body lift steering problem

[da SLUG man]

got a problem with my body lift...

the nut to tighten the connector on the bottom of the teering column, now hits the exhaust!... no steering!!

any ideas??

[Vagrant No2]

got a problem with my body lift...

the nut to tighten the connector on the bottom of the teering column, now hits the exhaust!... no steering!!

any ideas??

OK , how about using a allen headed bolt which would have round head to it ? This may clear the exhaust .
Or, wild poss , is can you lift engine up slightly on engine mounts ? Therefore steering bolt clears exhaust
Or grind away the side of exhaust slightly
Or , a combination of all 3 !!
Without being there it is not that easy to see in 3D

Rick

[da SLUG man]

OK , how about using a allen headed bolt which would have round head to it ? This may clear the exhaust .
Or, wild poss , is can you lift engine up slightly on engine mounts ? Therefore steering bolt clears exhaust
Or grind away the side of exhaust slightly
Or , a combination of all 3 !!
Without being there it is not that easy to see in 3D

Rick

i'm gonna try grinding a bit out the exhaust flange (if that's what it's called?) if not, then i'll have to extelnd the column with a bit of tube wleded in and do away with the spacer... bit of a pain, but got in touch with roger brown and he says it's cos the diesel surf is different to the US 4runner (exhaust runs differently)

[JimL]

You Matt are now a forerunner. Its a pity Roger cant have a look at it himself coz he'd design something I've no doubt going by his website. Hard to say but maybe grind the 'flange' and vagrants allen bolt sounded good too.

[TAZMAN]

Matt.

It is a well known fact on this forum that I am a mechanical numbnutz, but is it possible you could put the bolt in from the other way? Failing that, I notice the bolt head has a rim, could you grind it down about an 1/8th without affecting a grip on the bolt head... sorry if I've stated the obvious, but like I said..

[TonyN]

Matt, I'd bin the spacer, and cut and sleeve the steering column to the right lenght, that would put the bolt back out of the way were it should be.

I've done 3 for people, its a five minute job to weld the sleeve on once its made the right size for the column, and looks so much better and professional.

Could hook you up if you stuck. Let me know the O/D of the steering column, and how long that spacer is.

[Koi]

Matt.

It is a well known fact on this forum that I am a mechanical numbnutz, but is it possible you could put the bolt in from the other way? Failing that, I notice the bolt head has a rim, could you grind it down about an 1/8th without affecting a grip on the bolt head... sorry if I've stated the obvious, but like I said..

Now is you craftily taking the p**S or using your mechanical ingenuity by putting the bolt in the other way round.
Granted this would solve the problem, but only for 180 deg until it came round to where it is now and caught the flange again.

[rubblebags]

Now is you craftily taking the p**S or using your mechanical ingenuity by putting the bolt in the other way round.
Granted this would solve the problem, but only for 180 deg until it came round to where it is now and caught the flange again.

I think he is right. If the threaded portion of the bolt is shorted and it is turned around it approaches the exhust flange from a different position. It will start diving downwards earlier.??????.
Geoff

[Koi]

I think he is right. If the threaded portion of the bolt is shorted and it is turned around it approaches the exhust flange from a different position. It will start diving downwards earlier.??????.
Geoff

who asked you

Matt turn it round and solve this mystery put us out of our misery.

[marky]

who asked you

Matt turn it round and solve this mystery put us out of our misery.

The thread may only be located on one side therefore it would not draw both sides together & clamp the shaft

[Guest]

The thread may only be located on one side therefore it would not draw both sides together & clamp the shaft

Think it is a clamp bolt rather than the clamp beeing threaded. May make a difference it depends on the amount of clearance.

I'd go with Tony's suggestion however be careful about what sort of tube you use and the quality of welds. Also you will need to clamp the shaft to make sure that it 100% straight when welding the sleeve. Even an imperceptible amount of being out of line (this can happen if the sleeve is anything less than a heat to fit sizing).

As long as the lengthening required is only about 1 inch or less the structural strength of the shaft should not be impared as long as it is straight. You don't want any imposed side forces placed on the shaft due to it being out of line.

Cheers

[TonyN]

Don't use tube, I turn them out of steel bar, solid in the middle, drilled out each end to except each end of the steering rod, therefore its dead straight.

Make sure who ever welds it is OK, steering compentents arn't the place for bird $hit looking welds.



Really is a five minute job once the sleeve is made, much better than that hokey looking spacer.

[TonyN]

heres a pic of my steering column with the extension welded in (and suitably covered in Devils Pit mud ).......