steering column tilt motor drive.

[harlie]

Hi Guys

Anyone removed the covers to get to the tilt motor in the steering column? Is it just a case of the torx screws under the column?

Just after leaving home the column dropped down, pulled over and heard something metallic fall down behind the fascia panels. Looking at the manual there's a couple of key nuts on the worm drive for the tilt motor, the motor still runs (can hear it) but the column is flopping about. I'm hoping that something has fallen of the drive gear...

thanks

[harlie]

I can only get 2 or the 3 torx screws in the bottom of the column, so I still can't get the cover of the steering column.

I can just see and get my fingers in with the flexible sleeve pulled down - not so lucky to have a nut drop off...

broken Tilt Adjustment Cam fullfatrr.com - View topic - Steering Column Tilt Broken (http://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic5754.html)

Bugger. back on the road with the column locked in the upper most tilt position as per thread until I get a new column or have a look at changing the Tilt Adjustment Cam

[RangieBit]

Hi Harlie,

Sorry to hear of your woe with the tilt adjustment.

There are only the three Torx screws that hold the surround together. As you discovered they are right up in there. I have an extendable driver with interchangeable bits which allowed me to get to the troublesome middle one.

If you have a set of long shaft Torx tools they are just long enough to reach. I have a set from Supercheap that reaches fine (which I didn't think would fit initially) ;).

The main problem I found was getting the driver into the head. It's a small screw inside a much larger cavity and you have to futz around to get the driver into position. All while lying contorted on the floor in the drivers side footwell :mad:.

My problem was the Tilt motor. Like a lot of the early builds, my column suffered from the dreaded binding of the screw mechanism. This was cured for a while by slackening the end nyloc nut. This left the column a little slack. Eventually the motor died from trying to drive the screw beyond its end point every time it tried to park the column. Obtained new motor from UK with extended square drive shaft, replaced dead motor and problem fixed. The screws holding that motor to the column are a real problem child to remove and replace without stripping or cross threading anything.

Wish your problem was that straight forward. Good luck with it and persevere with the Torx screws. They do all loosen and come out (eventually) allowing the shroud to be removed.

Cheers,
Iain

[Homestar]

I'd be interested to find out if anyone has changed a busted tilt cam with either a replacement part, or fixed/remanufactured something that not only works, but is stronger than the original.

Keep us posted Harlie if you swap out the column, or/and have a crack (no pun intended:p) at fixing the old one.

Cheers - Gav

[harlie]

If you have a set of long shaft Torx tools they are just long enough to reach. I have a set from Supercheap that reaches fine (which I didn't think would fit initially) ;).



Hi Iain,

Are you able to confirm weather the three are the same size, or is that middle one is smaller. The size that fits the outside two is long enough but it didn't feel like it fits the middle, and the next size down is, of course shorter.

Plan is, to remove the cam and have a go at either modifying the old one or casting a new more substantial one. Expensive bit is having the soft male plug printed, after the cast is made reproductions will be cheap, wonder if I can get enough takers to pay for the cast?? By the grain in the pieces that broke off, it appears to be cast mild steel. We need the car over the xmas break so it will have to wait until next year.

[Homestar]

If you do that exersize and find out what the costs are, I for one would be interested in one - I think it is almost a case of when, and not if these are going to break long term...

Cheers - Gav

[RangieBit]

Hi Harlie,

It's been a little while since I did the replace so not sure. My ailing memory tells me they were all the same (T20?) but I'll check for you this morning. Hopefully today is less hectic than the last.

Will update this post with correct sizes for you a little later.

Correct sizes are: T27 front and back screws. T20 centre screw. That little centre one is right up in there all right. Most angled Torx tools won't reach. Would recommend a specific long (about 150mm shaft) T20 driver to reach it.

Cheers,
Iain

[Keithy P38]

Hi Harlie,

It's been a little while since I did the replace so not sure. My ailing memory tells me they were all the same (T20?) but I'll check for you this morning. Hopefully today is less hectic than the last.

Will update this post with correct sizes for you a little later.

Correct sizes are: T27 front and back screws. T20 centre screw. That little centre one is right up in there all right. Most angled Torx tools won't reach. Would recommend a specific long (about 150mm shaft) T20 driver to reach it.

Cheers,
Iain

G’day,

Not sure how this job went for you, however I’ve just had to help out a mate with an L322. Removing that cover was a mission to say the least!

Anyway, the reason for my post is to put the correct Torx sizes up for the world to search for (like I did).

The lower of the three screws is a T25 and the middle and upper screws are a T20. Once the right size is obtained it’s a little fiddle to get the torx directly into the screws, but not too bad a job.

I read this post and persisted with a T27 for half an hour thinking that I was a clown and couldn’t get it to fit before deciding to try a smaller Torx bit.

I hope this helps someone else out.

Cheers
Keithy