TR2/3/3A TR3A steering column

I just received my 2 rubber/nylon bush3s Moss part number 525-020 for the split-column and cannot figure out how to install them properly. On disaseembly, I found only a make shift washer used to keep the inner rod centered.

Can someone share with me exactly where they go and how to get the bush over the larger portion near the top of the column?

Also upon correct installation is the bush entirely inside the outer column or does a portion hang out?

Thanks,
Griff

So far Griff, mine have been intirely inside the column. The rubber bushes have two rubber bumps and those correspond to the two holes on the side of the steering column. I used Lithium grease and squished the bumps down until they slid into place. I have a two pc. column so I have another one to do as soon as the upper column is painted. There is also an anti rattle washer and a felt bush that goes into the assembly. You can see those in the Moss diagram.

Good Luck, Tinkerman

Dick

Sent you a PM yesterday

Marv

Dick,
Help me out here. According to the Moss catalog the split column uses two rubber/nylon bushes and the felt bush. It specifies the anti-rattle ring is for the rigid column.

Also, the tip on the lithium grease sounds good, But, my biggest problem is how to get the rod inserted through the bushes.

It appears they are rubber with a nylon/plastic sleeve on the inside and I do not see the sleeve stretching enough to go over the large portion of the steering rod even if I grease them up. Am I missing something that should be entirely obvious?

Thanks,
Griff

griff said:

It appears they are rubber with a nylon/plastic sleeve on the inside and I do not see the sleeve stretching enough to go over the large portion of the steering rod even if I grease them up. Am I missing something that should be entirely obvious?

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There is also steel in that sandwich (at least on the originals), so no way are they going to stretch over anything. But they should not need to.

The sleeves go just inside the end of the tubes, on either side of the 'split', so the bottom section of steering shaft gets pushed up from the bottom (through the steering box), and the top section gets pushed down from the top (through the felt bush). The large portion of the shaft stays at the top (in the felt bush). The splines that go into the coupling are the same size as the shaft where the rubber/nylon things ride, so they should slip right in.

Hmm, just for clarity, the rubber/nylon things should be installed first (preferably with the column still out of the car). As Dick says, a little grease will help the rubber slide into the tubes, and there should be two holes in each tube for the 'ears' to stick out of. A little grease inside is a good idea too, IMO, but they don't fit all that tight on the shaft so the grease inside is more to prevent rust than needed for easy installation.

Griff. I'll let you know later today, had to order another bushing so will take a look at it. Small shipment of related parts due in today or tomorrow. Just went looking for the old one I took out yesterday but could'nt find it. I suspect it will slide on over the bottom end of the shaft. That is to say you will have to install the bush then slide the steering shaft in from the top end of the steering column. Your probably right about the anti rattle ring, but I bought one so I'm going to use it.

Was your stator tube clean? If not how did you clean it?

I just reread your post. One of the bushs goes in the steering box column and the other goes in the bottom of the steering wheel part of the column. So I suspect that you get that assembled outside of the car slide in the steering rod and then install them as a unit. I'm going to post this and then go look at a couple of pictures. If anything changes I'll re-post

Dick

Thank you to both Randall and Dick. I understand now. I had installed the lower shaft several weeks ago and am now prepping the upper. When I looked at the Moss catalog pic, it appeared they were referencing the bush as item 9 and showing it at the top of the column as well.

So D/A me, I ordered two bushes for the upper section and only needed one and the felt bush.

Thanks again,

Donnie "Griff"

Tinkerman said:

Was your stator tube clean? If not how did you clean it?

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Mine was cruddy inside, so I alternated spraying with Gumout and forcing bearing balls through it until it seemed cleaner. Also discovered this time that the lubricant they sell at Home Depot for pulling wires through conduit makes pulling wires through that tube a whole lot easier. Messy, but effective. And it cleaned up pretty easy.

TR3driver said:

Tinkerman said:

Was your stator tube clean? If not how did you clean it?

Click to expand...

Mine was cruddy inside, so I alternated spraying with Gumout and forcing bearing balls through it until it seemed cleaner. Also discovered this time that the lubricant they sell at Home Depot for pulling wires through conduit makes pulling wires through that tube a whole lot easier. Messy, but effective. And it cleaned up pretty easy.

Click to expand...

Whoa! What a great tip. I've some heard real horror stories about pulling the wires through and what a toughy it was. Wire pulling lubricant, guess it's off to Lowes tomorrow, No HD here, drat. By the way did you pull the wires before or after installing the stator tube?

I like the grease idea for the steering shaft also, guess that will go on the list.

Tinkerman

I think this is the stuff I got: https://www.ecoupons.com/products/home-depot/1731886/MTAwNjQ3NzQ2 Don't know that it's any better or worse than anything else; but it seemed to help a lot. I had pulled the original harness in two trying to get it through, then the replacement harness from TRF seemed likely to break, before I started over with the lubricant. With the lube, it just slid right in.

Definitely done out of the car. After fishing a length of baling (solid steel approx 20 AWG) wire through the tube, I crimped it around the harness between the end of the jacket and the bullets, then wrapped a single layer of tape over the pulling wire, bullets and end of the jacket. Clamped the other end of the baling wire in the bench vise and started pulling on the tube, lubricating and guiding the harness into the end.

I stopped when the wires were protruding only a few inches from the tube, undid the tape & baling wire, and installed the tube in the car. From that point it was easy to pull the harness the rest of the way through the tube.

PS, be sure you have the tube turned the right way. The bullets should come out of the end without the slot.

Not that I've ever done anything like that backwards.

Dick,

I haven't dug the stator tube out of storage yet, but as I recall it was fairly decent with just a little crud near the bottom end. I will probably clean it though as I have a new control head to install.
For stuff like that I usually use GUNK engine degreaser and CRC (both are great cleaners) But, I do like the idea of rolling some loose balls from bearings through to knock everything loose.

Although sitting here thinking about it couldn't one just shoot some fine sand through end to end?

Later
Griff