Is This The Fabled Square Drive Uj For Vts Rack Conversions?

[Stu 18]

 

 

According to topics on here this will bolt on with a VTS rack yes?

 

For the record, it came from a 1990 non-pas 205 GTI. In silver

[Anthony 1,002]

Looks about right at a glance yes

[Ryan 99]

Isn't a non-PAS column the wrong length for the VTS rack?

[Anthony 1,002]

It's longer than a PAS one, but there's enough free travel in the splines where it meets the upper column that it fits (just)

[Stu 18]

Ah so in an ideal world i'd need a PAS square drive? Is this the one that people think dont exist?

 

Either way, a non-pas square drive will get the VTS rack onto my car without any drama?

[dcc 855]

you can trim it down and grind the flat further to make it fit. if it were off of a vts it would be too long.

[Anthony 1,002]

Ah so in an ideal world i'd need a PAS square drive? Is this the one that people think dont exist?

 

Either way, a non-pas square drive will get the VTS rack onto my car without any drama?

That's the one - as far as I'm concerned, there is no such thing as a 205 square-drive PAS.

 

Another option is to make a hybrid of the 205 and Xsara columns - Tom Fenton did this if you do a search.

 

Personally, just use the non-PAS one you've got as it works fine on every car I've tried it on. Only point I will say is to ensure you fit the grommit/boot thing into the bulkhead first, as it's an utter pig to do with the column in place!

[Stu 18]

Yeah i saw Tom's mod, id fully prepared myself to do this with mine, until i noticed the silver 205 had the square drive UJ on

 

Thanks gents, confirmed my thoughts. Might do a 'guide' when i fit the rack as whilst there's a load of info in here, its all over the place so maybe it'll help others if it were all consolidated with pictures and such.

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

I hope that's the correct one as it looks like the one i've just bought.

 

If you could do a guide that would be great.... it will save me asking a million q's.

 

but until you've done the guide lol, how did you get that off? (so that i can work out how to get mine off and the new one in)

[Stu 18]

Easy enough to remove, i removed the upper column complete, then go into the engine bay and remove the 13mm nut holding the bolt that pinches the assembly, remove the bolt and the clip that goes around the bottom of the joint, push the grommit through into the car and then wiggle and pull the UJ till it gives up

[Tom Fenton 1,540]

Sounds a difficult way. Undo the bolt in the engine bay. Swivel the bottom half of the coupling 90 degrees to disengage it from the rack pinion.

Then go inside undo the pinch bolt.

Then pull the thing through into the engine bay.

No need to disturb the grommet.

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

stu, just looking at mines, i have a little white plastic/nylon thing on my shaft that i can't see on yours.

 

any idea what it is

[jackherer 543]

It's the bearing that goes inside the bulkhead grommet.

[Stu 18]

So i suppose the real question should be is where has my white plastic/nylon thing gone

[Anthony 1,002]

They seem to get misplaced whenever people swap/replace the lower column, presumably discarded as not needed like so many other bits that do actually serve a purpose even if it does work without to some degree.