Where's my lower steering column bracket? WTF?

[bnw]

Ok, so I installed the steering column today in my TS19909LO and I DO NOT HAVE the flange on either abutment as stated here: "The early unit bolts to the frame through a hole in the front flange of the front wheel spring abutment (the spring can)." Now, when I got the car, the PO was in the process of installing a rack and pinion kit so were the flanges removed for that installation, or do I have a TR2 frame under my car and for that matter, why would anyone do THAT?

 

[Banjo]

I believe that the flanges usually get removed for rack and pinion conversions. My TR2 has the flanges on both sides.
The reason most R&P conversions get done is that people think it's easier, cheaper, and gives better results than repairing the steering gearbox. My personal opinion is that a properly set up gearbox in a TR2-3ais every bit as nice as a rack and pinion conversion.
Not sure if anyone supplies replacement flanges. You may need to find someone parting out a car.

 

[TR3driver]

I must be missing something. The steering column on a TR3 doesn't attach to the spring abutment at all. Instead, the steering box rides in a bracket that is bolted to two flanges at the very front of the frame rail, several inches in front of the spring abutment. Then the column runs free all the way to the bracket under the dash (except for the rubber gaiter where it goes through the bulkhead).

I don't have a photo handy of the driver's side, but here is a shot that shows the same flange on the RH side (which is where the box would be if it were a RH steer car). You can see the empty hole in the flange, just above the idler arm, which is where one of the bolts for the steering box would go.

Later cars with the split column have a bracket to the spring abutment, to help steady the upper end of the lower column section. But those brackets aren't found on cars before roughly TS40000.

 

[TexasKnucklehead]

Maybe earlier cars are different? Here's a picture of my split column with an arrow showing the upper bracket and lower bolts circled.

 

[TR3driver]

Right. Your green arrow points to the bracket I was talking about, which is found only on later cars with (mostly) the split column.

 

[CJD]

Here's #60732:

 

[vivdownunder]

OK, the pic above shows the lower clamp for a split column car.

Cars from TR2 TS5777 had an added two piece steering column clamp (upper and lower sections, just above the steering box. The pieces were clamped together with a bolt either side of the column in a horizontal plane.

There was no specific bracket for it. One of the sections of the clamp had a right hand dog leg that attached to the lower bolt on the crossbar.

Viv.

 

[bnw]

Please, someone show me a picture of that! I can make that work with what I've got.

 

[vivdownunder]

Contrary to my car, this afternoon I had a look a 1956 TR3 (RHD) which has the column bracket bolted to a small horizontal lug just below the bottom crossbar bolt. Hard to see clearly down there, but the car is very clean and the lug looks to be an original part of the frame.

I'm sure you'd notice if your frame had a lug jutting out just below the lower crossbar bolt.

It seems there might have been slightly different versions.

Viv.

 

[Number_6]

Here is a closeup pic from two different angles of the lower steering clamp on my car. It's SN is after TS6000 (TS782xxL). Hope this helps.

 

[bnw]

Thanks for your pictures, but it's the pre-60000 cars and to be more specific, the single long shaft steering systems I'm looking for.

 

[vivdownunder]

Re post 758891, it seems that I had recalled it right the first time that there was no specific protrusion for the long steering column lower support bracket.

It's a very difficult place to get into for a look, but I fed a snake light down into the friend's TR3 this time. Actually there isn't a lug for the bracket. Inside the housing where the crossbar attaches, rear bottom surface, there's a hole.

That's where the column support bracket bolts to the frame (on a RHD car).

No hope of getting a camera in.

Someone has bent mine 90 degrees to attach it to the lower crossbar bolt.

Just had me intrigued.

Viv.