Steering Column Problem

[Drummer]

Hi all

A little help please.

I recently removed the steering wheel to have it refurbed,(Thanks Clayton).
While doing so, the column fell back inside the housing, apparently I should of had the steering lock on at the time, which I thought I did.

Now I am having trouble getting it back out to replace the steering wheel.
Are there any tips or tricks to this, or will I have to take the column apart to retrieve it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

[Poynter87]

A video someone done on Facebook if it helps. This is the sort of thing that I'm worried about happening when I come to do mine.
https://www.facebook.com/geoff.henne...0847683120624/
If this doesn't help then I'm sure Clayton will be able to help.

[BartFRS]

It happened to me too, but I managed to put the nut back on. Some iron wire behind the nut and pulled the column back.

[Drummer]

Cheers Guys, Thanks for the advice.

[Nemo]

If you can get someone to help, you can get your finger around the back of the column and push it back out.

[Drummer]

All sorted thanks chaps, had to get some grips further down the column but the wheels is back on now.
Thanks again.

[big_del]

We used an old head bolt to screw into the top of the column. Then got a pair of grips and pulled it up as far as we could, then clamped further down the column to hold it in place. Then got the real bolt and the wheel in place which then allowed us to pull it up the rest of the way. What a pain it was though.

Trick is to ensure the steering lock is on before you remove the wheel, took it off a few more times after that with no troubles at all.

[Jondee84]

I've done all of the above but the nut just doesn't want to come the 5mm needed to offer up the wheel bolt and get it fixed in place. Becoming frustrating.

I also managed to snap the steering column adjuster part. A small piece of plastic beside the handle. Damm thing.

Learning a lot though lol.

Any more help much appreciated.

[RS_Dave]

So the steering lock thing is a lottery, some get lucky but it certainly doesn't work every time! here's how I done mine after it retracted when I took the wheel off and hopefully it will help someone , basically all you need is a long piece of threaded bar(think it's M10?), about £2 from Toolstation, bend it over so it's a bit easier to grab hold of, put a nut and washer on the end and work it up the bar far enough so you can screw the bar back into the column, With the steering wheel in place it's just a case of winding the nut in with a spanner to draw the column back up, undo the threaded bar and just pop the bolt back in and your good to go 🏻

[Ish]

Hi Dave, changing the steering wheel on my Focus RS the shaft dropped down now managed to get it up by reading the forums. Now I have put a threaded bar pushed up, but the bolt just touch’s the shaft and won’t screw into the shaft. Do I need to slacken the 2 bottom shaft bolts for that extra inch?

[Clayton]

Excellent idea and advice Dave and thank you for sharing the solution you came up with complete with the pictures.

Will certainly help others and be less

[neal]

I've always adjusted the column all the way up and all the way in and made sure the steering lock is on and not had a problem yet

[Predoxx]

Hello I have the same problem, I get the column pulled out quite a bit, but it doesn't stay in the desired position. you can hear it click but the column does not stay in position. What am I doing wrong? 😐 Should I put the steering lock on when I pull?

[nevable]

Hi,

Can someone please send/upload the photos, I've found myself in the same position and I registered to view the photos, but it says I do not have permission.

[BartFRS]

Hello and welcome!!

You can’t ‘register’ to view photo’s, photo’s can only be seen by club members 👍🏼

[nevable]

I figured, but I'm not finding any other visual how to do this on the internet, it's already explained in words here, I just want to make sure I don't screw anything up, I'm not even on the same continent, so paying a full subscription for 4 photos seems off.

[DanT404]

The photos just show a length of m10 rod being screwed into the dropped part of the column through the centre of the wheel, and a nut and washer being wound down it to pull the column up.