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In Reply to: Final steering Info. posted by Kurt.G on June 16, 2000 at 17:48:25:
After approaching this job from the point of view of knowing nothing about it and then learning slowly with the help of several E31 enthusiasts Lez, Mark, Carl, Justin, and others (bad memory for names) and then from slowly piecing the information together as I progressed while at the same time seeing the actual pieces and how they worked and how they were effected by each other etc. etc. I must confess that I truly do believe that the Rubber Coupling is a very safe and necessary piece of the steering mechanism. It allows for the very important and needed flexibility and give to the steering shaft assembly that is required by the cramped angles under the dash as well as for times when the front wheels hit a sudden solid object and need some immediate "Give" so as not to break or bend or harm some of the hard pieces in the steering linkeage components.
The problem is this:
The Rubber Coupling is like the rudder on the wing or the tail of an airplane in that "it works just fine and lasts forever as long as it is adjusted properly, as long as it has all the correct pieces and is properly assisted by all the planes other necessary and vital components. However, if any of the supporting pieces or adjustments fail or are suddenly rendered inoperable then the rudder is going to fail with monumental consequences, ie. our steering as well.
To be succinct: The Rubber Coupling I now believe to be a very safe piece of the steering that will last possibly 20 years - "If, all the supporting elements are functioning correctly", namely the most important of all "The correct adjustment of the Big compression NUT" located just outside the under the dash firewall.
- IMPORTANT - If this NUT is improperly tightened or "purposely tightened" by some well-meaning but inexperienced or un-informed mechanic or = (scary paranoid thought) by some purposely Devious mechanic or person who knowingly Makes this Nut too tight and prepares your car for future repairs for business down the road!! Highly unlikely, horrible to think, but in either case "If that Nut is made too tight, regardless of the reason, it is only a matter of small time before the rubber Coupling will deteriorate and rip rendering the steering gone".
In the case of my car, the Nut was so tight that it is hard to imagine that someone could even get it that tight. I had to pull it out of the car by means of disconnecting the splined shaft from the steering shaft U-joint located at the Steering Gear under the hood. Then I had to pull the entire shaft assembly slowly out of the car under the dash out the open drivers door. Then I had to put it in a large Vice and unbelievably I could not loosen that big nut with one end held by the vice and the other end being turned by a huge wrench. If I had continued it would have either bent or busted the sheering shaft end where the two mounting bolts are.
I therefore had to re-position the mounting bolt end of the steering shaft in the vice so that the lower jaws of the vice prevented movement of the end of the shaft while the teeth of the vice bit into the shaft itself (I hate leaving marks but?) preventing it turning or bending or breaking while I heated the big Nut with a torch and then was able (barely) to loosen the big Nut. However once loosened initially it then came off quite easily. After it cooled down I took the two shafts apart and thoroughly cleaned them in cleaning solvent and then checked the threads of the big Nut and re-greased the splines of the shaft and re-assembled the pieces. Then I re-installed the pieces in the car with a new Rubber Coupling (making sure there were Wavy "spring locking washers" of only 8mm ID.and 15mm.max OD.size used under the 13mm self locking nuts) and now with the Big Nut adjusted properly to allow slipage in and out of the splined shaft (at the big Nut) there is no strain on the Rubber Coupling and it should last forever.
I hope this clears things up a little. The problem before is that I was reporting as I progressed and you heard my thouthts at the time, but I now believe the system to be a good and safe one "IF" the Big Nut is properly adjusted and not tightened down by some idiot or felon.
Thanks, Kurt
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