Steering column upper bush Q's

[stan360]

I must of forgot to take a photo of how the upper plastic bush on the steering column goes in.  One side has a lager lip and deeper 2 stage notch....Is that side facing the floor or the wheel ?  Also I read in Haynes , soak the lower bush  felt in engine oil.  Did that .  Apply grahite grease to the upper plastic bush.  I don't have that, but could order some.  Could you use Permetex anti sieze that has graphite, aluminum , copper?  It's not a grease at all but would be interested if anyone used alternatives . 


My column also has a tiny plastic split ring bush below the felt at bottom.  I never seen even offered as a possible replacement part. 

[MiniDave]

The notch should line up with the notch in the metal tube, it's where the turn signal switch locates. Don't worry if you don't get it aligned perfectly with the notch, just take a razor knife and cut off the part that is showing.

Antisieze will work just fine, you want a lubricant that won't harden....I used PTFE.

Yes, oil the lower bush, and squeeze out the excess oil so it doesn't drip. I had a heck of a time getting the shaft and lower bushing in, they sorta had to go in together, so I started the felt into the hole, started the shaft into the felt, then took a very thin piece of sheetmetal and wrapped that around the felt, then took a screw type hose clamp around that and tightened it. Then I could slip the whole thing down into the tube a bit, loosen the clamp and slide it up a little, retighten and so on. It only took a few times before it was all in and it worked smoothly once in place.

[stan360]

Ok, so this large lip and deeper notch is the side facing the wheel  to line up with that column notch ?

I seen that column on the 73 you were working on....Did you end up machining the replacement to the shape of the old one ?

[MiniDave]

Yes, and yes.....I thought I posted a pic of it, if not I can.....

[stan360]

Alright...thanks , I got it going now .

[stan360]

Is this correct.   the internal tab mates on the inside of column to the lower nothc on the bush?  The notches on the top lip of the column are at 10 and 2

and not 3 and 9 like the bush....so I couldn't see how those line up

[MiniDave]

I just lined up the outer ones.......

[stan360]

I moved the bush to line up one notch on it with the column notch on the right side of my column where the signal switch is.  I am thinking that there are two notches  in the columns and  maybe even the bushes for using the signal switch on the left side of column for LHD cars or Right side for RHD.  So maybe the only notches that need to line up are on the signal side.   

[MiniDave]

Yep, just make sure you have it pushed down where it's level with the edge of the tube. If you had to for some reason, it's very easy to cut a notch on the other side with a razor blade.

[stan360]

Ok,  will do. 

  I have a lowering bracket for the steering column.  It seems that when you put the column on the steering rack that trying to lower it with a bracket and drop the column down would mean that it would not set on the toothed gear flush but rather at an angle.  What do I need to do with that ? 

[MiniDave]

Loosen the rack so it can rotate in the mounts, set the column in place and locate it where you want it with the drop bracket, tighten the drop bracket then tighten the pinch bolt at the bottom of the column while holding the steering shaft downward, then tighten the u-bolts that hold the rack....

[stan360]

That makes sense.....perfect.   Yeah,,,, there is a bit of room in that floor pan hole for the steering rack to rotate/drop.  Thanks Dave.

[94touring]

I don't believe the rack actually can rotate much if at all with how the u bolts fit over the rack.  However if you have ever undone the column mount the column drops and kinda flops around, without separating from the teeth on the rack.

[stan360]

Ok,  I haven't put that steering column retaining plate in yet , to latch everything down along with the pedal box. Just in the test fit stage today after putting the column parts together. ......This  swift tune bracket I have  just seems to have a lot of drop .... I cannot remember  well on taking the column out and didn't take but a couple pics there.    Was at the last of the teardown and I am sure I was spent by then.   I think I am going to put that carpet piece along the bulkhead first and then install the pedal box / retaining plate / master and brake cylinder  and sort the column all in one swoop.

[MiniDave]

Yep, put the column in last.....