Steering column dis-assembly

[Zeuk in Oz]

Having a RHD '88 525i I managed to remove the fan control sword successfully the other day and re-soldered the faulty capacitor connection as per Pundit's wonderful fix. Plugging it in, it seems to work fine.

My problem is that now I can't get the sword back into its slot.

According to Pundit I need to drop the steering column, however having had a play with it, that seems easier said than done.

I imagine that my best bet is to take it apart at the rubber universal joint, but I don't want to dismantle everything until I have some idea what the best way to approach it is.

(You guys with LHD cars don't know how lucky you are !)

Any advice ?

Edit : Did I mention that my knees and elbows are worn to the bone - hats off to those who do this for a living.

[Bill R.]

advice but i would just undo the bolts holding the column up and then flex the column enough to one side to allow you to slip the sword back in place.

Having a RHD '88 525i I managed to remove the fan control sword successfully the other day and re-soldered the faulty capacitor connection as per Pundit's wonderful fix. Plugging it in, it seems to work fine.

My problem is that now I can't get the sword back into its slot.

According to Pundit I need to drop the steering column, however having had a play with it, that seems easier said than done.

I imagine that my best bet is to take it apart at the rubber universal joint, but I don't want to dismantle everything until I have some idea what the best way to approach it is.

(You guys with LHD cars don't know how lucky you are !)

Any advice ?

Edit : Did I mention that my knees and elbows are worn to the bone - hats off to those who do this for a living ?

[myles]

This assumes you have a manual reach adjustable steering column -

You will need to undo the 4(i think it's 4) bolts holding the whole column up under the cluster, and loosen the large nut on the splined section of the column. You should be able to then separate the splined sections of the steering column, just make sure that you mark it so you can line the splines up again when you assemble it. If you undo it at the rubber universal you may find that you haven't removed enough of the column to get the sword in. I found that the grease on the splines in my car had gone hard and set like glue and were very hard to separate.

HTH

[Zeuk in Oz]

Bill R, Myles
Thanks (once again) for your help - I will let you know how I get on !

[kev535i]

i managed to get my sword back in by cutting a small slot at the top of the "hole" to improve the angle, it is very fiddley and a huge pain to do but i didnt need to move steering colum

[Zeuk in Oz]

i managed to get my sword back in by cutting a small slot at the top of the "hole" to improve the angle, it is very fiddley and a huge pain to do but i didnt need to move steering colum

Thanks Kev, I was wondering about that - even to the point that I started to line up a hacksaw blade in the slot, but I didn't go any further - sounds like the answer to me !
Cheers,
Bo

[kev535i]

hacksaw blade was my tool of choice as well ya just gotta get the angle right an expect not to be able to walk straight for a day or so after you yoga yourself into the foot well and under the steering wheel

[Zeuk in Oz]

hacksaw blade was my tool of choice as well ya just gotta get the angle right an expect not to be able to walk straight for a day or so after you yoga yourself into the foot well and under the steering wheel

Funny you should say that - I have been procrastinating going back in because my elbows, knees, back and head are still healing.