9 replies to this topic

[Jordie]

Am i missing something here?

I jacked up the car, supporting the body. Took the wheels off, undid the track rods.

Went inside the car, removed carpets, undid the top bolt which holds the column to the bottom dash rail. Undid the lower bolt where the column goes through to the rack.

Haynes says pull up and it will come free, but it doesn't. It also mentions removing the cowling from the R/H side, which i did, but what am i looking for in there?

Ive undo the 4 bolts for the U bolts, and removed the tower bolts from the subframe. I left it here, as i noticed my trolley jack is leaking and lowering itself down. I am not going to risk working with a broken jack.

Any ideas. Will be next weekend when i do it now, but I want to crack on and finish it as its the last *MAJOR* job before MOT.

Jordie

[Phaeton]

It's a real royal pain in the wotsit to do it with the subframe still attached but feasible. You also need to undo the subframe rear mounting bolts or at least slacken them off & then gentle prise the subframe away from the floor slightly. This 'should' give you enough clearance, I'm told it's even worse to put one back but not tried it.

Alan...

[Jordie]

My main problem at the minute is i cant get the column off the rack.

[Big_Adam]

Plonk steering wheen back on. Then un-do the bottom pinch clamp. Then pull. Wheel give you somthing to grab. Can always leaver the pinch clamp open a bit.

Can I ask have you removed the U-bolts? Got to let the subby down for them.

[Jordie]

Ive got the steering wheel on, the bottom clamp has the bolt removed. Didnt realise you can lever it open, will do that next time.

No, I havent dropped the subby yet. Ive only undone the nuts for the U bolts from inside the car. I know you cant do anything without dropping the frame. My jack as given up, so i will have to wait till next weekend now.

[icklemini]

and a jack is for lifting a car...

stands are for holding it up...

ttfn,
Dave

[Jordie]

The stands are under the body.

The jack is to TAKE the WEIGHT of the subframe and engine to give the clearance to get the steering rack out.

[OllyD]

I had an absolute nightmare trying to get my steering column free from the rack on my first mini. Don't make the mistake i did of trying to lever it off against the floorpan. You'll only bend the floor and hole. In the end, I went nuts and just took and angle griner to the base of the column-slicing through it to release the grip on the steering rack spindle.

Once it was off, i could see why it was stuck fast- the spindle was covered in rust. Looking back, i wish I'd had a blowtorch as it may have saved my steering column from slaughter! Just don't set fire to the carpets!

[jonny d]

Renewed the rack in situ on mine couln't get column off at first then realised i only slackened the bolt
and did't take it right out I also had a right job getting the u bolts back in maybe new ones might
have been easier

[Phaeton]

Just remebered when I was fighting to get the rack off with subframe still in place we we're reading HBOL & it said you could only get the colomun to seperate from the rack with the wheel facing forward. Total rhubarb I thought but worth a try, straightened it up & they seperated immediately. No idea why & after we had both parts off couldn't work out why either, but it might be worth a try.

Alan...