Column Spline

[lemmingzappa 75 1 Cars]

I recently changed my steering rack and the part where the column attaches to the splined shaft doesn't seem to be fully connected. By that I mean the splined part doesn't actually sit all the way into the joint, it's probably about half way in.

 

Is this safe ?

[welshpug 1,645]

there's groove that the bolt sits in, the bolt IIRC needs to be removed to slide the joint onto the pinion.

[Anthony 1,002]

I assume you're talking where the upper column (ie the bit the steering wheel bolts to) connects to the intermediate shaft/UJ?

 

If so, that doesn't usually sit all the way home, so I wouldn't fret too much. Just make sure that everything else is tight and the car dropped on the floor before doing the upper column clamp up, as otherwise you can put preload on the upper column and make the steering really heavy as a result.

[lemmingzappa 75 1 Cars]

I assume you're talking where the upper column (ie the bit the steering wheel bolts to) connects to the intermediate shaft/UJ?

 

If so, that doesn't usually sit all the way home, so I wouldn't fret too much. Just make sure that everything else is tight and the car dropped on the floor before doing the upper column clamp up, as otherwise you can put preload on the upper column and make the steering really heavy as a result.

 

Yeah that's the part I meant, seems tight enough although I did it when it was up on stands. I'm assuming It will drop into it's natural position if I undo it now it's on the floor and then tighten it back up again ?