Removing The steering column, stuck...help!

[KBabcock]

Well I believe it is a right of passage to replace the X1/9's brake master cylinder and after my car had been sitting for 10 year with the PO it developed a leak there. So I read up and started in. Removed the seats, dropped the steering column but I can not seem to break it loose from the splines by the fire wall to pull it out. Loosened the retaining bolt. tried to spread the clamp apart a bit but can not pull it off. Any ideas?

 

[jimmyx]

Remove the retaining bolt completely. The bolt passes through a relief in the shaft to retain it. It is not retained by the clamp alone.

 

[PaulD]

Remove the retaining bolt completely. The bolt passes through a relief in the shaft to retain it. It is not retained by the clamp alone.

Or unplug the electrical connections, move the column to the right, and find a place to tie it off. It gives enough room to do the job.

 

[ng_randolph]

Or unplug the electrical connections, move the column to the right, and find a place to tie it off. It gives enough room to do the job.

+1 on not removing the steering column:

 

[Dr.Jeff]

Remove the retaining bolt completely. The bolt passes through a relief in the shaft to retain it. It is not retained by the clamp alone.

+1 on removing the bolt all the way out first, then the shaft will slip right off. When going back on with it, line it up so the scalloped indention (you will see it once it's off) is in position with the bolt holes so the bolt can go through. That also keeps the steering wheel in the right position.

And this is the easy part of the job.

 

[KBabcock]

Jimmy X is the winner, took it out and it came off relatively easily. Thanks you so much, this is my first X1/9 so still learning. Writing down and taking pictures of the whole process, hope to make a good illustrated guide on this. I saw DrJef compiled a lot of data which has been very helpful, hoping to give something back from the perspective of a completely new X1/9 owner. Got the 3 break lines off but the Clutch line is being a little stubborn. Just retreated it will penetrating oil and wil let it sit a day or two, most likely till next weekend. Wife's B-day next weekend but I should be able to slip out for a few hours.

 

[nichol01]

I know its been said before but these are the best wrenches I have found to loosen stuck brake and clutch fittings. I was amazed at how well they work. I purchased these from Midwest Bayless.

 

[jimmyx]

Jimmy X is the winner, took it out and it came off relatively easily. Thanks you so much, this is my first X1/9 so still learning. Writing down and taking pictures of the whole process, hope to make a good illustrated guide on this. I saw DrJef compiled a lot of data which has been very helpful, hoping to give something back from the perspective of a completely new X1/9 owner. Got the 3 break lines off but the Clutch line is being a little stubborn. Just retreated it will penetrating oil and wil let it sit a day or two, most likely till next weekend. Wife's B-day next weekend but I should be able to slip out for a few hours.

That clutch line can be a bear and the tube nut on there is an oddball size. Get the larger size vice grip wrench designed for the job that @nichol01 shows above. It's hard to find locally, but it's all over the web. Even with the tool, the last one I did required a little non-conventional additional leverage on the tool to break it loose - and it wasn't corroded or rusted, just extremely tight.

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[KBabcock]

I know its been said before but these are the best wrenches I have found to loosen stuck brake and clutch fittings. I was amazed at how well they work. I purchased these from Midwest Bayless.
View attachment 48536

Had it locked on earlier today but that thing is stuck. Maybe a little heat, I have flame installation cloth that protects the areas around but still hate to use heat is such a tight spot. Need to see if I can use some brute force. Like had been said no rust just stuck, bolt is 13 mm.

 

[jimmyx]

On the last one I did a couple months back I had to employ something not to be found in any service manual, but hey, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Even with a 3/4" box wrench, it took an enormous amount of force to break it loose. I trust you have the vise grip shown. A line wrench or standard vise grip will definitely round the flats right off the tube nut. If you choose brute force, position yourself carefully because when it does break loose it will happen without warning. I would avoid using heat if at all possible. With all that's going on in that tight space it would be a challenge not to do some collateral damage.

 

[KBabcock]

Very cleaver Jim, I do have the vise grip shown so it looks like the brute force method it is. I do hear you on the heat, really trying to avoid it if at all possible. I will update when I try again which may not be till next weekend.

 

[Dr.Jeff]

I agree, the clutch line nuts are always much more difficult to remove. I believe the metal or the plating on the metal for those nuts must be different from the brake line nuts, causing some sort of dissimilar metal or galvanic type reaction with the cast iron cylinder. If you compare the brake nuts to the clutch nuts they are not only a different size but actually appear to have a different color to the surface - which I assume means a different plating on them. In some cases I've had to resort to cutting the line right behind the nut to remove the cylinder. The cylinder will be replaced with a new one so no need to remove the frozen nut that way. Then put a new nut on the line and reflare it. But that size nut is a little difficult to get as well, so not ideal. Just for fun I put one of those cylinders with a frozen nut (one where I cut the line) in the vice and proceeded to find out what it would take to get the nut out - heat, vibration, penetrant, very long lever, etc. Managed to destroy the nut and the cylinder before they separated.

A inexpensive source for the lines nuts - brake or clutch - is the Lada parts supplier. However shipping is expensive for only 1 or 2 items, unless you are also buying several other parts at the same time. There are quite a number of interchangeable parts for our cars from them at extremely great prices. And I've found the quality to be identical to the stuff sold by the Fiat specialty suppliers.

 

[KBabcock]

Well it's amazing what 5 of 6 days of penetrating oil will do. Came in this morning slapped on the vise grips and it pop right loose, this saved a great deal of aggravation.

 

[KBabcock]

So I got the box out and found the leak, one of the feeder nipple broke off. After looking over everything decided to rebuild the box, cleaned up, painted and repack with grease. I got the whole thing apart and would like to share a easy and safe way to remove the clutch spring that I came up with for lake of any other way to remove it. First off I'm close to 60 to brute force was not my number one option. Instead took a carabiner (screw type) and hooked to the end of the spring on the inside part of spring hook the part that is over the post so it can't slip off.

Next tied a nylon rope to it with good strength.

Now sat in a chair, wrapped the rope around a dole pin, put my feet in a safe location on the box and pulled with both hands

Spring came off without a bit of trouble and no risk of it snapping on me in some way. This seems to be a safe way to remove the spring. Hope it helps some one.

 

[KBabcock]

Now I have two questions. One, I have everything apart except the brake pedal that appears to be stuck on the plastic rod, any advisee on how to remove this safely with out damaging the rod?

Number two, because of the plastic shaft that both pedals use I plan to use silicone grease. I figured its long live, water proof, will not damage the plastic rod. Is there any reason I should use a different type of grease.

 

[Dr.Jeff]

I'm surprised the fitting came off that easy after all. Nicely done.

The plastic bushing inside the pedal pivot does get very stuck. It is the only plastic that I know of that actually rusts to a metal part. I have no idea how but that is exactly what I found once I finally managed to remove it. So try the same penetrating oil that worked for the nut. And use a steady pressure, like a hydraulic press or large bench vice, to squeeze it out. Don't beat on it as it will break. Also make sure you removed the little key or tang on one end first.

Before removing the bushing note its position relative to the pedals and frame. I found that once the plastic bushing froze to the pedals, it then began to pivot inside the frame. That means the little key that is supposed to keep it from rotating had dug into the plastic and mangled the flat spot where it should seat.

I think silicone lubricant should work fine.

 

[KBabcock]

Ya, that surprised me as well, that thing was really frozen on last weekend. lesson learned here.

I'm seeing the same thing in regards to rusting tight on the plastic rod, looks like it is suppose to pivot freely here. I was thinking of knocking it out with a wooden dole rod but glad you said it could cause damage. Don't have a hydraulic press so will need to innovate something here.

 

[kmead]

I'm surprised the fitting came off that easy after all. Nicely done.

The plastic bushing inside the pedal pivot does get very stuck. It is the only plastic that I know of that actually rusts to a metal part. I have no idea how but that is exactly what I found once I finally managed to remove it. So try the same penetrating oil that worked for the nut. And use a steady pressure, like a hydraulic press or large bench vice, to squeeze it out. Don't beat on it as it will break. Also make sure you removed the little key or tang on one end first.

Before removing the bushing note its position relative to the pedals and frame. I found that once the plastic bushing froze to the pedals, it then began to pivot inside the frame. That means the little key that is supposed to keep it from rotating had dug into the plastic and mangled the flat spot where it should seat.

I think silicone lubricant should work fine.

It isn’t the plastic it is the steel. The steel rusts and reduces the bore size and the rust causes the plastic to flow locking the plastic in place.

Plastic parts are indeed plastic in the way they perform under load, the rust is a constant and implacable load which moves the plastic creating a ‘key’ that locks it into place. Plastics often are porous and will take on some of the materials around them.

 

[Dr.Jeff]

It isn’t the plastic it is the steel. The steel rusts and reduces the bore size and the rust causes the plastic to flow locking the plastic in place.

Plastic parts are indeed plastic in the way they perform under load, the rust is a constant and implacable load which moves the plastic creating a ‘key’ that locks it into place. Plastics often are porous and will take on some of the materials around them.

I was being facetious.