E85 Steering Column Removal Issues

Z

Z4OnABudget

Member
 Tyne and Wear
Hi,

I’m currently in the process of removing the steering column as I have the dreaded torque sensor failure, I’ve disconnected the wiring harness, undone the u joint but I now can’t seem to fit the steering column through the available space in the engine bay.

I don’t seem to have enough clearance between the footwell metal frame and the eps motor, does anyone have anymore info?

Thanks in advance.
Jack
 

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I struggled to get enough room too. I found it easier to remove the motor first. Since then I’ve done a few others that way and it’s much easier.
 
Also, were you able to completely decouple the u joint beforehand? I removed the torx bolt but couldn’t decouple the spline from the joint due to the lack of room caused by the heatshield.
 
Two Torx bolts hold the motor. A bihex 8mm ratchet ring spanner fits.
Don’t try to pull the column out of the UJ or you’ll damage the bearing in the intermediate shaft. Use a fat screwdriver or pry bar to open up the gap in the UJ then tap it down towards the rack.
 
Have you cut away the piece of dashboard trim below the column ?
First pull off the UJ in the engine bay, then loosen all 8 bolts that hold the column.
Then you need to press the clutch pedal full down and in a twist motion lower the column a bit to remove the remaining electrical connector on the motor.
Then you can wiggle the column out. The motor is heavy, so the center of gravity is off to the right side making it hard to get out easily.
When placing back check the plastic bearing is present in the rubber boot in the firewall and it is sitting on the column. You can remove the boot on the engine bay side to insert the bearing and slip it onto the column when it is already installed and bolted on.
 
Thanks for the replies and pictures, I’m going to undo those bolts on the motor tomorrow. Are there any connectors I need to be aware of between the motor and column when detaching?

Yes, the dash has been part cut to allow room for the column itself, I’ve tried separating the u joint in the bay but haven’t had much luck. Will try depressing the clutch and rotating the column / motor tomorrow.

Cheers
 
The saga continues…

Thanks to the replies I managed to disconnect the eps motor and the column is now able to be removed without obstruction, however, I can’t get the spline to disconnect in the engine bay, I’ve tried prying with various screwdrivers and moving the column around from inside the car but it won’t decouple.

Any ideas?

The youtube video I’d watched prior to this couldn’t have went anymore differently :D
 
As I said before, don't pull the column or you'll knacker the bearing. Get a couple of bolts back in the column to hold it tight. Then a big fat screwdriver or pry bar wedged in the gap in the UJ where the bolt went through. Hammer it in to open up the gap. Then use the same bar and hammer to knock the UJ down the splines.
 
I put the steering wheel on and rotated the u joint but still couldn’t get it to budge with the tools I have, extension bars, hammer etc.

Have soaked it in wd40.

One for tomorrow
 
When @Umfaan helped me remove mine, the same issue to pull the column out of the UJ meant I had to cut off part of the end of my biggest ( longest) flat head screwdriver with an angle grinder so that the 'wedge' of the screwdriver head was already 3-4mm wide before it went into gap you are needing to open slightly. Being about a foot long handle, I could tap the end of the screwdriver from above the heatshield with a lump hammer and this opened up the gap enough to release the column from the UJ. Having two people also helped as one could pull from the cockpit while the other tapped open the UJ. Remember to mark both the column and the UJ before you pull them apart so you can see what orientation to put it back together or to put in your replacement one
 
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