Removing steering column UJs?

[CharlieCroker]

Any tricks to removing the UJs? Mine are all lose and want to come off but I take it the steering column at the steering wheel side has to come back an inch to get the uj off?

[johnpwalsh]

Hi Charlie, is it the upper or lower joints, on my old one I replaced the lower one and it was a bit of a bitch. I had to split it further open to get it too move and that was after loads of WD left to soak through. Once off if it is the lower one I found it easier to loosen the bolts holding the rack in place as his gave a bit more room to push the fitting back on again and if I remember correctly there was something about having to have the steering wheel turned to a degree, cant remember what is was now as it's a long time ago but I am sure it says in the manual.

[CharlieCroker]

I'm going to do both if I can. Quite honestly theres so much play in the lower but I may as well do the two if I'm taking one off. They all move so nothing is rusted together, I just feel if the steering column driver side could pull back a bit, it would be easy to take off and on? I'm hoping to get to lotusbits this week so I wanted the ujs out if I can.

[silverfrost]

Charlie,

              Yes it has to move, you have to pull the steering collum shaft back to allow it to free from it location

    Your lucky by the sound of it with yours as normally the bloody things are seized on the splines at both ends !

[CharlieCroker]

How do you get the thing back then, I see 3 large bolts under the dash, is it loosen these and and the whole thing moves? Yeah I am lucky, all the splines are free, I suppose that comes from spraying them periodically with wd40 over the 18 months I've haf the car.

[johnpwalsh]

Pity I am away back overseas Charlie or I could have sent you a couple of originals, The replacements I purchased from SJ did not look nothing like the quality of the originals, very thin and flimsy looking.

[CharlieCroker]

Just as a matter of interest, I take it these were taken from the parts bin of another manufacturer? If so any ideas, ford, jensen?

[johnpwalsh]

From memory I think Steve had them made somewhere, I dont think they came from a parts bin. I had to break a smashed eclat a couple of years back and it was fitted with new original which I still have in my parts stock. As I said if I was home I would gladly of sent you them as I doubt if I will need them, if you can wait 5 weeks I can dig them out when I get back home and send the to you for the cost of he postage.

[mikeeech]

I fitted the SJ uj's a month or so ago. it was a pain but I didn't have to move the column. I did have easy access from the engine bay however and was able to rotate the steering column at the wheel end since this was vital in getting the alignment correct. The uj's had to go further on at the rack end to get the clearance to get them altogether.

What I had trouble with was getting the alignment so the bolts would go through onto the flat portion of the splined shaft. Getting it together was bad enough but I had to take it apart once or twice to move them all by a spline or two.

best of luck with it but it a real PITA

[CharlieCroker]

PITA you say? I'm right in the middle of doing it and they ain't coming out. I've ffing pierced a power steering line in the process, are they made of steel, cos the main line is rusty and has popped a leak! I've quickly sealed it with rubber hose and a jubilee clip. Lotus certainly living up to its name tonight! Ballache!

Edited September 8, 2015 by CharlieCroker

[Herc]

On mine, I had to slacken all 4 UJ bolts off, then move the 2 UJs to opposite extremes to get enough room to remove one.  The splines needed to be thoroughly cleaned up to get enough movement.  I think in the end I even slackened off the (manual) rack to in order to get some extra movement.  

 

The job also involved more imaginative body positions than in the Karma Sutra.    PITA for sure.

[CharlieCroker]

Haha, I've done the same, taken off the ubolts on the rack to get movement. Weird thing is, theres loads of movement in all the splines but I think they're gripping as they get close to the end of the uj. Almost there just got a bit frustrated tonight cos things are near to off but not quite.