Steering Damper Split & Box Mounting Cracked - Lucky Escape

[StuF]

Evening all,

Well this evening I decided to have a look under the bus as Ben of EvilBens mentioned I should think about getting my steering damper changed before the next MOT due to it being a little cracked - was very hard to see due to being covered in stone chip. So I decided to jack Murphy up and have a little look at what he was referring to.

Crikey - I wasnt prepared for what I have found! Yep the steering damper was cracked and a replacement item is on its way however I wasnt expecting to find the mount to the steering box itself to be almost cracked through. Had it let go I doubt we would have been able to steer the bus.

It was impossible to see under all the stonechip and grease so absolutely would have been missed by anyone looking in that area - I only saw it when I was removing the split pins from the damper bolts.

Does anyone know where to get another one from - dont seem to be able to see any on Machine 7 site?
Felt a bit of adreline running through my blood knowing we have covered nearly 1000's of miles with it like this!

Scary stuff and I cant thank Ben enough for spotting the cracked rubber under all the stonechip - something I would have never seen in a million years.

Some pics to illustrate

Damper before I started to poke about



Cracks in the the perished rubber











Here was the first point I saw the crack

After a bit more poking about with my screw driver and some WD40 application I could see it has nearly gone all the way through the mount - you can see the damage at the end of the screw driver!



Would anyone be able to suggest where to get a replacement and how I go about fixing it? I am guessing the steering box will have to be removed?

Many thanks in advance for your advice and help!

 

[68_early_bay]

Heritage sell them stu

http://www.vwheritage.com/vw_spares_Flange-Steering-Column-lower-T2-68-79-211415409_act_shop.product_pID_189020.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But is it split or is it the pinch bolt split line?

 

[67westy]

My steering coupling was like that, get's rid of a load of slack when you replace it :lol: Make sure you get a genuine one or your horn will sound continuously! http://www.vwheritage.com/vw_spares_Steering-coupling-T26879-GENUINE-VW-211415417_act_shop.product_pID_40514.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Can be changed from above, dismantle the column and remove the old one, a second pair of hands makes it much easier to undo the bolts. I had some pics in a post I put up: http://forum.earlybay.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=38480&p=322833&hilit=horn#p322833" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Some of the images are broken now but I'm just about to fix them.... hopefully

 

[68_early_bay]

I'd definately change the rubber coupling though has that seen better days :mrgreen:

http://www.vwheritage.com/vw_spares_Steering-coupling-T2-68-79-REPRO-211415417R_act_shop.product_pID_79128.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[67westy]

Heritage sell them stu

http://www.vwheritage.com/vw_spares_Flange-Steering-Column-lower-T2-68-79-211415409_act_shop.product_pID_189020.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But is it split or is it the pinch bolt split line?

Ahhh i thought he meant the coupling as that looked like it had seen better days :lol:

 

[StuF]

Heritage sell them stu

http://www.vwheritage.com/vw_spares_Flange-Steering-Column-lower-T2-68-79-211415409_act_shop.product_pID_189020.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But is it split or is it the pinch bolt split line?

Brilliant - many thanks for that info, will have a better idea where it has failed when I get it in pieces!

 

[StuF]

Actually looking at the pic from the heritage site that crack might just supposed to be there

What do you guys think - looks like the same place I have put my yellow arrow

 

[67westy]

I would say that looks ok to my untrained eye.

Still think it's worth changing you coupling at some point, especially if you have a bit of play in the steering. Would also give you the chance to have a closer inspection of the flange as well.

 

[68_early_bay]

That's what I was thinking it was the split line for the pinch bolt :mrgreen: definately worth doing the coupling though

 

[StuF]

Have a new coupling on order and will absolutely be changing it - will have a good look at the pinch bolt whilst I am at it.

Thanks for the help fellas

 

[Graham L]

I think the pinch bolt is a HT bolt and theres a torque setting in the manual for it, there should be a crack down the side of the coupling as that lets you slide it over the splines on the box before tightening the pinch bolt.