Crooked steering column?

[Oberon 110]

Hi all,

I've been doing some tidying up of the interior on my 300 tdi 110 - new raptor dash and new steering column shroud. I'm having some trouble with the steering column, though; as you can see in the picture below, the shroud is at an angle, which interferes with the binnacle, and I'm then unable to actually affix the binnacle properly.

Now, as I'm sure most of you are aware, the problem is that the steering column itself is at a slight angle. So then the indictaor and electrical assembly for the steering column is also at an angle, and then the shroud goes on at the same angle.

Just wondering if this can be corrected with adjustment, or if something would have to be bent to cause this? From what I can see the bulkhead steering column mount is welded to the tube, so I'm assuming that the mount behind the dash is bent slightly?

Any thoughts appreciated, cheers

191416

[DazzaTD5]

the gold or silver coloured metal assembly that the indicator stalk, head light stalk and wiper stalk assembly is attached to is what the bottom column surround screws to underneath.

the whole complete stalk assembly (indicators, wipers, headlights including the metal bracket) is attached to the round steering column with the plastic ring with a screw in it, this ring is part of the indicator assembly. the top of the ring has a space to allow for the screw to tighten up the ring, the space aligns with a raised section on the round column.

the slot and the raised section are either not aligned or more likely, if you over tighten the ring just a fraction it snaps and allows the whole assembly to float or rotate to any spot.
also the screws on the bottom plastic surround have pulled through the plastic or some other bodged glued repair work in its past.

I always remove the steering wheel when doing anything in the dash and the surrounding plastic as the plastic on Defenders is poor quality and hard to get right.

[Oberon 110]

the gold or silver coloured metal assembly that the indicator stalk, head light stalk and wiper stalk assembly is attached to is what the bottom column surround screws to underneath.

the whole complete stalk assembly (indicators, wipers, headlights including the metal bracket) is attached to the round steering column with the plastic ring with a screw in it, this ring is part of the indicator assembly. the top of the ring has a space to allow for the screw to tighten up the ring, the space aligns with a raised section on the round column.

the slot and the raised section are either not aligned or more likely, if you over tighten the ring just a fraction it snaps and allows the whole assembly to float or rotate to any spot.
also the screws on the bottom plastic surround have pulled through the plastic or some other bodged glued repair work in its past.

I always remove the steering wheel when doing anything in the dash and the surrounding plastic as the plastic on Defenders is poor quality and hard to get right.
Appreciat your response! Yeah, that galvanised metal assembly you mentioned is what I refered to as the "indicator and electrical assembly". Fastening ring for that is all good, and column plastics are brand new so no issues with the bosses being bodgied up with glue.

After having a closer look at the steering column mounts, I noticed that the bracket at the bottom of the firewall is slightly bent and causing the steering column to be at a slight angle upon the axis of the steering wheel.
I slacked off the steering column mount behind the dash and the one at the top of the firewall, then tweaked the column over on it's axis and slightly to the right with vise grips and a hammer. This seems to have corrected the bent bracket enough and the steering column is at a minimal enough angle that the column plastics and raptor dash all fit together. At some point I'd like to replace that lower mounting bracket.

[Tins]

At some point I'd like to replace that lower mounting bracket.

Don't do that. All part of the "patina". [bigrolf]

[Oberon 110]

Don't do that. All part of the "patina". [bigrolf]
Haha, yeah now that you mention patina, maybe I'll just wait until I have do the whole bulkhead...