Re: [DML] Steering Column Play

[Martin Gutkowski <webmaster@xxxx>]

Jason

You are precisely correct - there is a urethane bush that snugs the 
column shaft through the firewall. I can speak with complete experience 
because I finally got around to doing mine yesterday!!! Boy am I glad I 
did. Tell me, are you having the same problem I was, with the steering 
wheel obscuring the top of the instrument cluster? Changing the bush 
made the steering wheel go higher than before (I can't work out why). 
Anyway, driving the car's a lot more pleasurable now.

Some notes for you:

The service manual states that to remove the steering column, you need 
to take out the driver's knee-pads. Although it might not look like it, 
it IS necessary.
I only took out the uppermost bolt in the upper steering universal 
joint. NB you MUST remove the bolt, not just loosen it.
The column itself is fixed by two bolts (17mm heads IIRC).
For getting the column back in, I had a bit of trouble with pushing the 
shaft back into the UJ - it just kept telescoping back into the 
crumple-zone. Then I hit on a solution. (the following will make sense 
when it's in front of you!) The bottom end of the shaft makes up the 
outer tube when telescoping. If you pull it out far enough, the end of 
the tube clears the upper end of the crumple tube. I then used a pait of 
long-nosed pliers through the holes in the crumple tube - right at the 
upper neck, to avoid damaging the crumple tube - so the lower shaft had 
something to push against.

With a friend's help, and the service manual, I had mine finished in 
one-and-a-half hours.

Darryl sells replacement bushes www.delorean-parts.com (3rd item down)

Martin
#1458

jason3625 wrote:

> I am a Proud new owner of an August 81.... The steering column, I 
> noticed while Driving it home the first time, has about an Inch play 
> up and down and going over bumps it rattles. The problem is not the 
> adjustment with the Wing Nut (Near the Front) it appears to be 
> hitting the "Fire Wall" where is leaves the passenger compartment. I 
> would think that it there is some kind of Rubber or Silicon bushing 
> that the Steering column rests on to prevent the column from touching 
> the "FireWall" I looked at the parts manual but I don't see anything 
> there. Any Ideas?
>
> Thanks
> Jason
> Dayton, Ohio