11 replies to this topic

[stevede]

Mini City 1991

Std steering column as far as I am aware

Hi Guys

I have been trying this morning to replace the plastic steering bushes which I though was going to be a 15 min job. (Column is off the car)

All bits cleaned up, top bush in no problem, bottom bush on & in, no problem but...........

Because of an indent in the lower column (original, not damage) the lower bush won't sit far enough into the tube to be where it needs to be (if that makes sense)

There's no way the lower bush can be fitted successfuly from the top.

I've checked haynes, read the article in Mini World, done a search on here and it all seems so straight forward.

What am I missing? please help.

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Thanks in advance

Steve

[stevede]

Anybody?????

Can't be just me unless I'm missing the obvious?

Help !!

[stevede]

Just been out to have a look at this again (there wasn't any lower bush in when I took it apart)

Have I got a hybrid steering column, ie inner from an earlier car that's been bodged together

Anyone shed any light on this please as I am getting frustrated at what should be a simple 10 min job

Thanks

Steve

[il-barba]

did you have a felt bush in there? these should be soaked in oil and act as a bush

[stevede]

Thanks for the response.

There was no lower bush at all when I dismantled the column for painting.

I bought the plastic one as the car is a 1991. I thought the felt bush was for much earlier cars.

[lolipop]

Yours is like mine and has the plastic bush you fit over the inner column,did mine last week and had the same problem.Took it back off the car and used a mallet to knock the bush further up by hitting the bottom of the inner column. Couldn't see any way else of doing it and haynes was no help as it only referred to the felt pad.Steering was tight after fitting but is much better after a weeks use. I'd recommend putting some sort of grease on the bush before fitting.

[luiji89]

i have recently done this job, my lower sits really low, seems okay to me tho!

where should it sit on the column?, as long as it is there im sure it would do the same job?


just re-read it... when i did mine (the old one was mangled up proper (plastic bush)) and the new one was a really tight fit, what i had to do was grease it up, fit the bush over the inner part then... push the inner part in then when it reached the bush you need to squeeze it in/ pinch it tighter, then push it in all the way.. if that makes sense?

edit: just rememberd i had a topic on this: http://www.theminifo...x...eering&st=0
there is some good help there from BJst

all the best

Edited by luiji89, 07 March 2010 - 07:56 PM.

[stevede]

Yours is like mine and has the plastic bush you fit over the inner column,did mine last week and had the same problem.Took it back off the car and used a mallet to knock the bush further up by hitting the bottom of the inner column. Couldn't see any way else of doing it and haynes was no help as it only referred to the felt pad.Steering was tight after fitting but is much better after a weeks use. I'd recommend putting some sort of grease on the bush before fitting.

Thanks lolipop

In frustration I got the mallet out and tried to push the bush further up by tapping the inner column. It made some movement but not enough to get the inner shaft where it needs to be.

In my thinking, either the very bottom part of the inner shaft is too long, or, the indent on the outer tube shouldn't be there. There's no realistic way I can get the plastic bush beyond the indent in the outer tube. It's as though it needs to be the other side of it, further up the tube.

With the felt bush, does this go around the thickness that has the pinch bolt or does it go around the thinner part as per the plastic bush? Still thinking I may have an early steering column.

Luiji, thanks for your input too. thiss was the posting I found on the search and if I follow what was said, the job should be done by now.

Did your outer column have an indent all the way round about 2 inches from the end?

Thanks

Steve

[stevede]

Still on with this but now may have more info.

Looking on ebay I found this
http://cgi.ebay.co.u...929995944974456

If you look at the picture the shaft at the bottom has a much shorter piece where the pinch bolt is.

This one seems to have the same inner as mine but a much shorter outer http://cgi.ebay.co.u...=item19ba8e7564

Makes me think I have an earlier or hybrid column.

Can anyone who has done their own bushes comment.

I'm happy to bid on one of these and get a replacement if that's what I need, unless anyone on here has one lying around.

As before all help welcomed.

Thanks again

Steve

Edited by stevede, 08 March 2010 - 10:16 AM.

[lolipop]

Been looking at my column and it's the same as those on Ebay with the 2 indents,whereas yours has only one,so I dont know where your column has come from,but likely to be an earlier one as you suspect,which would accept a felt bush,you could always try it,but if you would be reassured by fitting a complete column as it should be then that's probably the way to go.

[luiji89]

Been looking at my column and it's the same as those on Ebay with the 2 indents,whereas yours has only one,so I dont know where your column has come from,but likely to be an earlier one as you suspect,which would accept a felt bush,you could always try it,but if you would be reassured by fitting a complete column as it should be then that's probably the way to go.

same here, i have the 2 like ring look indents...
P'M me if you need any help or anything

toby

[stevede]

Thanks for the replies once again.

I have just had a phone call from a forum member who has a column for sale and he only lives a few miles away.

When I described the column to him he says the outer should be a lot shorter than mine currently is

I could cut mine down but I don't want to compromise safety so I'll buy the replacement unit. (price quoted was very reasonable)

Thanks again for the help

Regards

Steve