MY DAX MK3 STEERING UPGRADE: To Corsa B EPAS and Quaife Rack Current MK4 Spec.

[GUMBALL]

Hi Aaron,

Yes found them too but so much more expensive!

Used on Daewoo too and found them on ebay too but need to speak Russian to understand what the website says. Not sure it would ever turn up either!

Sean

[aaronjb]

We're talking about the bearing that sits in the upper plastic shroud (released by the two white clips), right?

If so, I'll try and measure mine - there must be a standard bearing equivalent, somewhere.. it's not like GM make these things for themselves

[GUMBALL]

Believe so Aaron

Number 11 on here -

https://vauxhall.7zap.com/da/car/s93/l/0/9-1/

Sean

[conrod]

Yes Aaron, that's the one. It's two bearings crimped inside a copper housing to form a single assembly - not something I had personally seen before.

I'm pretty sure my bearing was OK when I pulled the original steering wheel with the special GM puller. But after fitting my column and Momo hub/steering wheel, despite looking straight the wheel needed to be realigned after I actually drove the car. Despite only tightening the nut slightly, the hub was on solid. After wrenching and tugging the wheel for a while, I eventually had to buy a suitable sized puller to remove it. I suspect it was the attempted "brute force" wheel removal that introduced play in the bearing ......

[GUMBALL]

There "appears" to be stock here but I can't get through their checkout process to see if they can deliver.

http://ar-demo.tradesoft.pro/search....earch=1&brand=

Sean

[conrod]

What Corsa column is easiest or best column B or column C . I see people use both models with comments try and get a column B . I see that the Column C are a lot more redly available due to age and more than likely its going have less wear.

Jon,

If you have a Dax then go for a Corsa B one as Dax can supply a bracket assembly that makes fitting it to a Dax an absolute doddle.

The ECU on the Corsa B column is separate from the column and has a fairly long cable which offers a lot of flexibility in terms of where you mount it (away from interference and heat). Although the Corsa C ECU can be removed, the cable is a lot shorter. So if you have space constraints, a Corsa B one has the advantage. The problem is that many breakers (particularly on eBay) know this and are charging some pretty outrageous prices for the Bs.

I sourced my Corsa B column from Johnsons Vauxhall Breakers - the whole assembly including the column switches, ignition lock and keys and delivery cost me £80. So I suggest anyone looking for a B or C column gives Jason a call on 01207 237878. I'm pretty sure that the upper bearing and housing are common to the other (non-EPS) Corsa B (and also possibly C?) models, so they may well have a stock of used housings/bearings too. Jason's a helpful guy, so I'm sure he'd be happy to select one with minimal play.

[TINKA]

What Corsa column is easiest or best column B or column C . I see people use both models with comments try and get a column B . I see that the Column C are a lot more redly available due to age and more than likely its going have less wear.

Have a read of this thread from a while back.

[jon1d]

Thanks Martin and Alan . Lot of good info . Looks like a winter job once i have all the parts .

[Bannon]

Ok - today's progress. Despite setting up my welder yesterday and testing on scrap metal to check that everything was fine, welding the rack mounting bracket to the chassis was still a bit troublesome. It's done, and I'm satisfied that it's sound - but it's just not quite as cosmetically tidy as I wanted it to be. But I took my time and made sure the conditions were as good as they could be. It is ON.
With that done, the area got two coats of paint, along with the new engine-ground-point, and I removed the driver's seat and sub-frames, made a small modification (welded the seat-mounting-nuts to the subframes) and removed the old Dolomite column.
I had to de-pin the wiper-switch assembly to remove it from the column, but it was easily done and re-pinned immediately afterwards.
That's it for today.
Pics...

[Bannon]

You can plan a modification in theory as much as you like - but sometimes you need to physically install components to get some 'real-time' datums.
Today, I fitted the rack, EPAS column, joints and shafts (all loosely) to see what fell where. On the whole, looks ok. I'll need to move the exit point of the column through the footwell wall by 1/2" - 3/4" downwards to clear the exhaust manifold. Not a massive issue, I'll work on that tomorrow.
More significant is the switch gear. My car has the speedo and tacho (5" dia.) either side of the column. NO CHANCE. I've checked out all options and there is simply not room for the switches and plugs with the gauges in their present position. Therefore - whether I'm keeping the Dolomite switches or fitting the Ford switches....either way, my lovely dash - sadly, needs surgery.
Of course, all of this dashboard re-arranging is secondary to the geometry of the steering - so more of that later - but it will be the Ford switches that I will use, as keeping the Dolomite gear is just as much work, therefore not really worth bothering with as they are older and more fragile.
I need to eat life-saving deep-pan pizza now, but photos of today's work will follow. - Glenn.