David Jenkins
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| posted on 25/4/11 at 08:41 AM |
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Steering wheel spacer
Random ramblings... apologies in advance...
I was out driving yesterday, and decided that my steering was just a little too far away - my arms are a bit too stretched for effective
steering.
I don't want to change the wheel for a dished one - too expensive an option and I couldn't find one anyway.
The alternative is a spacer to move the wheel back around 50mm. These seem to be quite expensive and I'm not sure that they would fit my wheel
and boss (end-of-line Astrali wheel, bought just before they went bust). I think the fixing holes are the same as Mountney, but I'm not
sure. They also seem to offer odd lengths, such as 60mm.
I have a big lathe, so I could copy the design and make my own. I'll also need to check out the cost of a few inches of aluminium 4.5"
round bar! 
I have no experience of these things - anything I should watch out for? Apart from the obvious ones of course, such as "make sure it's
securely fixed and won't come undone!".
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otodb
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| posted on 25/4/11 at 10:13 AM |
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Hi, I made my own spacer & got the Ally bar off- R& R Aluminium, Greystone, Arnold Lane West, Arnold, Nr Hull-Tel:- 01964-501207- contact is
Richard. He will pobably be at the Stoneleigh Show. Ally only cost about £10 posted, I've had quite a few bits off him, great service.
All the best,
Brian.
[Edited on 25/4/11 by otodb]
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RazMan
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| posted on 25/4/11 at 12:20 PM |
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David, have you considered one of the quick release bosses? They will give you a bit more length on the column and you can pop the wheel off if you
are working on the pedals/electrics etc. I have seen 'low profile' ones and normal types, giving between 25-50mm of spacer.
Cheers,
Raz
When thinking outside the box doesn't work any more, it's time to build a new box
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Humbug
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| posted on 25/4/11 at 01:52 PM |
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If you've got a Sierra column like me then it would be worth checking whether you can adjust it by loosening the fixing bolts, hauling on the
wheel to pull it up, then tightening it back up again. It's a bit of a fiddle to do unless you have a helper, but I found that I was able to
move it back a fair bit (an inch or so?).
I think it would be fairly easy to turn up a spacer if you have the lathe. Again, it would be worth looking at the boss you've currently got.
Mine is a Mountney boss, but it is actually in two parts: one with the horn ring etc. and a larger upper part that bolts onto this. If yours is like
this then, to avoid having too many joins you could make a spacer to fit directly onto the bottom part. From memory, I think that means you would have
to make a sort of cup shaped item, then bolt through the bottom of the "cup" onto the stub of the boss.
On the top, if you drill and tap to suit your wheel and fix with bolts of your choice and a dab of threadlock you should be fine. Alternatively,
machine it so there is a lip on the spacer and bolt through and hold with nylocs.
Let us know what you do (and show us a pic or two!)
Cheers
Simon
[Edited on 25.04.2011 by Humbug]
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 25/4/11 at 02:30 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Humbug
If you've got a Sierra column like me then it would be worth checking whether you can adjust it by loosening the fixing bolts, hauling on the
wheel to pull it up, then tightening it back up again. It's a bit of a fiddle to do unless you have a helper, but I found that I was able to
move it back a fair bit (an inch or so?).
That's a thought - probably worth investigating. Though I have this vision of me going tip over apex while clutching a steering wheel and
column!
quote:
I think it would be fairly easy to turn up a spacer if you have the lathe. Again, it would be worth looking at the boss you've currently got.
Mine is a Mountney boss, but it is actually in two parts: one with the horn ring etc. and a larger upper part that bolts onto this. If yours is like
this then, to avoid having too many joins you could make a spacer to fit directly onto the bottom part. From memory, I think that means you would have
to make a sort of cup shaped item, then bolt through the bottom of the "cup" onto the stub of the boss.
Mine's an Astrali boss - a 1-piece steel construction. Don't think that there are any options for splitting it.
Razman - my interest in quick-release bosses waned after someone on this forum had their wheel quick-release while doing 70mph on a motorway... 
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Humbug
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| posted on 25/4/11 at 05:03 PM |
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David - maybe I didn't explain it very well but my column, at least, has a sort of sprung upper part. Doing what I sugegsted doesn't move
any of the lower linkages or joint to the rack.
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gavinpurvis
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| posted on 25/4/11 at 06:08 PM |
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I need one too but as you say 50 for an adjustable one is expensive. Unfortunately I don't have the tools to make one so will have to bite the
bullet
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