I’ve got an early MK Locost chassis in at the moment, needs quite a bit doing, I’ve decided to make sure I address all the IVA issues at an early stage, and that included the steering column. A couple of Sierra units were supplied with the car, so I made one good one out of the two and then had to see how well it would fit in the car.

I needed to put the mounting bracket on the inside of the column support in order to get the length right. The main problem was the 20mm holes in the column mounting bracket. These were dealt with using some specially made nylon bushes (thanks Mike).

Then it was on to the lower mounting. I got a new Ford bush £2 plus vat, Inspired by a thread on the Robin Hood forum, I started looking for a suitable bearing. The numbers given didn’t seem to ring any bells with bearing suppliers. I took the Sierra steering bush to my local bearing supplier who showed me the main bearing part (didn’t have the mounting plates, but they could be ordered). Bearing itself £25 plus VAT!. I declined to opportunity to be gouged, got googling again and found these at about £11 including VAT and next day postage

http://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/p22810/SBPFL205+Oval+2+Bolt+Pressed+Steel+Bearing+Housing+with+25mm+insert/product_info.html

Looks like this when it arrives


The Sierra bush is a push fit inside the bearing, and is secured with two grub screws

Trial fit




I will make a mounting/blanking plate after I have sourced a suitable pedal box, as I may well have to move the column slightly to suit.

John

im liking that bearing shop one to add to favourites...

thats the same part that I fitted to my car a couple of weeks ago. It feels more robust now and seems to give a more positive feel.

I am going to get one for mine as it seems very stiff with the sierra bearing. I think it may have moved just a touch when I welded it up.

As for the big holes in the top I made some top hats out of a bit of brass bar.

edit
Just checked the plastic bearing and its very stiff hmm must order above bearing.

[Edited on 24/4/09 by big_wasa]

I've used the same arrangement in mine, reduces play and friction too

nice one, just placed an order as the tie wrap even though working seems a bit of a gash solution.

haha ordered one even tho i dont need it right now!

brilliant service. Ordered 1 Friday afternoon at about 3:30 and it dropped through the letterbox first thing Saturday.

Sounds good to me - not ready for it yet, but can't resist a bargain!

lol bet that place were like wow! we are getting a lot of orders for this part today! i also got mine saturday morning after ordering it friday (just before my first post) excellent service

pleased i found this thread
ive just ordered one too

No prob's with mine but ordered one to do the R1 or keep it ready for chris's single seater

tony

MB, I mentioned that it was an MK Locost for identification purposes, not to slag them off (I think you will find I have spoken in their defence often).

Anyway, the Locost was not designed for a Sierra column, so my post was about how I fitted a Sierra unit as well as to let people know about the bearings.

BTW -

YOUR PICTURES ARE TOO BIG!

jOHN

John I didn't mean you, I meant the person that you were in discussion with when I posted about wozsher making wishbones for me, appologies if you took it personaly again it wasn't meant at you

tony

Thanks for that Mr H Just ordered one. Wonder how many have faffed around with toe, tyre pressures, springs etc; when this is all it was????

quote:

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Originally posted by mad-butcher
John I didn't mean you, I meant the person that you were in discussion with when I posted about wozsher making wishbones for me, appologies if you took it personaly again it wasn't meant at you

tony

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just ordered one.

thanks for the heads up.

dave j]