Disconnected the lower eccentric pinch bolt on the steering column and lowered the sub-frame to change the LCA bushings etc. The power steering reservoir was disconnected from the bracket so it could slide down and none of its plumbing would have to be touched.

When putting it all back together everything seemed good. Raised the subframe back up and reconnected the lower steering column to the steering rack and replaced the pinch bolt. now however the steering wheel is disconnected from the steering column linkage (turning the wheel does not turn the shaft).

Anyone see this before? have some ideas? Maybe the upper pinch bolt didnt hold and the shaft disco'd from the column? Maybe the shaft is two piece and slid apart in the middle (then why didnt it fall to the ground?)

Well, I have new koni struts, new bushings, new brakes, just no steering LOL

 

Extremely odd. Double check the u joint and make sure that bolt didn't back out or loosen up.

 

I will, but I did take the time to torque it down (the lower/eccentric pinch bolt) and as soon as I stood up from that I turned the steering wheel. There was no resistance and it made some clunky sounds as if it was loose. I would rather the issue be in the steering column than have to lower the subframe again but I dont have the ignition switch removal tool needed to disassemble the column.

Anyone know if the lower steering column shaft is two piece? could it have come apart in the middle?

 

FYI....The lower steering shaft is two piece. There is a U joint where it connects to the rack at the bottom and one at the top where it connects to the upper steering shaft (that goes to the steering wheel). When I lowered the sub frame I should have pried the lower U joint off of the steering rack after removing the pinch bolt, that was my mistake. When the subframe was lowered it pulled the lower steering column down until the lower half of the lower steering shaft slid off of the upper half. The lower steering shaft is tubing that is pressed into a triangle in the middle with a nylon sleeve to take up any slop between the two pieces. I have the lower triangular tubing slid back over the upper (the two pieces make the lower steering column) but I cant get that damned nylon sleeve to go back in place.

 

Just in case this ever happens to anyone else.

If the steering shaft comes apart when you lower the sub-frame, you can put it back together from inside the car by disconnecting the upper ujoint that connects the lower steering shaft to the upper. That may seem confusing, refer to the manual. You have to take the plastic off the bottom of the steering column to access the upper pinch bolt.

In all of this its very important to maintain steering wheel alignment, the wheel will rotate freely and destroy your airbag if you turn it too far while disconnected.

some more detail.

After removing the lower steering column cover and ignition key rubber boot, i took off the upper column pinch bolt and pulled the u joint off making sure to note its alignment. With the lower column concentric pinch bolt connected to the steering rack, I put the triangular tubing white sleeve back into the lower half of the steering column shaft. There are two burs on the upper half of the shaft which is smaller and slides into the lower half. I had to file these down to get them back in. I am sure they are meant to be a retainer for the nylon sleeve but I couldnt get it together with the burs in place.

After the two shafts are back together I reattached the upper pinch bolt on the ujoint and then pressed the lower nylon donut back into the rubber boot in the floor board

 

question for you mate; Im in the prosess of changing that same part where the ends connect to the rack and the other end to the steering upper column. I will be taking the plastic cover which has screws in it out without a problem (this is the part that is attached to the upper column) how do you take out the bottom cover out (the one that is very large and does not have apparent screws?

Also will this be a hard job? If I work from under the car is it easy to access the pinch bolt that connects the column to the steering rack?

thank you in advance,
Dave