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Steering wheel popped, now turns endlessly

When you bolted that shackle between the rack and the steering column.... did you have to rotate the steering column to get the correct spot for the shackle to swivel closed ? It just doesn't seem right that 1 spline tooth could throw the steering wheel so far off.

Been a while since i shoved my head up there, but i think that shackle comes off the bottom of the steering column.

You can center the steering wheel, line up the shackle with the correct spot on the rack shaft, (mark the shackle and the steering column, coz everything moves and is a bit tight for space), before sliding the shackle back on the end of the steering column.... G.
 
below the dash, on the steering shaft, there is one universal type joint, then a male/female sliding spline coupler that has a plastic retainer that resembles a fuel line tool. then there is the steering shaft crumple zone, then one more universal type joint before the coupler to the input shaft to the rack.

what came apart on me was the spline part with the plastic retainer. the question is if there is a way for me to recalibrate the steering shaft without dropping the rack again....
 
yeah where that white plastic retainer is .... i'm sure that is where the whole thing slid out of.

Maybe one of the guys has got a steering column on the floor.

From memory, the steering column has 6 sides at the top that locate thru the steering wheel .... why does taking the steering wheel off and turning it, mess with the clock spring ? ...G.
 
well i suppose if you try really hard you could bu66er it up.

Don't forget to leave 15 mins for the air bag capacitor to discharge.

Haynes manual says feed air bag wires thru the plate as you remove the steering wheel.

If you're worried .. take the air bag off and just have a look ... if you can suss it out easily ... go for it ..... G
 
yeah, my first thought was just to re-align the steering wheel. since it seems to be off very close to 1/6th right from center, I figured taking the wheel off and recentering it would be the near perfect fix.

then I read a lot of concern about the clock spring and got worried....
 
I got it squared away, it was a lot simpler than I thought...

just marked everything up with the wheels straight, pulled the shackle pinch bolt, then took the spline shaft back apart and re-aligned it with the steering wheel locked straight. then put everything back together from the paint marks, and put a bit of red locktite on the pinch bolt for safety's sake...

I forgot that that part the pinch bolt goes through swings up out of the way. I seemed to remember the last time I messed with one that you had to line the shackle up over the rack input shaft and slide it in, and that it just pinched it like a knuckle holds a strut...

thanks for all the help G-man!


in trying to get the wheels straight I did realize I have visible toe out though, wich doesnt seem right. off to get an alignment I go....
 
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