Collapsible Steering Column

[mollythemoggie]

Hi Just wondering if anyone knew if you could get a collapsible steering column to fit the minor which would allow for an original steering wheel?

In australia they use a mazda 323 or early ford laser steering column but you can't use the original wheel.. did the minor ever come with one or something out of an mgb? how hard would it be to respline to suit?

Thanks,
Tom

[beero]

Mgb has one because the steering rack is in front of the wheels and prone to being pushed back in a frontal crash. The Minor's rack is behind the wheels and well protected so there isn't the same need.

[mollythemoggie]

Apparently in Australia we need them if we want to install any engine over 1.2/1.3 litres.

Would anyone have a suggestion of one?

[bmcecosse]

As above - the clever design by Issigonis puts the rack safely out of harms way, high up above the gearbox. And if you look at the structure supporting the column - it is designed such that in an extreme frontal - the rack will be pushed back by the engine/gearbox and the column will swivel forward - taking the wheel away from the driver. I realise this doesn't help with the 'rule'....but does shown they were thinking of safety - even though they didn't invent/fit safety belts.....

[philthehill]

Try looking at a Ford Fiesta Mk3 pre air bag column as some Mini owners have been fitting these to achieve the collapsible column requirement. It is collapsible and only requires an additional U/J on the bottom and additional brackets at the top. The splines re the rack and column for both Mini and Fiesta are apparently the same. Well worth looking into. Just Google and see what you come up with. Not sure about the steering wheel fitment though but that can be overcome.

[mollythemoggie]

Yes but regardless of design the laws insist we have a collapsible steering column.. hence me NEEDING to put one in

[MarkyB]

Pinched from the internet;
How Does a Collapsible Steering Column Work?

Collapsible steering columns still consist of a long shaft that connects the steering wheel to the steering gear box. However, the collapsible design is composed of an inner and an outer sleeve, pressed tightly together with a number of steel bearings in between. These steel bearings are pressed into the metal sleeves, and are held in place with a strong safety resin, which is designed to harden and then shatter when a specific level of pressure is applied.


Read more: http://www.ehow.com/how-does_5025936_co ... z2pJyF7ZMI

How about taking the collapsing section form another car and getting the ends of the minor column welded on to replace the originals?

[ASL642]

The only way round this is to fit something like a Mountney steering wheel (not the original one I know) but you can then fit a collapsible boss which should be legal.

[kennatt]

Is there no way round the regulation,is it because you are adapting/modifying, surely there are other classics in aus. with larger engines and no collaping column. But I would think as above best bet would be to use bottom and top of original and weld a section,the right length onto them.

[mollythemoggie]

Good suggestion MarkyB!

hmm would be interesting to try and find something that would marry up well!

Alas no way around the regulation.. any cars undergoing modification or increase in engine displacement have to be fully inspected by rta approved automotive engineers and the new laws are tough!

[alexmcguffie]

Hi Tom,

I'm not sure if Triumph also used the sime spline at the rack end at least, not sure about the steering wheel.

I've used a company called Woodward Steering for splines in the past. They are based in the US / Holland but do adaptors etc at very good prices. If you look at their catalogue below, I belive the Minors steering wheel spline is No.110 on page 3. I will check over the weekend as I have my column/rack in pieces at the moment. If this is correct, then you could have a male + female adaptor welded on to a suitable collapsable column. A thread would need adding to provide for a lock nut/bolt for the steering wheel too.

http://www.woodwardsteering.com/images/ ... joints.pdf

I hope this helps,

Alex

[bmcecosse]

Just make sure you don't do a Senna..........

[mollythemoggie]

Hi Alex wow! what a fantastic resource thanks so very much! ill shoot them an email and see what they think! time to track down a suitable collapsing column

[bmcecosse]

The column on my TR7 is held by a single screw - release that and the inner slides up inside the outer. had to do this recently to fit a new poly bush where the column goes through the firewall/bulkhead. The inner is then slid down through the bush and reconnected to the splined end of the first of two U joints. The bolt is then retightened - so in a hard 'frontal' the inner will be pushed up inside the outer - thus collapsing. A very simple design , and the length of the column will be about right (it's
easily adjusted anyway!) for use in a Minor. Unfortunately the end is a male spline, very similar in size to a Minor rack spline - so an adapter sleeve would be required to fit it to the male spline on the Minor rack....... May be worth looking in to it as a possibility.

[alexmcguffie]

I've checked today and both ends of a Minors column are 0.75" x 48 teeth. Woodward Steering in my post above stock this size making adapting an other column possible.

The type of collapsible coupling used on a TR7 is the same as used on Lotus Elans. If you undo this coupling to change length then it has to be set up very accurately so as not to collapse at too high or low a load. If needed, I can post a pdf of the set up procedure here.

[mike.perry]

Are they going to crash test your car to make sure that the column collapses?