all mod cons Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 We've been trying to fit a Moto Lita wheel to my brother's Vitesse, but the horn is shorting out through the steering wheel boss, as it touches the copper / brass horn ring.Moto Lita assure us that this is the correct boss and say that in years of supplying these wheels, this is the first one they've known on a Vitesse to cause problems. They suggested that as the splines are a cm or so lower down than they should be, maybe the steering column has been adjusted for length at some time over the years. Looking at my Herald handbook, it says that the columns can be adjusted but this work should always have been 'entrusted to a Triumph dealer since it requires the use of a torque wrench' !So, has anyone seen this kind of problem with a new steering wheel ? and does anyone have any ideas about extending the column stlightly?Many thanks, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted User Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 Mine does the same… fitted a push button switch on the dash beside the wheel. MOT man happy, sorted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Moore Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 The steering column's length can indeed be altered, to suit different drivers. The inner column's not actually one shaft all the way from the steering wheel to the steering rack. Above the pedals is a slip joint, designed to telescope in an accident. This is why the manual will state that it needs to be adjusted by the dealer, as it might not compress properly if the bolts are too tight. Of course Triumph dealers are pretty rare nowadays. The correct torque is probably in the workshop manual, but 'average tightness' by a ring spanner is probably OK - it's what I do anyway.The outer can be moved by loosening off the bracket that holds it to the underside of the dashboard. Once you've moved it all around to suit your driving position, make sure the back of the steering wheel isn't touching the column's cowling, and it should all work properly. Assuming your column's earth strap (down by the steering rack) is fitted... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
100+ Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 I had this exact problem and was in the garage just last night finishing off sorting it out!I have an air-powered die-grinder, and smoother the back of the mota-lita boss down flat - the bit I ground away was the ring of metal that serves no purpose and surrounds the central hole for the steering column (which i didn't grind, obviously. I then put it all back together and the problem was less persistent, but still there...So, I slackened the 2 pinch bolts in the footwell on the steering column (7/16" spanner is the one you'll need) and then gently pulled the steering wheel towards me, (just a fraction, trying to stop the metal boss from touching the live contact ring and shorting it to earth thus sounding the horn. Again, better, but still an occasional toot when going round corners. So I pulled the wheel back further, but then there was an unsightly gap between the steering wheel's boss and the column shroud. Hmmmm.I cut a disc of nylon plastic (aka carte d'or ice cream container lid!), roughed it up and epoxy glued it to the back of the (smooth now that I had ground it down) metal boss. I drilled a hole in me nylon disc for the little sprung stub that connects the horn push to the contact ring. I adjusted the column to perfection, such that there wasn't a huge gap between the shroud and the boss, but that the horn didn't sound unless I pressed the horn-push. My idea was based around insulating that contact ring from the boss completely and physically with a bit of plastic.At long last, problem sorted. You timed your question well. The above tinkering took me, on and off, a period of 4 years!Good luck with yours mate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 Nick_Moore wrote:The steering column's length can indeed be altered, to suit different drivers. Not so, Nick.This was a very early example of the 'safety' steering column, that in a frontal collision does not act as a javelin pointed at the driver's heart. It still acts as a javelin, but a telescopic one, that has some 'energy absorbtion'. Modern columns have a number of mechanisms, principally having two uinversal joints so that they are a javelin that folds up!John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heraldcoupe Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 JohnD wrote:Not so, Nick.This was a very early example of the 'safety' steering column, Both are true. The column does collapse on impact, and it is adjustable. Of course if it's set at it's lowest, there won't be much scope for it to collapse, but it's adjustable nature was advertised as a feature,Cheers,Bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herald948 Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 The name Standard-Triumph's marketers gave it says it all: "Impacto-Scopic"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vitesse1965 Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 I get loads of probs with mine, It just stops working, or It goes off all the time, horn pens snap and have to be replaced, Considering putting back original stearing wheel as i still have it, but my legs almost touch the smaller wheel! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
100+ Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 Aye, if after all my fettling I still have problems then I'll be off to Maplin for a discreet push-button switch and I'll wire that in somewhere. Not ideal, but I can't be bothered anymore after this. (Touchwood I think I have cracked it though....) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 I adjusted mine a while back to cure the random toots. Now it only does it when I jack the car up at the front..... the chassis obviously flexes just enough to pull the column taut and make contact again......Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
all mod cons Posted October 20, 2009 Author Share Posted October 20, 2009 Thanks gents for all your advice. We'll have a go at adjusting the outer or inner column length to see if we can crack this problem.Richard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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