Steering wheel sequence of assembly

[Tinkerman]

I now have a nice looking steering wheel and an equally nice control head to go in it. Since some of you've "been there done that" what suggestions do you have for me on the order of assembly? my steering column is in, stator is in and wires hanging out ready for me to do something clever. Rather than flail about and get frustrated I thought I would check in for suggestions about where I should start and how to do it.

Your suggestions greatly appreciated.

Thanks Tinkerman

 

[Moseso]

Now that you have the wires in the stator tube, I think you've given yourself a bit of a problem. I recall attaching the wires to the control head and reassembling the head and THEN feeding the wires into the stator tube. It was easier to reassemble the control head on a table, rather than in the cockpit.

In any case, the wheel goes on the steering column, the big nut gets tightened, then the wires/control head go on and the three grub screws hold it there. Last, when everything else is lined up properly, the gland nut at the other end of the steering column is tightened to lock the stator tube.

 

[TR3driver]

I agree with Moseso, easier to assemble the wires to the control head (especially since some of the screws for the wires also hold the control head together) and then insert the wires through the stator tube & column. But it can be done the other way:

Pull the wires up to get a foot or two of slack, then sit in the driver's seat with a towel on your lap while you do the final assembly of the control head. If you are lucky, the towel will catch the tiny little parts that you're bound to drop at least once. (If you're not lucky, you'll wind up having to remove the seat to find that it bounced into the door pocket

Anyway, once the wires are attached and the head is fully assembled, turn the steering wheel to it's straight-ahead position, and turn the canceling ring on the control head so the tabs are pointing straight down. The gland nut on the steering box should still be loose at this point, and the stator tube pushed as high as it will go without going through the compression ferrule. If you have an adjustable steering wheel, set it as far forward (close to the dash) as it will go.

Pull the wires through until the control head engages with the stator tube (dimples in the slot) but don't push it all the way against the wheel until you turn the head & stator tube to the correct position (centered turn switch straight up) without turning the steering wheel. This is important for proper canceling. Once it's all lined up, you can push the control head home against the wheel (which will also push the stator tube through the gland), and tighten the 3 grub screws to lock the canceling plate to the wheel. Tighten the gland nut, and you're done with the mechanical part.

 

[Tinkerman]

Thanks Moseso and Randall! It was very helpful. I'm in a position that I can pull the stator tube out and install the horn control on the bench and then put it back in the column. So that's the next order of business for me. Will post pictures when its done.

Tinkerman

 

[Tinkerman]

Yep doing it on the bench is, by far, the best way. I had to take the control head all apart to get some of those wires hooked up. Now all I have to do is find a screw holder to get the small flat head screws started. Used to have several types but don't seem to have any now.

Thanks for the help, tinkerman

 

[Don Elliott]

BTW - Dick and Moses - Your Pitman Arm Puller which you sent me to use last year has been successfully used by Adrio in Ottawa for his TR3A as well as another friend here in Montreal. That makes 5 members of this forum who have been making use of Dick's "touring" puller.

If anyone else is pulling his steering box apart and could use this puller, let me know and I'll mail it - just as long as you promise to offer to send it forward to the next needy TR owner.