Here’s the modified steering column and Lifeline weld-on boss all machined and ready to be welded up:
The top hat acts as the bearing carrier for a roller bearing that supports the column inside an outer tube. It needs to be removable to replace the bearing and will be held in place with a roll pin. The weld-on Lifeline steering wheel boss and column are also drilled through so will be mechanically joined as well as welded.
Dropped the revised drawings and the necessary parts in at One Off Engineering in Hyde during the week for them to machine the steering coumn and boss ready for welding. Once the columns is turned down and the boss bored out they’re going to produce a special top hat spacer to my specification and then drill and pin the lot together. It’ll then just need a buzz over with the TIG to finish the job.
The end of the Corsa steering column needs to be supported and due to the modifications I’ve had to source a needle bearing to fit the job. It’s taken ages because the first supplier turned out not to have any stock despite saying that they did and the second managed to fudge the order and it took ten days to realise this. So almost 3 weeks to get the bearing needed. What a faff. Off to the machine shop next…
Finally finished welding on the steering column to make sure it has plenty of support. Started the clean up and prep for paint tonight…
Had to chop a bit of length of both the pinion and the steering column, but the EPAS is now fitted and has eliminated the unwanted movement in the column…
It works…
Into the home straight on this now.