Hi, is there a way to remove this clamp ring?, I'm trying to fit a new rubber coupler, the bolts are too long to be removed from underneath vertically.
Is there a method to remove it or slide it up the column (plastic ring) it feels solid, I'm concerned about wrecking it, I've removed the two small screws .
^yep, this. Slide the outer column out first, then you can take off the plastic bit. Not possible with the column in place.
Too late now, but I'll tell you what I do with weeny split pins through M8 that won't come back out - ignore them. Hammer a socket on as if they don't exist, undo the nut and shear them off. They're weedy bendy anti-rattle loose things eh?
Same with nuts/bolts sometimes - Unless it's something special I find myself thinking that I will simply apply force until it either unscrews or shears off. My patience for these things waned considerably when I had the workshop, not wasting somebodies money pratting about was the driver but it turns out it's a good philosophy, for me anyway. You just need a good selection of new fixings to hand. I'm pretty sure when I look back to my amateur DIY at home I might spend days spraying and trying to loosen such things. lol
This is more or less what i ended up doing, i usually use your method with split pins but i really didn't want to risk damaging threads, especially the two column bolts which had to be left in situ. Anyways job done,i used the old castle nuts with medium thread lock . I didn't think the old vw coupling looked that bad and it wasn't, but rock hard!, i tweaked up the steering box a tad and topped it up, very slight drag when driving but i thinks its ok. I've got a 5mm gap under the steering wheel, not sure if it was like that before. Thanks for your input all .
The new bolts in the group buy kit have nyloc nuts but they're not the same thread. Is the 5mm gap under the steering wheel normal ?
Seems a bit wide. Needs to be a bit closer, or your horn may not work and the indicators may not self-cancel.
On a Late, slacken off the screw that tightens the alloy casting that holds the ignition switch, then carefully tap the casting up the column a bit. It's a right faff, but doable. My gap ended up about 2mm.
