steering shaft removal 128 coupè

ghostdancing

True Classic
i'm trying to remove the steering wheel since months..my mechanic guy said: " i removed thousands, come here,it's a 1 minute job"..after half hour he said: "impossible to remove it, please go away that i must work now"

so this morning i tried to remove the upper shaft (togheter with the wheel attached), basically this part:

https://www.ebay.it/p/Albero-sterzo...m=160744739854&_trksid=p2047675.c100037.m2107

i loosened and detached the upper gimbal joint, then pulled up the wheel: it moves 1 inch or so and then stop: there is something inside the boot that stops it.

i didnt remove the ignition key block and the "under the dash" bracket as there are rounded bolts (antitheft bolts?) and i cannot figure how to loose them..

any help greatly appreciated..
 
You need to remove the upper column complete to take it apart. This will bring with it the ignition switch, levers and so on.

The sub structure needs to be unbolted from the structure of the car above.

There should be 4 bolts underneath you need to undo.
 
Usually the security bolts that hold the ignition switch on are drilled out to remove them. I drill the head with a large enough bit that the head will come off the shank of the bolt. Obviously this is done pretty easy with the steering column assembly removed from the car. I then replace them with normal allen headed bolts.
 
128 steering column has round headed (snap off head - kinda like the ignition switch) that secures the fold over tab washers that hold the column to the pedal box... grab them with a set of vise grips / locking pliers and wind them out... replace with regular 10mm head bolts

If you can't get the steering wheel off the column shaft, you might be in for a bit of a struggle...if you take the whole column out complete (remove from the pinch bolt / spline down where it attaches to the steering rack is easiest) and then you might need to use a shop press... but support the steering wheel properly or it will bend.

I had one once that just would not budge (and on a 128 coupe too) no amount of pressing would get it off... but that was just one out of hundreds.

SteveC
 
yes, my plan is to remove all the steering shaft (dont know exactly how you call it in english: i mean the part linked on ebay) and buy that one on ebay (reasonably cheap) to fit my new LUISI steering wheel: the original wheel will remain attached to the old shaft, so i dont risk to bend the it trying to remove it from the spline (i alredy used a puller applying big force and it didnt moved at all)

i alredy detached the pinch bolt\spline (the upper one, not the one at the pedal box), but i wasnt able to pull out the shaft from what i called "boot": the tube attached under the dash that contains the shaft itself..so i figure must remove form the car the complete assembly..anyway will upload pictures to explain better the situation
 
i tried to take a picture, but under the dash it's a mess (cables, connectors etc..) so i think it's better to explain my issue with words..

i'm trying to remove the drive shaft togheter with the steering wheel attached: i removed the pinch bolt, detached the spline and tried to pull up wheel\shaft: it stops after 1 inch of stroke

question: if i will remove the ignition key attachment (that contains the block shaft mechanism), will the shaft\steering wheel be free to be pulled out?
 
No as there is a bearing in the housing with retainer clips. As I recall the shaft comes out of the top with the top retainer under the steering wheel. If you remove the steering wheel you can remove the clip...:)

OK so try this:

Buy a good penetrating oil. Many in the US use PB Blaster, I don’t know the trade names for similar products in the EU but do avoid WD40. You can make your own using automatic transmission oil, do a search for the correct recipe. If you can buy it remember premade in a can all the better.
  • Loosen the nut on the steering wheel such that it is still on the shaft by at least three threads.
  • Clean and the then lubricate the shaft where the splines and the steering wheel come together. Do this every evening and morning for a week. Keep riding your scooter.

After a week of letting these sit you can take the next step.
  • I am assuming you have a steering lock, if not you will turn the wheel all the way to the left. Once against a stop, apply further rotational torque to the steering wheel against the stop. Now repeat the task in the opposite direction (if you have a steering lock then its just moving it a few degrees to the right). Repeat this a couple of times.
  • Next, turn the wheel so the spokes of the wheel allow you to place the palm/flat of your hands on the back of the wheel with 7-10cm of space behind your hand (likely need to turn the wheel to avoid the levers)
  • With the nut still on the shaft by at least three threads, hit the back of the wheel with both palms at the same time repeatedly. The more impact force you can apply the more likely to break it free, so the distance from your hand to another object becomes the issue here.
Repeat this several times.

If not successful, give it a few days with additional penetrating oil and repeat the above procedure.

Another approach:
  • After letting it sit for a while with the nut loose and having lubricated the spline area with penetrating oil, grab a 1 kilo hammer or similar, a pointed round end chisel or ‘drift’
  • With the nut still on the shaft by three threads
  • Put the drift into the depression in the center of the shaft, apply pressure to the back of the steering wheel using your knees or a couple of friends.
  • With the pressure on the back of the wheel, hit the end of the drift with a series of hard blows with the hammer.
This drives the shaft down and the springiness of the wheel will pop the two apart.

Always remember to keep the nut on the shaft to prevent having the wheel fly off and hitting you in the face, it has happened to several people. Not me, because I do follow some directions.

This group of tasks has worked for me on several other Fiats whose wheel had never been off in 40 years.

The last alternative is a puller but it is likely to damage the wheel.

Hope that helps.

Karl
 
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