Steering query

Post by **IanC** » Fri Jun 28, 2019 5:04 pm

The steering on my SE5a 'loads up ' on the move after a quarter turn of the wheel so I thought I'd see if the yokes of the column universal joints are in line or not. As it happens they're at 90 degrees, but I can't see how to align them as the cutout on the splined section (for the retaining bolt) will only allow the upper u/j to be at 90 degrees to the lower one. Am I missing something here?

Post by **peter freeman** » Fri Jun 28, 2019 7:07 pm

One has to ask are they the correct UJs for he car

Post by **IanC** » Fri Jun 28, 2019 7:30 pm

Well that's certainly a possibility, and one that I hadn't considered. Having said that, the previous owners have kept meticulous records of purchases from recognised/reputable suppliers so on the face of it, it seems unlikely. If it comes to it, i may just grind a groove at right angles to the existing one to get the right orientation of the ujs.

Post by **scimjim** » Fri Jun 28, 2019 7:40 pm

There’s no way it can be fitted out of phase?

: 30970F7E-4DF8-454C-B28E-5860F8D24EB5.png (155.35 KiB) Viewed 438 times

Post by **Roger Pennington** » Fri Jun 28, 2019 8:03 pm

Have you tried jacking it up so that the wheels are off the ground, and turning the wheel to see if the fault is still present?

Post by **IanC** » Fri Jun 28, 2019 8:05 pm

Hi, yes i have, the steering moves freely from side to side when the car's jacked up.

Post by **IanC** » Fri Jun 28, 2019 8:16 pm

scimjim wrote: ↑
Fri Jun 28, 2019 7:40 pm
There’s no way it can be fitted out of phase?

30970F7E-4DF8-454C-B28E-5860F8D24EB5.png

That's what I would have thought, but for the fact that in your picture the bolt on the extreme left will only fit vertically, not horizontally owing to the orientation of the groove on the splined part of the shaft.

Post by **scimjim** » Fri Jun 28, 2019 8:33 pm

So is the drawing wrong and every car has the joints out of phase? I presume you have the shaft off and there’s only one groove then?

Post by **b.c.flat hat** » Fri Jun 28, 2019 9:09 pm

Some u/js have been shortened by cutting and re-welding. If the parts are not aligned correctly in phase before welding the cure is to file a new slot. However this means that they can still be out by half a spline. The most common shafts with this done to them seems to be for the Coupes. The drawing does show the correct alignment with the two pins on the yokes which are attached/welded to the shaft being parallel. Hope these words make sense.

Post by **IanC** » Fri Jun 28, 2019 9:37 pm

Thanks, perfect sense. I know the drawing is right in showing the pins being parallel, its just that i cant get mine aligned like that the way the slot is currently orientated. I had thought about the spline issue, I'll be careful when i make a new slot!

Post by **IanC** » Sat Jun 29, 2019 1:48 pm

Update, I've ground a new groove/slot in the splined section of the intermediate shaft at right angles to the existing one, to allow a bolt to be fitted, with the top and bottom yokes being parallel. The photo shows the original slot when both the top and bottom U/Js are in alignment.
The important bit is that the sudden heaviness in the steering when turning the wheel more than a quarter, has now disappeared - what a transformation!