Min E]

i've already stripped the colum except for the steering wheel but i'll get it off somehow.

mini sport do a new one for 40 quid
http://www.minisport...fo_NAM5058.html

Hi Dan.

I've got it sorted...

I called Mini Spares and yes they can suply one and send it by courier next day (£46 total) but it has to be signed for and if you happen to be in a lecture when it arrives they would just take it back because the office at your student village will not sign for anything.

So, I called Target in Swansea for a price and time. They will have it by tomorrow night and the cost is £54 which includes the new pinch bolt and new top and bottom bushes.

I told them that you had limited resources and they said you could take your complete column with you and they would give you a hand to re-build it.

OK everybody... yes, I could have told Dan all this on the phone but I felt it was important to post it because I'm sure people who work at Mini Spares and Target dip into this forum and I wanted to thank them publicly for their help.

So...Thanks to all concerned and a big up especially to Lee at Target.

Edited by MINY, 03 November 2009 - 11:24 AM.

[Dan]

The discussion you've had with Mini Sport is exactly why I personally don't like dealing with them. I'm currently trying to get something delivered by them, they told me yesterday that next day delivery means next day after it comes into stock. The webshop doesn't tell you that or what is and isn't in stock and neither does their conformation e-mail. It's fine for them to send it when it comes in but they should tell you that they don't have any, all the other dealers tell you. They also told me it was too heavy or bulky to post, which is simply untrue. The guy on the phone was obviously trying to stop himself becoming angry as he spoke to me. They aren't very friendly or helpful there and they never have been. This is just my own experience of Mini Sport obviously but I stick to Mini Spares where I can. I think you would have a good case against Mini Sport in this if you wanted to persue them, it's not at all obvious that you have to rotate the rack and people only pick up the information from sources like this forum or magazines. I don't think anyone includes instructions with the bracket which is quite terrible really.

On an '89 car the self cancelling is driven by the wheel so it should be fine, that is the right inner column. Mini Spares, Moss, Somerford and others all sell them individually and they won't be running out soon. The outer columns might run out but they rarely need changing. I'd send him that column, new top and bottom bushes and a pinch bolt and suitable nut. You could also send him the right socket if you wanted (Mini specialists stock them) and a new wheel nut in case he has damaged the current one with the Mole grips. The socket is useful to have because it also fits many disc brake hub nuts and the front subframe upper mounting. If you're going to get it all from Mini Spares do it soon though, the cutoff for next day is 12:00 and I'm thinking Dan will want the stuff soon.

[Dan]

Sorry, I was typing while you posted! Who are Target? They sound very helpful.

[Min E]

I've just edited my last post....I meant to thank Mini Spares..... (I had put Mini Sport).

I don't think I could persue a case against them because I don't think the bracket is identifiable as theirs and if it was bought at a show from their stall then there is no paper trail.

Anyway, lesson learned and with all your help resolved without too much expence.

Thanks.
Dave

[dansalter]

good stuff

target is my local mini specialist in swansea

they seem to be very help full and i've researched them only to find good things.

i may ask them if they have the right socket as it would be usefull.

looks like i may make it home this weekend after all

[Dan]

To refit it all, obviously the column only fits to the rack in one orientation due to the pinch bolt. But the wheel can be fitted any way so you need to make sure the rack is centred. There is a plug on the passenger side where the LHD steering column would be fitted. Pull this out and there is a threaded plug in the rack behind it. Unscrew that and there is a hole in both the outer and inner rack. Using the shank of a 1/4" / 6.5mm drill bit in this hole you can lock the rack in the centre of travel. That way you know the wheel is the right way up when you fit it. The tracking may have been set to a different centre in the past but if it has you should get it reset as you will have more lock in one direction than the other. Remember to take the drill out again!

[Min E]

To refit it all, obviously the column only fits to the rack in one orientation due to the pinch bolt. But the wheel can be fitted any way so you need to make sure the rack is centred. There is a plug on the passenger side where the LHD steering column would be fitted. Pull this out and there is a threaded plug in the rack behind it. Unscrew that and there is a hole in both the outer and inner rack. Using the shank of a 1/4" / 6.5mm drill bit in this hole you can lock the rack in the centre of travel. That way you know the wheel is the right way up when you fit it. The tracking may have been set to a different centre in the past but if it has you should get it reset as you will have more lock in one direction than the other. Remember to take the drill out again!

Thanks for all that Dan, very usefull.

What he has dismantled will not have affected the tracking so as long as he fitts it all back together it doesn't really matter which way the steering wheel points for the journey home, I can sort that out when he gets back but I will centre the rack and have it re-tracked.