Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

I have the steering column on the work bench.
How do you remove the old bushes and install new ones?
TIA
Phil

Phil, do you have access to Brian Buckland's book?. He has an excellent section on the job.

Assuming you have the complete column on the bench minus steering wheel and column switches, you should be able to spot little rubber spigots top and bottom. These are what you will replace (rubber outer, steel with nylon inner bearing surface.

You will need to hold the outer column without crushing the thin aluminium. Brian has pictures of fancy aluminium split flanges but I used a wood clamp as per attached photo.

Does your Elan have a steering lock? Without it, job is a doddle. Watch out for very poor quality NEW bushes

Regards
Gerry

Phil,

Use a shrap knife to remove as much of the two rubber "dimples" that retain each of the old bushes in place as you can as this will make the removal easier, drift out the bushes with something like a socket and long extension and a copper or rubber mallet, then re-install make sure the inside of the column is nice and clean, apply rubber grease to the outside of the new bushes carefully line up the new "dimples" so that they will pop into the holes in the column and gently use a mandril or snug fitting socket to push or drift them into place. The column is alluminium and fairly soft so be careful...good luck mine are nice and firm with no discernable play.

Tony W

Gerry & Tony;

Thanks for your advice. Bushes replaced successfully in 10 mins and no damage. The soap trick work very well.
Happy Motoring!
Phil