NS Dev
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| posted on 25/4/05 at 08:11 AM |
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Steering Column Downlink
I have been fussing at the weekend over the steering column downlink.
I am using a Manta column and escort rack, and have appropriate UJ's and "stubs" for each end to make the downlink.
I ended up making 2!!
The nicest one (lightest one!) is made from 17.5 x 3mm CDS, bored out each end to 12mm bore, with the stub ends then turned down slightly to 12mm, the
tube ends angle cut for a greater weld area and the ends welded in.
My worry is that the 12mm diameter stub end looks very thin where is is welded into the tube!!!
What diameter is the Sierra downlink, I seem to remember that this is pretty thin???
The second column that I made was made from a manta inner column, which is telescopic for collapsibility, with the steering wheel end machined off
(and the steering lock area machined off as well) and an escort spline end welded in. This is heavier duty and has the benefit if making both the
upper and lower columns collapsible, but it is very heavy and looks ugly!!
Any thoughts???????
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MikeR
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| posted on 25/4/05 at 12:10 PM |
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go ugly and safe.....
i'd hate to be in the car with you when you find out that the lightweight one has broken.
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Mark Allanson
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| posted on 25/4/05 at 07:29 PM |
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How strong does the column have to be? The only resistance it comes up against are your wrist muscles
If you can keep you head, whilst all others around you are losing theirs, you are not fully aware of the situation
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flak monkey
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| posted on 25/4/05 at 07:34 PM |
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It needs to be strong enough to take the torque you can put through it yep. Think how much you can lift/move like that, then multiply it by the radius
of the steering wheel to get an idea of the force through the column.
As an aside someone down our road broke the track rod on his focus the other week. How? Sitting still and wrenching on the wheel (usually see women
doing it in car parks)...just think how much force goes through them on a power steering car when you are sitting still (you certainly cant move the
wheel on a non assisted car like that).
David
Sera
http://www.motosera.com
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ChrisGamlin
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| posted on 26/4/05 at 03:02 PM |
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NS Dev, where did you get your splined ends from if you dont mind me asking?
cheers
Chris
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NS Dev
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| posted on 26/4/05 at 04:18 PM |
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I got a splined link from Dax years ago. Think it was about £25 in 1998! The ends match the escort rack spline and they are very long and have no
recess for the pinchbolt. Conseqently the one link from Dax has now made 4 columns over a few years! I am using a GP4 coupling ( from Rally Design
among others) to join the downlink to the rack, and as I am using a Manta column (which has a "pair of flats" type drive, like the older
volvo columns) I am using a piece of manta downlink at the top (I have plenty, having broken many mantas over the years!)
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ChrisGamlin
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| posted on 26/4/05 at 04:46 PM |
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Yep, Ive got 2 GP4 UJs with female splines either end, its the male splined rod I need to weld into the lower column bar. Looks like I might just have
to chop up my old rack 
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Peteff
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| posted on 26/4/05 at 05:35 PM |
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In reply to the first post
I've just measured my Sierra downlink and give or take a bit of paint it's 15mm thick. I've just found half of an Escort one with a
u.j. and spline that I didn't know I had and the bar is 19mm with the spline about 14mm where it fits the u.j.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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NS Dev
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| posted on 27/4/05 at 10:51 AM |
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cheers Pete!
Mine is a touch less at 12mm but then it has less weight to steer than a sierra does, so it should be ok! (not that I like saying that about
steering!!)
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NS Dev
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| posted on 27/4/05 at 10:53 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by ChrisGamlin
Yep, Ive got 2 GP4 UJs with female splines either end, its the male splined rod I need to weld into the lower column bar. Looks like I might just have
to chop up my old rack
I meant it was the male splined bit that I got from Dax! Give them a ring and ask for a column downlink, it was either for a Kamala or Rush, but I
can't remeber which. If you tell them it needs to fit the escort GP4 coupling they will know and they were very helpful.
[Edited on 27/4/05 by NS Dev]
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ChrisGamlin
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| posted on 27/4/05 at 12:47 PM |
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Sorry, I thought you meant it was just a one off bit of bar you got from them that they had laying around
I'll probably have a good look around at Stoneleigh and if nothing materialises just butcher the old rack - nfautos (Car Builder Solutions) want
over £25 for an end which seems a little steep to me.
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