steering column and tightening the 'nut'?

[e304lyfe]

if you tighten this nut and you still feel a rattle, it is possible the splined shaft assembly will need to be replaced, as it can wear out.

i replaced every other component in my steering column in disbelief this part was bad, but after carefully examining it i noticed there was some wear in the telescopic shaft that goes through the firewall.

it is not cheap, but fortunately at this time it is still available from bmw. part#: 32311159500

[sonomabimmers]

Two pairs of vice grips and a small bar clamp. What you are trying to do is put a little pressure on the steering knuckle joint to eliminate the slack in the steering column.

hey sorry to bump a six year oils thread but what exactly re you doing here ? I'm looking to tighten this nut and wondering what u mean when you say "What you are trying to do is put a little pressure on the steering knuckle joint to eliminate the slack in the steering column"? thanks for an answer if you have time

[jdt10768]

on another note: If you have replaced your airbag st wheel with let's say an MtechI wheel, then you may experience a rattling or looseness behind the st wheel until you add a "big-assed oval washer" to take up some slack in there.

[donahue1980]

Steering Column Nut

I know this is an old thread, but I felt it was necessary to reply as I used this post to fix my steering problem. I was amazed to find the nut was hand tight. I could use my hand to tighten the nut so I tightened it fully with a crescent wrench and went for a test drive = much better! No more rattling and the steering felt more crisp and tighter. A big thanks to this thread.

[Varinn]

I have this same problem.. Mine is more of a rattle.. I have no shakes or anything like that. Just when I go over rough roads, big bumps, etc my steering wheel has a rattle in it.. there is very minimal play when turning left to right or vise versa. Ive heard that it could be my guibo... but it sounds like it is coming from right behind the steering wheel..

Have you come up with a fix for your problem??

I might have to give this a shot sometime soon, my car does the same thing. Drives dead nuts straight, besides my atrocious snow tires on the car right now it handles well enough. Quick response, no slop, but hit a bump the right way and the steering column seems to clunk/rattle. All new front/rear suspension on the car with everything replaced last year (Swaybars, struts/shocks, springs, strut mounts, control arms, M3 CAB's, steering guibo, rack, tie rods). My first thought was whatever housing the bearings sit in has worn out a bit axially and allows the column to push up/down when the front end gets compressed. Didn't think it would be all that possible for the column to get pushed like that, but maybe on an old flexy car the subframe is able to move a bit in relation to the steering column

[Tatarusbrute]

Mark D. shaking in the wheel on Decel is generall rotor warp, OR bad ball joints. I would check ball joints for play and go from there.

I Had the wobble problem in my wheel. Any roughness in roads and I would get excessive feedback in the wheel. feels like the front end is gonna fall apart.

I replaced the Lower U joint and Guibo unit. While replacing the lower unit, I had to remove the shaft from the "BIG NUT" down to the U-joint, because I had to put it in a vise and beat off the U-Joint.

The Nut is essentially acting as a clamp around the shaft, the shaft coming into the car from outside is splined, and fits into the column(inside the car). The nut Clamps the two together. It is a Standard threaded Nut. So if you are looking at it from the drivers seat the nut is threading up towards you. AKA Counterclockwise from your view in the drivers seat, but in reality its a normally threaded (clockwise) bolt that is being tightened UP towards the Steering wheel, to pinch the Column to the Shaft. If that makes any sense.

[markd248]

Bumping this. I'm getting steering shake on braking, but nothing in the peddles, so I assume its this and not rotors.

So tighten the 32mm nut clockwise till its tight? Any torque specs or tricks to complete this job? Any advice would be much appreciated.

[audiquattrot]

bump....I have this issue, and trying to figure which way to tighten the large nut. Clockwise or counter-clockwise? Are any of the threads supposed to be showing?

[ZekeTheSneak]

Shits fucked chase^ :)

[iChase]

I have this same problem.. Mine is more of a rattle.. I have no shakes or anything like that. Just when I go over rough roads, big bumps, etc my steering wheel has a rattle in it.. there is very minimal play when turning left to right or vise versa. Ive heard that it could be my guibo... but it sounds like it is coming from right behind the steering wheel..

Have you come up with a fix for your problem??

[a3ternus]

Thanks so much! :D
N.

[twistednut]

Two pairs of vice grips and a small bar clamp. What you are trying to do is put a little pressure on the steering knuckle joint to eliminate the slack in the steering column.

[a3ternus]

LOL I know its ancient but I d really like to know about this,too!
N.

[harv]

What about the universal joint steering knuckle under the hood? Mine has a little play in the u joint and even tho the suspension doesn't have anything bad you can hear it when going over bumpy roads, especially dirt roads.

If you loosen that big nut on the column, will the steering shaft be able to retract to remove the under hood steering knuckle?

John

[DREWHALL]

If it's loose there is going to be play in the column. Which, in turn, could creat more shaking of the wheel.