Steering u/j

[Vanden Perre]

Hello,
TTR sells a steering u/j to replaces the rubber coupling.
Questions: does it bring any improvement on a road car baby Elan? Is it worth replacing the existing coupling?
Olivier.

[Frank Howard]

Oliver,

If you have play in your steering, chances are the rubber parts of the original joint are shot. The rubber parts are NLA so you are forced to either improvise by making new rubber parts or purchase a replacement joint that eventually will need replacing for the same reason.

The main improvement on the one you found is that the new one contains no rubber parts to perish. You can pretty much install it and forget about it. I got mine off a Japanese car in the junk yard. The spline count was different, but by the time I reefed down on the clamp, there was no way it was going to come loose.

[CBUEB1771]

I replaced the standard steering coupling with a Cardan (half a u/j) joint supplied by Caterham. The shaft diameter and spline pitch (9/16-36) for the Caterham joint are identical to those of the Lotus shafts. This spline is very common among English cars. There is little difference in feel between the two joint types when they are new. The difference is longevity. I have probably had the Cardan joint in now for 20 years and 100K+ miles with no deterioration. One cautionary note, TTR and others also sell solid clamps for mounting the rack to the chassis. The combination of the Cardan joint and the solid rack clamps transmits an incredible amount of harhness back to the steering wheel. For road use I would say go to the Cardan joint and stay with the normal, compliant rack mounts. The Cardan joint plus solid clamps are only acceptable for track use.

[SADLOTUS]

I think I used the Europa steering joint - a UJ with splines - went on a treat.

[GrUmPyBoDgEr]

I thought I might mention another + when fitting a U/J.
You can dispense with that floppy earth lead that's necessary with the original joint.
The U/J provides a good earth route for the electrics.
John

[ppnelan]

The spline count was different, but by the time I reefed down on the clamp, there was no way it was going to come loose.

Matthew

[CBUEB1771]

I thought I might mention another + when fitting a U/J.
You can dispense with that floppy earth lead that's necessary with the original joint.
The U/J provides a good earth route for the electrics.
John

I had visions of arcing between the bearing needles and cups filled with grease. I wasn't worried about combustion, just pitting/spot welding inside the joint. I went ahead and installed a loop of ground wire with ring terminals under the heads of the two clamping bolts. In my previous post I took a subtle position with respect to mismatched splines on joints and shafts but I should reveal my true feelings. It is so easy to do it the right way.

[GrUmPyBoDgEr]

I wouldn't loose too much sleep about the pitting/welding problem.
Modern production cars use the U/J as an earth path.

Cheers
John

[GrUmPyBoDgEr]

Oh I forgot in my last post.
The sevices being supplied via the steering column shouldn't be drawing very much current being on relays. Headlamps, Blinkers & Horn.

Cheers
John

[fatboyoz]

Oliver,

If you have play in your steering, chances are the rubber parts of the original joint are shot. The rubber parts are NLA so you are forced to either improvise by making new rubber parts or purchase a replacement joint that eventually will need replacing for the same reason..

Frank,
Not strictly true about them being NLA. Go to this site, http://www.superpro.com.au/superpro.html select catalogue, select Triumph, select Dolomite and you will find the part number SPF1179K. There is also an agent in the USA mentioned somewhere on the site.
Colin.