• The Roadster Factory Recovery Fund - Friends, as you may have heard, The Roadster Factory, a respected British Car Parts business in PA, suffered a total loss in a fire on Christmas Day. Read about it, discuss or ask questions >> HERE. The Triumph Register of America is sponsoring a fund raiser to help TRF get back on their feet. If you can help, vist >> their GoFundMe page.
  • Hey there Guest!
    If you enjoy BCF and find our forum a useful resource, if you appreciate not having ads pop up all over the place and you want to ensure we can stay online - Please consider supporting with an "optional" low-cost annual subscription.
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this UGLY banner)
Tips
Tips

TR2/3/3A Installing wiring harness in steering column

Redoakboo

Jedi Warrior
Country flag
Offline
I am midway through the restoration of my 1954 TR-2 Long Door. I have just attached the steering wheel and am getting ready to pull the wiring down the column. As I recall, when I removed the wiring oil kept leaking out the bottom tube. Don't remember what I did to stop it but think I tighten the nut on the bottom of the tube.Does that nut hamper, not being loosened, the pulling of the wires now?

Dick
 

trglory

Jedi Trainee
Country flag
Offline
Indeed it does.....that nut is what keeps the center hub from turning with the steering wheel. Remove the nut and follow the procedure in the service manual.
 

TR3driver

Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
Offline
I find it easier to work the wires through the tube with the tube out of the column. That way, you can attach the pulling wire to something else (like the bench vise), then pull on the tube while feeding the wires into the other end. Doing it on the car makes it a two-man job (one to pull, one to guide the wires).

But if you're doing it on the car, there is no reason having the nut tight should interfere with the pulling process. You'll want it loose for the next step (installing the control head in the proper orientation), but it doesn't impact the path the wire takes.
 
OP
R

Redoakboo

Jedi Warrior
Country flag
Offline
Sounds good, but how do you remove the tube from the column? After I loosened the nut, on the bottom of the tube, I noticed oil started dripping out again?I have the TR Mtc Manual but, couldn't find the section on the Control Head?

Dick
 
OP
R

Redoakboo

Jedi Warrior
Country flag
Offline
Found the procedure in the manual. I assume after removing the bottom nut I should be able to pull the tube out from the top?

Dick
 

TR3driver

Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
Offline
Right, remove the nut and the gland/olive/compression sleeve under it; then pull the tube out the top. But the oil in the steering box will drain out; not really any way around that.
 

DavidApp

Yoda
Country flag
Offline
I found that putting some heat shrink over the end of the wires before you started to pull them made life much easier. Managed it in the car single handed. All I did was made sure the wire at the steering wheel end was in line with the tube.
There is a piece of black heat shrink in the first photo and the red piece covers the end of the wires down onto the pull wire.

David
Wire Pull 2.jpg
Wire pull.jpg
 
OP
R

Redoakboo

Jedi Warrior
Country flag
Offline
Randall,

I have reached the Peter principle on this one.
I did get the tube out and eventually got the wires in the tube; after many tries. I pulled the wires so there was only about 2" sticking out of the tube, and I put shrink wrap, as recommend by one of my helpers, on the ends.
I got the tube almost re-installed, about towards the end when it apparently pushed out some kind of metal sleeve at the bottom? After twisting and turning the sleeve, which came apart in pieces, I was able to grab each wire and pull it through until the steering head was almost installed.

My problem now is the tube has not come out at the bottom, and I have about 3" to much on the top? I have tried to pull the tube back out from the top, won't budge? I tried tapping the tube with a punch from the top, all it does is bend the end of the tube.

Help!
 

TR3driver

Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
Offline
Hmm, sounds like a mess! I think I would pull the wires out at this point, and concentrate on trying to drive the tube upward. Get a piece of smooth rod the same outside diameter as the tube, maybe even turn a spigot on the end to fit inside the tube.

The other alternative, I'm afraid, is going to be removing the steering box and drilling out whatever is jammed inside there.

A photo of the mystery sleeve might help; only thing I can think of is that maybe one of the "lantern" springs didn't come out with the tube and is now jammed between the end of the worm and the cover.
 
OP
R

Redoakboo

Jedi Warrior
Country flag
Offline
The mtc manual is not very helpful in the way of parts pic's.After what i went through to get those wires in the tube, I hate to pull them back out.

What is a Lantern Spring, and what is it's purpose? Would removing the bottom plate on the steering box help me find what causing the blockage?
 

TR3driver

Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
Offline
Sorry, I don't have a photo handy to share. There should be two springs on the outside of the stator tube, shaped a little bit like Chinese lanterns. Each end is a solid ring of very thin steel, then the two ends are connected by multiple strips that arch to the other end. The book calls them "spring, anti-rattle", P/N 56334 Whole thing is only about 1" long.

Removing the end plate might help, depending on where the jam is.
 
OP
R

Redoakboo

Jedi Warrior
Country flag
Offline
Randall,

After your description, it was definitely a lantern spring. I removed it, along with all the pieces. Is this something I should replace, when I finally get the tube back out? Is this spring inside the steering box? I did not see if when I removed the tube.

Dick
 

DavidApp

Yoda
Country flag
Offline
If the Lantern springs are damaged I think either Moss or TRF sell a "O" ring that does the same job. All it is doing is keeping the tube centered in the column.

David
 
OP
R

Redoakboo

Jedi Warrior
Country flag
Offline
Thanks David,

Apparently one of the two springs is still there, and is blocking the tube from exiting the steering box. I am removing the cover today to try and find the obstruction. I don't dare pull the wires back out considering how long it took to get them pulled!

Dick
 

6TTR3A

Jedi Warrior
Country flag
Offline
It's been awhile since I've removed the tube but:
If you take it out the bottom you definitely leave the lantern springs
in the column. Based on their design, it is VERY unlikely
that they will automatically "thread" on the tube upon reinsertion.
If you pull the tube out from the top, the lantern springs will
SOMETIMES come out with the tube. Either way if they are
floating around in the column there is a reassembly problem.
This revelation is probably to late do help.
 
OP
R

Redoakboo

Jedi Warrior
Country flag
Offline
I removed the bottom plate on the steering box and was able to unjam the second lantern spring. I am going down to buy some "O" rings to replace the springs with.
 

DavidApp

Yoda
Country flag
Offline
You could probable get the "O" rings at an ACE or other big box store. All they do is stop the tube from rattling.

David
 
OP
R

Redoakboo

Jedi Warrior
Country flag
Offline
David,
I have the tube loose now, need to go to ACE tomorrow to get a new sleeve and Gland nut; mine's cracked. How do I install the "O" rings, one at the bottom and one at the top? I imagine they must be thin enough to be able to re-insert the tube without them binding?

Dick
 

sp53

Yoda
Country flag
Offline
Dick I believe the threads on the end cap are proprietary threads meaning the tread is of their own making. I would take a step back and look at the race and bearing and shim pack that are next to the endcap which needs to be sealed and set. Did you rebuild the steering box? I have never tried the O ring idea, but if I did, I would install about 4-- O rings in line next to each other about where the Chinese lanterns were set; you will see the scare where they were crimped in place that way they would be about where they should be and less apt to slid; they would choke on each other and bit into the column when you push the stator tube down.
steve
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
S TR2/3/3A installing the wiring harness Triumph 8
S TR2/3/3A installing wiring harness tr3 Triumph 6
bighealeysource Installing new wiring harness on a BJ8 Austin Healey 3
E TR4/4A Wiring the horn when installing a Moto -Lita steering wheel Triumph 4
J Installing Adapter Hubs for Wire Wheels on a Bugeye Austin Healey 5
S Installing a Radiator Fan Austin Healey 9
G Installing New Rocker Shaft Assembly Austin Healey 3
W Need advice on installing new side curtain glass Spridgets 1
Bayless Help please installing bonnet release cable Spridgets 8
M TR6 Installing Retrosound? Triumph 4
S TR2/3/3A Installing the distributor pedestal. Triumph 3
K TR2/3/3A Question about installing the steering wheel control head? Triumph 1
A TR6 Installing differential and transmission Triumph 10
Z Installing Toe Board Panels Austin Healey 1
K TR2/3/3A Installing Brake Caliper pistons into the bore? Triumph 21
CJ Burton MGB-GT Installing Seat Covers for 1962 - 1967 MGB GT MG 0
A Early 1967 AH Sprite - installing steering column and new directional switch? Spridgets 0
B Installing cam bearings 1275, can I do it? Spridgets 1
bighealeysource Installing stainless steel brake hose on BN2 Austin Healey 5
steveg TR6 Installing stock trailing arm bushings on the car - is it possible? Triumph 2
steveg TR6 Installing adjustable trailing arm brackets Triumph 7
T Installing Garmin GPS in a BJ7 Austin Healey 19
F Installing AC in my 1960 Healey Austin Healey 14
S TR2/3/3A technique for installing a door Triumph 5
R TR2/3/3A Installing gas tank Triumph 6
C Installing rubber grommets in firewall? Austin Healey 6
S TR2/3/3A installing a fuse in the red tail lights Triumph 4
R Installing Sprite Luggage Rack Spridgets 9
Lukens TR2/3/3A Installing a throttle. Triumph 2
J Powertune booster for a bj8 , trouble installing Austin Healey 2
B TR2/3/3A Installing dzus fastners in bonnet Triumph 8
D Prepping Floors Before Installing Interior Restoration & Tools 6
drooartz Installing front hubs, tips? Spridgets 15
K TR2/3/3A Installing Moss wheel spacers? Triumph 5
D BT7 tri-carb installing my crank Austin Healey 4
aero3113 Installing Front rotors to hubs Austin Healey 2
C Advice for installing a 3000 Grille??? Austin Healey 7
B MGB Installing new upper fulcrum bushings MG 5
B MGB Installing upper fulcrum bushings MG 0
S TR4/4A procedure for installing gauges etc Triumph 0
I Tips for installing intake manifold plugs in a stock Bugeye? Spridgets 6
55modified Help installing toggle dip switch on dash for lights. Austin Healey 23
TRMark TR4/4A Installing a new windscreen Triumph 9
55modified Rear anti-roll bar. Is it worth installing on a BN1? Austin Healey 22
T Installing a Lucas 16 ACR alternator on Bugeye Spridgets 10
KVH General Tech Installing the Pistons and Rings Triumph 7
T Need advice for installing a Winner's Circle Panhard rod on a BE Spridgets 4
6 General Tech Installing New Oil Pressure Gauge MG 5
6 Installing Oil Pressure Gauge Spridgets 2
T TR4/4A Installing wheel arch covers in a Tr4a Triumph 0

Similar threads

Top