Steering column bracket thread

Hi

What size is the steering column support bracket thread? I need to get an extension machined up because my lower bracket no longer reaches the holes in the body. It?s the Triumph part, for a late +2.

Thanks
JonB

No longer? Why not?
Can’t you rotate the rack to get it to align or is the existing thread shortened for some reason?

I seem to remember they were standard 1/4 UNF nuts.

Hi Vince

No, it can?t be rotated (I think you mean ?raised? by the way). The new dash doesn?t have enough clearance and I don?t want the column fouling it, as that would crack the lacquer (which happened on the original dash). The options are to cut the new dash, raise the steering rack or adapt the lower steering mount. I?ve chosen the third as the lesser of all evils…

Cheers
JonB

No I mean rotated! As in loosen the rack clamps and turn the whole assembly.
Rack and steering column. You cannot raise the rack without affecting the geometry.

However if the dash has insufficient cutout - that won’t work!

Back to Plan C.

You seem to be getting close to where you started with this car - just getting the indicators to self cancel you said!

Ha ha! But they do, now, and with a pleasing action since I restored the switch.

:smiley:

You can?t rotate the rack as it has a flange welded to it (below, ringed in red) that sits flat on the chassis spacers. You could fit a washer or two on one side of the clamp but this would raise the rack and affect the geometry.

Correct me if I?m wrong - I?d like to be, in this instance. Maybe there is a bit of fettle room?

Would installing a UJ help with improving the angle?
Or is it ‘simply’ that the only line between the rack and clearing the dash necessitates a bigger intermediate spacer?
If so presumably this is down to a fundamental body-chassis alignment that you’ll have to live with.

I think that the answer to your original question is, as suggested already, 1/4" unf.

This.

Keen readers of my meandering prose (drivel?) might recall the picture I posted of all the spacers fitted to clear the old dash (viewtopic.php?t=40777&f=36&start=60#p286368). What I’m not sure about is whether the new dash has the same cutout and dimensions as the old one - meaning by that, if they were identical I should have been able to reassemble the column as it was. But then again, I do recall some tension in the shaft. I think I’ll have another look at it…

Looking at the lower bracket in your old thread I note that it has a notch - could this be for cables?
Suggesting that it’s an upper bracket?
In which case everything on your car may be correct except that bracket?
Are all my questions an answer? :smiley:

Looking at rdent parts list the bracket is simpler and is fixed with through bolts thereby not requiring much more than simple spacers.

rdent.com/manuals/plus2/steering/hb.htm#050H6005

The 2 seater has a bent metal hanger with single bolt through the scuttle could something similar be used with your current bracket - perhaps with two holes?

Last radical thought - Is it even supposed to have a lower bracket?

Thanks Mark for your comments and suggestions.

The prize, however, goes to Vince. As it turned out, and despite what I said in my earlier post, you really can rotate the rack slightly in its mountings without raising or lowering the rack itself. So I’ve done it!

So, much fettling and adoption of the “Lotus position” later, I have a nice rock solid steering wheel (bar the flexing of the column itself) and it’s not wobbling as before because it’s got new bushes installed. Quick test of the indicator… yep, it self cancels! :wink:

We move on now, to the anti roll bar, which needs new bushes. Oh, and a spray paint job too…

Well done. What’s my prize? A guided tour of Spyder perhaps?

I thought the Lotus Position was digging a hole and emptying your wallet into it!

A tour of Spydercars. :laughing:

Anyway, roll bar and drop links are coming along nicely.

They got primer, then this matte black ?no nonsense rust proof paint? from screwfix. Will be finished with some Plasti-Kote gloss black. Such a pity none of the ?usual suspects? are open on a Monday, or I?d have ordered the new bushes.

Vince, I?m leaving the roll bar off the car as I think it will make fitting the engine child?s play. In fact we may be able to fit engine and box from underneath as a unit.

From underneath? Certainly a novel approach!

How are you going to connect the prop shaft?

From underneath is a theoretical approach. May not be viable! As regards the prop shaft there are two options. Bolt it up at the front as the engine and box are fitted (with the shaft not connected to the diff) or pre-fit the front bit and guide the splined joint together as the engine and box are going in.

Actually there is a third option but that entails pulling the diff. Which I need to do at some point but not now… :confused:

First thoughts- If you are going to have the car raised then it’ll be easy enough to get at the diff end so you should be able to either have the shaft in the tunnel or feed on from rear.

After research - Yes

viewtopic.php?f=37&t=37586&start=

Jon,

Whilst I know your car is a plus two and mine is an S4, I also thought that the engine might go in from underneath. However I tried, I could not get the cylinder head pass through the chassis, the block will, but I could not fit the complete engine.

My understanding is that the Elan and Elan plus two chassis are the same in the area around the engine.

Richard Hawkins

Go for the poly bushes, unless you’ve cured all oil leaks these will last longer!

As for the propshaft, what I found easy was to lay the back end up over the diff. This gives room for the engine and gearbox to get into place without interference. Once they are bolted up, it is easy to bring the propshaft forward and to slide it into place. I did it alone through the hole in the side of the center hump - with a partner guiding from the rear should be a cinch. Once in all the way, just pull back to the diff flange and secure.

I have a Spyder chassis. More access, especially with the roll bar and strengthened bar removed. Might that make the difference? Actually, probably not. The cars not high enough… hmm, must take some measurements…

As you seem to distain the KISS priciple .

What about making a jig to support the engine and box in its finished position.
Source / attach a good gantry to the garage roof.

Then you could lift the body onto the engine - simple.