9 replies to this topic

[FDW]

Hi everyone, I just bought a brand new steering column from Minispares to replace the old knackered one on my 1990 Mayfair. But, it looks to me like the steering lock groove is on the wrong side on this new one. Could someone confirm this? 

(Old column on left)

 

 IMG_20201118_102823.jpg   17.08K   17 downloads

 

According to my car (the old column), and the Haynes manual, when the wheels are straight the clamp at the bottom of the column should be underneath, which is where the groove on the rack splines is currently. This would put my steering lock groove on the right where it should be - but this new column seems to be back to front. I can see the bottom clamp part is welded on separately to the column so it there a chance someone has put it together back to front? 

Edited by FDW, 18 November 2020 - 10:53 AM.

[Spider]

You are correct in what you've observed, however, while the lock slot is on the other side to the one you've removed, it will still work and in fact, it will lock the wheels at an angle where as the original had them lock more or less in a straight ahead position.

[FDW]

You are correct in what you've observed, however, while the lock slot is on the other side to the one you've removed, it will still work and in fact, it will lock the wheels at an angle where as the original had them lock more or less in a straight ahead position.

I had realised that, obviously its not the end of the world but as I use the car and steering lock regularly having to dry steer it every time, and hold it in that position while parked doesn't seem like the best idea considering I have just bought a new column that I would expect to just, simply be correct. I've spoken to Minispares and it turns out the problem stems all the way from the manufacturer and there's virtually no way of me being able to get a new one from anywhere, that is correct. So either I make do until I get one that is, or find away to bodge my way around it with some machining. Bit of a pain, but its classic car ownership after all...

[weef]

Is this just not another case of lack of quality control at source ?.

[Spider]

You could always take it to a machine shop and have another slot cut in the other side or have them machine off the weld on the bottom end and re-weld it 180 degrees around.

[FDW]

You could always take it to a machine shop and have another slot cut in the other side or have them machine off the weld on the bottom end and re-weld it 180 degrees around.

That's precisely what we plan on doing. Going to get a second groove cut in sometime in the second days, possibly with the help of a few quids refund from Minispares if I'm lucky

[FDW]

Is this just not another case of lack of quality control at source ?.

seems it might be worse than that, looks to be the manufacturer has just been making them all wrong from the start as a design flaw...

[Red Riley]

Is it possible that the Chinese "designer" started out with a left-hand drive column as a pattern? 

[FDW]

Is it possible that the Chinese "designer" started out with a left-hand drive column as a pattern? 

It is possible, I was under the impression there was no difference between the RHD and LHD columns but might be wrong. Put yes the "designer" did balls it up a tad

[Spider]

Yes, Lefts and Rights were the same column. The Clamp is attached to the Rack at a different angle.