TR6 Steering Column Loose

[SherpaPilot]

I know this issue has been addressed before but I was unable to find the previous posts. To make a long story short, I had a progressive vertical movement in my steering column. This has been one of those issues, I kept putting off for awhile. Sometime ago, I had ordered two new bushings thinking that was the problem. Yesterday I finally decided to tackle the job. I am now into day two and have just removed the column from the car after damaging the poorly designed locking collar that holds the ignition switch. I don't know who the Einstein in England was that designed those headless bolts but he did not do us any favors. After removing everything today, I found the problem in the excessive play. The forward part of the column is bolted to a thin piece of sheet metal which is part of the car. Apparently over the many years, this metal fatigued and cracked. This was the problem with the vertical play and not the suspect bushings. I have read where this sheet metal failure is quite common with the TR4-TR6 models. It will be impossible to weld in this tight area. I am now considering an epoxy like JB Weld. I don't know if there is a better product on the market.

Does anyone have a different alternative to this problem? Knowing the failure rate of this metal, I would recommend to any Triumph owner never to put any weight on the steering column such as getting into or out of your car. Sooner or later, this support structure will fail and your steering column will be excessively loose.

 

[bobhustead]

Since you have had no responses, I'll take a whack. Photo might help. You need to find room to weld back the original or bolt in an overlapping patch. Adhesives are not going to do.
We had a recall on steering column locks when I was a BMC mech. The shear head bolts are not really hard. Take a small sharp short chisel, dig it into the perimeter of the remaining bolt, and drift it out with light to moderate hammer taps. You can even put them back that way.
Bob

 

[SherpaPilot]

Hi Bob, Thanks for your response. Yes, I agree, I did not think any sort of epoxy would be strong enough unless I used something NASA used in the space station. I found a possible non-welding solution on another Triumph forum where a guy supported the front of the steering column with a piece of metal stock bolted to the platform where the windshield wiper motor sits. The metal was drilled to hold a basic pipe clamp. I wish I could recall where I saw this but if done properly didn't look too primitive. Everyone told me how easy it was to remove those shear bolts with a chisel. I tried that, soaked it in WD40 and tried it again without success. I ended up drilling and attempting an "easy-out". That did not work either. The only solution was to drill out both shear bolts. Due to the soft metal they were supporting, I did enough damage to require purchasing a new ignition assembly. I didn't find the design of this lock assembly very easy to work with. Thanks again Bob, I'm now into the reassembly stage of this project.

 

[Andrew Mace]

Is there something different about TR6 columns that required you to remove the ignition lock? I've taken several (essentially identical) columns out of Spitfires and GT6s without first removing the lock.

 

[dklawson]

For future reference removing the tamper-proof ignition lock bolts....

Mount a 3" diameter, 1/16" thick cut off wheel in a die grinder. Cut into the diecast housing and the tops of the bolts to make screwdriver slots. Then use a large square shank screwdriver and Crescent Wrench or impact driver to loosen the screws. Do not replace with the tamper proof screws. Instead use standard coarse thread socket head cap screws (Allen head).

As stated above, no epoxy is going to work. However, what about making a sheet metal plate of whatever configuration is required and pop riveting the plate the the firewall? Do you have room for that?

EDIT: Is the thread linked below one of the sources you looked at for temporary/permanent repairs?
https://www.triumphexp.com/forum/tr6-tech-forum.2/steering-column-support-crack.1572724/

and/or the Moss article below?
http://www.mossmotoring.com/tr4-6-steering-column-wobble/

 

[SherpaPilot]

Hi Andy. Thanks for the reply. I could not see how my TR6 steering column could be removed through the dash with the ignition assembly and brackets attached. Once removed, the column was extracted through the panel. Everyone kept telling me how easy this job was, but for me, it remains frustrating and time consuming.

 

[SherpaPilot]

Doug, I wish I would have talked to you before I grabbed my drill. I'm beyond that chapter now and still working on installing the bushings. As far as the modified forward bracket goes, I like the information you posted from Moss. I had looked through their video help library but did not anything on the steering column. The bracket discussed seems like the perfect fix for this metal failure. Thanks Doug, that info was helpful.

 

[Andrew Mace]

Hi Andy. Thanks for the reply. I could not see how my TR6 steering column could be removed through the dash with the ignition assembly and brackets attached. Once removed, the column was extracted through the panel. Everyone kept telling me how easy this job was, but for me, it remains frustrating and time consuming.

Ok, that makes sense! I readily admit to being far more familiar with the "Small Triumphs" than with the later TRs such as the TR6. I know the wood facia is "slotted" at the bottom; would removing the lower crash bad along the bottom of the dash enable removal of the column by dropping it, or is there still some structure in the way?

 

[SherpaPilot]

Good Morning Andy, My TR6 has a teak-wood dash panel. It provides a hole for the column to pass through. The entire panel would require removal to follow your suggestion. Since this car is 47 years old, I don't think I will be doing this little project again; at least under my ownership.