Steering making a scrapping sound on turning

[GTE TURBZ]

Right to cut a long story short a local garage advised me to turn and knock the steering from behind on the cross member to take it off. So I tried it and quickly realised that it was gonna cause damage and stopped. Ever since the steering has not been right, the other day on a right turned I almost went into the parked cars as it didn’t spin back.

On turning the steering left to right its making a scrapping noise inside the shroud. Opened it up and found a mangled piece of copper (looks like from a switch or something)

I’m suspecting that I have slightly buckled the steering column. As it does not feel as free as it used to

Any ideas anyone experienced something similar please?

[AlexW]

So you hit the back of the steering wheel?? And now the horn assembly has fallen apart?

[GTE TURBZ]

So you hit the back of the steering wheel?? And now the horn assembly has fallen apart?

Not literally, whilst it was on the column i knocked the sides closed to the horn push, might have striked the edges of the steering occasionally too,

Horn assembly not sure could be the case what are the symptons?

[Jack]

I'm confused, are you taking the crossmember off? Or the steering column? Or the steering wheel?

[L14MNP]

^ +1
What are you attempting pal?

[GTE TURBZ]

Sorry for the confusion, right orignally i was attempting to take the steering wheel off while its on the car (as usuall) the local garage told me in order to do this without a puller all you have to do is with a mallet knock the back of the steering, (on the gte/gsi the bars on either side of the horn push with holes in it) and turn at the same time. Now i did that with no joy but instead have caused damage somewhere.

So recap, i did not manage to take the wheel but have instead managed to cause damage which is causing the wheel to stiffen occasion almost a if its catching on something internally i.e. inside the shroud or column i dont know which or where.

[FUSION X16XE]

I cant see how hitting the wheel of the splines will damage the column? You sure uve not missed something?

[GTE TURBZ]

I cant see how hitting the wheel of the splines will damage the column? You sure uve not missed something?

I wasn't knocking the splines it was the steering wheel itself.

anymore questions??? dont look like anyones experienced this problem

[draper]

could be the little tag that cancels the indicators mangled ?? as for the grinding/rubbing its hard to diagnose over the web tbh

[Clean 2.0 nova]

I reckon you could have caused damage to the steering column, after all it is collapable, but obviously meant to collapes in the opposite direction upon impact. Basically the shaft that the wheel bolts to is able to slide downwards in an accident by A, the melted plastic bits breaking / allowing the shaft to fall and B, the steering shaft outer collapsing (thats the honey comb looking part) and coming off where it bolts to the chassis (they bolt on via alloy? breakaway bits).

If you hit it hard in the other direction I could see the inner coming out a bit but not the outer as this breakaway part only works in one direction. So I reckon the problem lies at the very top end of the outer shaft where the inner shaft is guided by some plastic collars, these collars may now be broken or rubbing against something. Try hitting the steering wheel in the other direction? Or if you can remove the wheel investigate them.

Of course it could be something else entirely in which case you have wasted 5 mins of your life reading this:tard: .

[Jack]

Hmm, I wouldn't have thought you wold damage the column hitting it that way... unless you were really tw@tting it one lol

Its possible you've dislodged the wheel slightly and its scraping on the column shroud - mine does this (as the boss doesn't sit quite straight and a bit too close to the shroud) and makes a scraping noise when you turn.

[GTE TURBZ]

Yesterday I was installing my 4th speaker upgrade (drivers side) mk1 dash, and took the steering shoud and clocks out to get access, whilst i was moving the steering left to right i found some more copper bits all mangled floating around (making the scrapping noise upon turning the wheel) in where you have the little tag sticking out on the steering wheel which cancells the indicators. Something like a switch is obviously broken inside. The indicators still work fine but in time i think i'll know what i've broke/damaged.

Cheers,

P.s. i think i have buckled the steering rod slighty which has caused friction with the switch so when turning causing it to rub and eventually brake.

[Dod]

As said, you've oushed the colapsable colume downwards and so are causing the streeing wheel to rub off the facia around the colume. It is pretty easy to skrink it believe it or not!

So your options are to refit a steering colume or live with it, or if you feel brave, trim the facia, steerng wheel tags etc.

[GTE TURBZ]

As said, you've oushed the colapsable colume downwards and so are causing the streeing wheel to rub off the facia around the colume. It is pretty easy to skrink it believe it or not!

So your options are to refit a steering colume or live with it, or if you feel brave, trim the facia, steerng wheel tags etc.

Taa all for the advise and comments, its making less noise now after taking that last piece of twisted copper out.

P.s. Always use a steering puller instead, lol