15 replies to this topic

[hanra]

Ive bought 4 new RSP cotter pins and am planning on fitting my rubber coupling and uni joint to the K-Frame before the motor goes on.

First question, the rubber coupling has some movement up/down the shaft of the steering rack, I would imagine this is going to shift the position of the steering colum once installed... how will I determine the correct spot for the coupling to go...? Or will I just have to try and slighting collapse or extend the colum to suit?

Second...

How far are the cotter pins expected to go through????

Ive just snapped my little G-clamp trying to get the first pin through. There is what appears to be a groove machined around the end of the pin where I thought perhaps this is where its supposed to push in up to???? Im still a little bit away from that point when my clamp snapped.








You can just make out the groove in this pic

[S pack]

G/day Brad

Pitty about the G clamp but thems the breaks (pun intended) LOL.
I would suspect your cotter pin is in as far as it's going to go so put on the nylock nut and tighten it up to the torque specs in your shop manual, however you might want to leave it loose ATM (if that is on the steering rack shaft) until you get the intermediate shaft and uni joint in and connected to the steering column.

Don't try to pull or collapse the steering column shaft to obtain adjustment. Work with whatever adjustment has been built into the other parts but don't force the steering column shaft otherwise you could shear the collapsable pins.

Edited by S pack, 19 June 2012 - 11:43 PM.

[hanra]

It wasnt that expensive. Ill just buy another. Im more concerned that I havnt pressed the pin in far enough...

[S pack]

Just looking at your pics again. The groove in your pin looks to be sitting away from the coupling a distance which is comparable to the amount of an original pin that is left protruding when fully seated (that's on an LJ coupling though).
AFAIK the LH/LX uses the same cotter pins as the LC/LJ.

[hanra]

Perhaps it's just that bottom one that goes onto the rack shaft that's like that?

I just had a look at the uni joint with the shaft in it, this is how far I can get the pin through just with finger pressure.

[hanra]

G/day Brad

Pitty about the G clamp but thems the breaks (pun intended) LOL.
I would suspect your cotter pin is in as far as it's going to go so put on the nylock nut and tighten it up to the torque specs in your shop manual, however you might want to leave it loose ATM (if that is on the steering rack shaft) until you get the intermediate shaft and uni joint in and connected to the steering column.

Don't try to pull or collapse the steering column shaft to obtain adjustment. Work with whatever adjustment has been built into the other parts but don't force the steering column shaft otherwise you could shear the collapsable pins.

Didnt see the rest of your reply last night.

The coupling wont move up/down the rack shaft with the cotter pin pressed in like it is, so regardless if the nut is on/off I now have no adjustment there.

Perhaps I should just leave everything finger tight pressed in until the K-frame/motor is in, then fit the colum and use the adjustment I have in these components, then swear my head off trying to press in the cotter pins then????

[S pack]

^^^ Agree, remove the cotter pin and coupling and install it all after the K frame and steering column are installed.

[hanra]

Ill swear your name when Im trying to fit my gorilla hands in there re-fitting it all.

[Statler]

Brad, i don't know the how or why, but before i install the cotterpins, i trial fit them in the knuckles.

For some reason they will fit in 1 side further than the other. I then mark the inside of the hole with a white paint pen so i know which side to feed the pin in from.

I know this doesn't make any sence as the hole is supposed to be the same bore on both sides, but it works for me.

[hanra]

Yep I did noticed that it will go in one side and not the other. Ive fitted this one into the side that it will fit into. The other side it dosnt come close to fitting.

[hanra]

The GMH workshop manual states pretty blatantly that hammering or sharp force should not be applied to the pins, as this could damage the rack bearings or colum lower bearing.