Removing the steering column ?????

[Runningwild]

My last Step before separating the body from the chassis. Is there an easy way to detach the steering column from the rack?  I don't see how to get a wrench on the bolts connecting the lower column to the rack.  I see the bolts but how do you get them off?  Thanks. Tom

[4129R]

You have to undo the 4 x 7/16th nuts holding the steering rack in place, then move the rack away from the body, to get to the 1/2" nuts and bolts on the UJ at the bottom of the column.

I did that last weekend.

The hard part, and it can be very difficult, is stopping the very long bolts from moving round while you undo the 7/16" self locking nuts.

If the bolts do rotate, use a hacksaw blade, cut a slot in the exposed part of the bolt, put a small screwdriver into the slot to stop it rotating, and slowly undo the 7/16th nut. I had to do that on 2/4 nuts/bolts.

Alex in Norfolk.

[Runningwild]

Alex. Thanks. Makes sence now.  Tom

[4129R]

The heads of some of the long bolts are in a black hole in the middle of the front crossmember of the chassis.

To access those heads, you need the fingers of a ballerina, 6" long,  and a flexible 7/16 spanner (wrench).

HTF they did it on the production line I don't know. Mind you they breed them a bit strange up here in Norfolk. 6 fingers etc !!!

Alex in Norfolk.

[Roger]

When you put them back, get some 1/2" wide mild steel strip, say 16 gauge, about 3 inches long, and drill a 1/4" hole in the middle. Pop your bolt through that, then braze or tack weld in place, a bit of paint for protection, then fit inside the crossmember.
No more bother unscrewing and you wont need steel fingers.

[ezuskin]

This might be old news but I had mechanic weld 2" or 3" x 1/2" strips to bolt head for at least 3 of 4 bolts for rack. Had  to trim one of them  shorter. Goal was that they got stuck on pieces of inside of chassis so I could get nuts started. The 2 times I remove rack I just cut off the nuts to save my sanity.
Eddie Zuskin
2068R