Steering column support shaft / adjuster potential mod. Also am I a weakling?

[A Ross]

With my Beta temporarily off road due to its alternator being rebuilt - I decided to tackle the problem of the unbearable squeaking clutch pedal at the weekend, which I have now (thankfully) fixed.  

In putting the steering column cowl and under-dash cover back, I noticed that two of my steering wheel support shaft studs have were snapped at some point in the past, which answers the question of the slight play I can feel in the wheel when driving.

Instead of tracking down a new support shaft - (I have seen some out there) I am thinking of drilling the old studs out and fitting a much more reliable nyloc nut, bolt and washer arrangement. Has anyone on here done this before? I just thought I better check before committing to it, but it seems liek a sensible upgrade to me.

Steering wheel is currently resting on the drivers seat!  

**UPDATE** How do you take the adjuster lever out? The long bolt that goes through the mounting is impossible to budge! ***


Alex

[Clifford3051]

Hi Alex. Was the squeaking clutch pedal and easy fix?
Thanks
C

[A Ross]

Haha @Clifford3051 It was very easy - after lubricating all the joints on the pedal - it was actually dry around the rubber boot where the where the cable was comes into the car through the bulkhead - so a bit of PTFE WD40 on that and its now quiet again.

A

[Neil-yaj396]

I've never come across or heard of your steering column issue Alex. I'm also puzzled about why previous owners would be messing about with the support studs? Trying to replace the standard steering wheel?

[squiglyzigly]

Hi Alex,
If I understand you correctly you’re talking about the 4x M6 studs in the upper half of the steering column support?
I’ve never had to repair these studs but I’m not surprised to hear they break as non power steering cars do need a lot of input when parking. Or maybe someone was a bit heavy handed removing the steering wheel.
Drilling them out and replacing them with M6 bolts and nyloc nuts make sense to me. The only thing to note is originally the cars had 2x custom rectangular washers fitted into retagular holes on the upper end of the column. (Closest to the driver). I believe this was some kind of crash protection should you face plant on the steering wheel, then they allow the column to pull through the special rectangular tab washers and away from the driver. But I don’t know if my assessment of this design is correct.

So new bolts/studs and penny washers will work fine so long as you don’t intend chewing the steering wheel.

Cheers
Ian

Side note
Maybe someone snapped the studs trying to remove play in the special rectangular washers as I have seen them partially pulled through and giving play in the steering column.

[Clifford3051]

Good to hear. Thanks Alex
C

[squiglyzigly]

I can’t remember exactly re- removing the column adjuster shaft, but I think it only slides out one way (away from the handle) and it may have a keyway or something to stop it rotating when the handle is moved.
So you probably need to remove the handle to get the shaft out towards the nut.
Again I haven’t touched one for decades but I remember there was a knack.

Ian

[A Ross]

I've never come across or heard of your steering column issue Alex. I'm also puzzled about why previous owners would be messing about with the support studs? Trying to replace the standard steering wheel?

It does seem all a little odd, I had the cover and cowl off to lubricate the clutch component and I thought i'd check everything else was OK whilst I was there. The Steering wheel has always (in my ownership) felt a little loose - I had initially just put that down to wear - Luckily it didn't come adrift when driving as I could have ended up with a steering wheel on my lap! There is no evidence to suggest that it has had anything other than the standard Beta wheel at the moment. 

[A Ross]

Hi Alex,
If I understand you correctly you’re talking about the 4x M6 studs in the upper half of the steering column support?
I’ve never had to repair these studs but I’m not surprised to hear they break as non power steering cars do need a lot of input when parking. Or maybe someone was a bit heavy handed removing the steering wheel.
Drilling them out and replacing them with M6 bolts and nyloc nuts make sense to me. The only thing to note is originally the cars had 2x custom rectangular washers fitted into retagular holes on the upper end of the column. (Closest to the driver). I believe this was some kind of crash protection should you face plant on the steering wheel, then they allow the column to pull through the special rectangular tab washers and away from the driver. But I don’t know if my assessment of this design is correct.

So new bolts/studs and penny washers will work fine so long as you don’t intend chewing the steering wheel.

Cheers
Ian

Side note
Maybe someone snapped the studs trying to remove play in the special rectangular washers as I have seen them partially pulled through and giving play in the steering column.

Thanks Ian - You are spot on there! It is the 4xM6 Studs I have noted the rectangular washers although mine were further away from the driver - so someone before me has definitely been playing around with it- and on review, I can well believe that they are designed to do just that and enable to column to collapse on impact - I will seek to replace them / reuse them in conjunction with some new high quality nuts and bolts to avoid chewing that awful steering wheel!

I can’t remember exactly re- removing the column adjuster shaft, but I think it only slides out one way (away from the handle) and it may have a keyway or something to stop it rotating when the handle is moved.
So you probably need to remove the handle to get the shaft out towards the nut.
Again I haven’t touched one for decades but I remember there was a knack.

Ian

I've been pulling at the wrong end! Serves me right for working on it when tired!

Thanks Ian  - Hope to see you at Brooklands on Saturday if you're about! Probably unlikely i'll be in my Beta now unless a miracle happens!

Alex