J4 – Steering Column Woes

by Tiger Tom and Fred Baum in the September 2007 RootesReview:

When tightening the securing nut, does it in fact tighten because the nut was bottoming out on the steering column or because it ran out of threads?

The steering wheel telescoping lock works just like a bike fork works. If you ever took a bike fork apart you will see two tapered slugs. When the bolt is tightened the tapered slugs spread out, acting like a clamp inside tube.

Sometimes in the Alpine/Tiger columns these wedge slugs stick, usually tight so that the wheel cannot be moved in/out.

If your column does not tighten, then the threaded rod is actually not being pulled out far enough. There may be some missing parts or the tapered slugs are stuck together. The latter is not likely.

What’s the fix?

Make sure the locknut is in fact bottoming out on the steering column. Use washers if necessary. If stuck, install locknut on threaded rod and give it a couple very sharp blows from a hammer. You won’t break anything…..or shouldn’t unless you use a 50 pound sledge hammer.

In my own Tiger, to make an aftermarket wheel work and still allow adjustability, I had to cut about an inch off the threaded shaft, then use my own nut and washer.

Fred added:

When adapting a horn button instead of the ring to the new wheel, I found the emblem section of the medallion on the rear fender of a MKI or MKIA made a very nice addition to the button. My horn button has a depression which holds the emblem. A little trimming on the outside diameter, some double sided tape, and the horn button looks like it was made for the car.