Yet another loose steering fix

[shomesomesho]

One of the sources of play in the steering is at the telescoping joint under the dashboard..stare at it while you wiggle the steering wheel a couple inches back and forth. You can see the smaller shaft wiggling a fraction of a millimeter inside the bigger shaft.

so....one possible fix..

Spot weld the telescoping joint.. I did two welds, 180 degrees apart..

This pretty much eliminated all the play in the steering. Now steering is more precise and real, real tight. There's a song named for this.. "Like a ******"

I believe I read somewhere that during frontal impact, this telescoping joint collapses on itself. Welding the joint may prevent this, so do it at your own risk. Notice I only spotwelded, instead of welding the entire seam, so as not to entirely interfere with collapsing of the joint.

 

[SHOtimer]

When I replaced my rack - I found that telescoping function to be essential in removing and installing the rack......

Doug

 

[shomesomesho]

When I replaced my rack - I found that telescoping function to be essential in removing and installing the rack......

Doug

Very good point, and yes, I did anticipate that. The spot welds come off easily with a grinder.

I just replaced my rack so hopefully I won't have to deal with it for a while.

 

[nkb93]

Congrats on fixing the loose steering.. IMO that was one of the most annoying things about my '93, until I installed a locking shaft collar to remove the play in the joint.

The set screw in the collar is torqued until the outer tube compresses against the inner tube, removing the rotational slop. Originally, I was worried about welding the joint completely solid, because it needed to be able to slide to accommodate the rack/subframe moving around (worn out stock SFBs). After installing Al SFB's that's not a concern, so I tightened it up a bit more.

The pictured clamp is from www.mcmaster.com part# 6432K37 for a 1-1/16" shaft. ($3+shipping). I had to grind out the inner diameter a tad to make it fit over the square section. The next larger size (1-1/8") would work w/o grinding, but I'm not sure if the provided set screw would be long enough. Just a thought for those w/o easy access to a welder.

Nate

 

[SASHO91]

i guess another really cheap allternative would be some JB weld... it would break apart if a frontal ever happend, and could be broken with a hammer if the rack need to be replaced...



i might give it a try... but that collar sure does look nice though.... it just pinches it together correct?

 

[NJSHO]

Nate,
Remember that I pm'ed you about the collar not fitting over the upper lip on the steering shaft? Is the size collar that you are referencing now the correct inner diameter to make it over that lip?

 

[Mac]

i guess another really cheap allternative would be some JB weld... it would break apart if a frontal ever happend, and could be broken with a hammer if the rack need to be replaced...



i might give it a try... but that collar sure does look nice though.... it just pinches it together correct?

Have you ever used JB weld? It is great for plugging holes, but not for bearing any kind of load.

 

[nkb93]

NJSHO- Correct, the 1-1/16" bore is big enough if it's slightly ground out w/ a dremel. The next larger size would go on without grinding, but I wanted a more snug fit.

For anyone interested in doing this, note that the required clamp diameter isn't dictated by the square section, but by the lip at the top of the telescoping joint where it connects to the steering column (not shown in the pic). The clamp I used barely cleared this lip after a little grinding. It's possible that the diameter of this lip is different for the various gen's.. So before ordering a clamp, take the joint loose at the upper end and measure the diameter of the lip and make sure the clamp will clear it (or close enough to be ground out).

Josh- The set screw simply compresses the ridge in the outer box tube into the groove on the inner box tube. It really doesn't need to be torqued that much, and it only has to contact on one side to get rid of the slop.


Nate

 

[SHOtimer]

i guess another really cheap allternative would be some JB weld... it would break apart if a frontal ever happend, and could be broken with a hammer if the rack need to be replaced...



i might give it a try... but that collar sure does look nice though.... it just pinches it together correct?

I doubt JB weld would hold for that....I also wouldn't want to be relying on JB weld everytime I turned the wheel in my SHO.

Doug

 

[NJSHO]

You wouldnt really be relying on the JB weld, as the input shaft is still bolted on.

 

[SASHO91]

and there is only what, a couple mm's of movement? once filled and hardend i dont think it would put THAT much strain on it.... were not trying to hold it completly... it only moves alittle...

but i could be wrong....

 

[gimpysho]

Very good point, and yes, I did anticipate that. The spot welds come off easily with a grinder.

I just replaced my rack so hopefully I won't have to deal with it for a while.

Shaft has to be removed/slid out to install collar?

 

[nkb93]

Remove the pinch bolt where the telescopic joint meets the steering column. Slide the upper part of the shaft into the lower part, which will allow you to install the collar. Once the collar is installed, connect the telescoping joint back to the steering column. Then, orient the collar so that the set screw presses directly against the ridge in the outer tube. Tighten as needed. Should take less than 5 minutes.

 

[projectSHO89]

Ya'all are making this way too hard.

I discovered a few years back that you can just make a couple of shims from an aluminum can and insert several of them to get rid of the slop.

Plus, for some reason, I have an abundant supply of shim material! &

Steve

 

[nkb93]

I tried stainless shims initially (around .005" thick), and that worked great until my first lap around the autocross course. The subframe moved around so much (original stock mounts), which telescopes the joint in and out, that it ejected the shims and I had crappy steering again. With aluminum subframe bushings it wouldn't be an issue, though.

 

[Minnesho]

Congrats on fixing the loose steering.. IMO that was one of the most annoying things about my '93, until I installed a locking shaft collar to remove the play in the joint.

The set screw in the collar is torqued until the outer tube compresses against the inner tube, removing the rotational slop. Originally, I was worried about welding the joint completely solid, because it needed to be able to slide to accommodate the rack/subframe moving around (worn out stock SFBs). After installing Al SFB's that's not a concern, so I tightened it up a bit more.

The pictured clamp is from www.mcmaster.com part# 6432K37 for a 1-1/16" shaft. ($3+shipping). I had to grind out the inner diameter a tad to make it fit over the square section. The next larger size (1-1/8") would work w/o grinding, but I'm not sure if the provided set screw would be long enough. Just a thought for those w/o easy access to a welder.

Nate

I will be doing this... seems like a good quality mod to tighten steering and the column shoudl still be able to collapse in a collision. Thanks for the info!

 

[Paul]

5 point harness.

 

[bily00idol]

Congrats on fixing the loose steering.. IMO that was one of the most annoying things about my '93, until I installed a locking shaft collar to remove the play in the joint.

im having some slop in my '95 MTX, but this type of fix is for 93's and older correct? otherwise what could cause play in the steering? (im sure there are lots so please pardon my newbness :Þ)

 

[92sho16]

This type fix is for every car, all new cars have a telescoping steering linkage for accident protection.

 

[nkb93]

This type fix is for every car, all new cars have a telescoping steering linkage for accident protection.

Right, I put one those collars on my '97 SHO as well, which has the exact same telescoping joint. Unfortunately in that case, most of the play was in the steering rack ($$$) and not so much the joint.

The specific part I mentioned should work for any Taurus, at least thru Gen3. Might require a little grinding on the collar to make the round hole fit over the square shaft.