Hey Scott.

Just measuring the specs re: plastic sleeve etc.  These marks on the
upper steering column outer tube (black arrows in this image):

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-6eU242lfor4/UQxgXAv45RI/AAAAAAAAGus/kZinKBev7fE/s720/Steering%2520column%2520wiper%2520stalk%2520thing.jpg

may be old marks from the signal-wiper stalk. But that doesn't mean
they're correct per se.

Bentley says:  A: 51 mm + 5 mm. That doesn't make sense. Maybe they
missed including the " - " ?
Like it should say: "51 mm +/- 5 mm"

Things worked fine before. I'll just make sure the measurements at the
upper-lower steering column join are parallel and be done with it.

Neil.

On Fri, Feb 1, 2013 at 2:40 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans
<scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
> hi Neil..
> that part has always been a little mysterious to me..  that plastic spacer.
> mostly I don't have to worry about anything there.
>
> I am very, *very* big on 'starting with the symptom' ..
>
> If the symptom you are working is play in the steering ..
> I'd look other places, and not at those two pins in holes thing in the
> steering collumn shaft ...that's a crash feature of course.
>
> here's one case of significant play I found...
>   I let a 350 lb guy drive one of my non-power steering vans for a year
> once..
> I also noticed one time when he was backing out of a driveway that he
> 'jerked' the steering when it was time to turn ..
> After a year of his driving that van,
> there was two inches of play at the edge of the steering wheel.
> Which I have just never seen in any vanagon really.
>
> where the tie rods bolt onto the the end of the rack in the steering rack ..
> there's a bushing that supports the end of the rack/linear gear ..
> on both sides that bushing was trashed, slowing up-down play there ..
> resulting in slop in the steering.
>
> So I jack it up and start at the wheels ..
> there is also a 'drive disc'  that can wear.
> I have not seen the small 'V' I call it, steering box ever wear or fail..
> but one guy said he needed to replace his.
>
> anyway .if it's play your working on ..
> if it is at those pins it will be pretty evident.
> scott
>
>
> On 2/1/2013 1:11 PM, neil n wrote:
>
> On Fri, Feb 1, 2013 at 12:36 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans
> <scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
>
> so ..again ..
> what actual problem are you trying to fix ?
>
> After reading your posts, and one or two on thesamba, nothing per se.
>
> I thought the larger gap "a" might introduce play into the steering.
> (steering is ok, but every little bit helps as you know) Reading
> further, maybe the larger gap "a" won't introduce any play into
> steering, assuming the rubber bushings etc. are OK.
>
> A few years ago I replaced the ignition switch. The dash was off at
> that time. I was a much less experienced "wrench" at the time so
> didn't pay close attention to the position of the plastic spacer.
>
> I'll study the Bentley, but if the plastic spacer position is
> incorrect, would that affect the position of the upper column relative
> to the lower column?   (i.e. increased gap "a" ?)
>
> Neil.
>
> O
>
>

--
Neil n

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