Cranky Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 Just bought a "new" R300 that needs some sorting. The first and most critical issue is with the Momo quick release steering wheel. It doesn't lock. I can pull it right off the column without squeezing the release plate. Any ideas or suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 Bit difficult to do this remotely but lets try. Looking into the spline of the steering wheel, when you press the locking ring do you see anything move? If no then the little locking mechanism on the wheel is the problem. Lube it up, clean it out or somehow make it happen. If yes then the wheel is not seating on the column - I suggest trying again to fit by wiggling around, push hard in all the way, etc. The little locking doobies things are not finding the correct locking point on the column. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcarguy Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 Just bought a "new" R300 that needs some sorting. The first and most critical issue is with the Momo quick release steering wheel. It doesn't lock. I can pull it right off the column without squeezing the release plate. Any ideas or suggestions? Cranky, If Croc's advise doesn't work, can you post a detailed (up close, with good pixel resolution) photo or two of the quick release mechanism (internal, if possible) and of the splines of the steering column? . . . . . . :smash: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffee break Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 Sounds like the mechanicals are gummed up. Alcohol or other solvent can loosen up the gunk. Be careful protect adjacent surfaces from the solvent. There is (most likely) a ball or two that engage the steering shaft. Once it/they are freed up and working, a little light oil should keep parts moving properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitcat Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 (edited) Mine malfunctioned because a little C-clip that held stuff in place in the q-release internals went missing. And the steering column was improperly mounted, so the wheel couldn't slide down far enough onto the splines to click on the the 2ndary lock (apparently there was a double lock and the wheel was just held in place by the 1st lock). Long story long: My '03 mechanism was no longer made. And the new one didn't fit the old splines. And the new splines were not sold separately from the steering column. So 1 missing c-clip = one new q-release mechanism with new column and new splines. Edited August 15, 2014 by Kitcat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskossie Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 On the later Momo q-r wheels, there is definitely a "first position" in which the splines seem to be engaged by the steering wheel (i. e., the steering wheel will steer the wheels), but the wheel is in fact not locked onto the column. I found this out one time, by inadvertently pulling the wheel toward me, and having it come off in my hands (luckily, I was at a standstill). Sometimes, after removing the Momo wheel, I have had the devils' own time trying to get the wide spline on the steering shaft to line up with the wide slot in the wheel hub, so that the wheel can slide completely forward and lock. I didn't do anything like cleaning or lube to fight this problem, but lately it seems to have largely gone away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranky Posted August 15, 2014 Author Share Posted August 15, 2014 It looks like the lock mechanism is a set of four ball bearings that jut out inside the inner column. They are held in place with a metal sleeve. When you pull the release, the sleeve moves out of the way and the balls are free to move out of the way. When I push the mechanism onto the column, it goes far enough for some of the splines to engage, but not far enough for the balls for reach the groove. I need to figure out why it is stopping and not fully engaging. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffee break Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 The steering shaft on my car slipped in some. It turned out I needed to replace the grub (set) screw in the coupling near the brake master cylinder. It is a 7/16 - 14 UNC (if I remember correctly) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitcat Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 If Coffee Break is right, what is happening to yours happened to his (and to mine, in part): the steering wheel is hitting the bulkhead before it can fully engage the locking mechanism. It is blocked from sliding forward enough to fully engage. I also have Alaskossie's issue: the front wheels better be pointed straight, otherwise finding the wide groove in the splined receiver to push the wheel onto can be a real PITA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusaNostra Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 What happen when you are in WOT and the steering came off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranky Posted August 17, 2014 Author Share Posted August 17, 2014 World of tanks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 World of tanks? Nah...this is Busa commenting. He has only one way in life - "Wide Open Throttle"! :rofl: I am not surprised you had a WTF moment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitcat Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Busa: So far, all of our steering wheel failures have been at rest or while poking around the paddock or driveway. I think once the wheel goes on and clicks into place you are good to go. Since failures seem to happen on initial placement of the wheel, the car is typically idling. Certainly my start-up drill now includes a good tug to be sure the wheel is locked on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranky Posted August 18, 2014 Author Share Posted August 18, 2014 If Coffee Break is right, what is happening to yours happened to his (and to mine, in part): the steering wheel is hitting the bulkhead before it can fully engage the locking mechanism. It is blocked from sliding forward enough to fully engage. I also have Alaskossie's issue: the front wheels better be pointed straight, otherwise finding the wide groove in the splined receiver to push the wheel onto can be a real PITA. I thought you might have it, but I took off the wheel and tried it with just the hub and still had the same problem. The hub itself doesn't quite slide on far enough for the balls to lock. I need to do some studying to see why it won't go on any further. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 On mine, I push the wheel on, but must pull the flange back while pushing to get it to fully engage. After initial engagement, are you pulling back on the flange and pushing it further to the "2nd level" such that it is fully engaged? I suspect maybe you have never had it fully engaged? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskossie Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 Sean and all, i was assuming that Cranky was pulling back on his release ring the entire time he was inserting the steering wheel hub onto the splined shaft. I have never tried to get my wheel to lock just by applying pressure on the hub and hoping that everything inside will ramp up enough to allow it to slide on and lock. If the hub is not seating far enough on the shaft, I would have though that the splined shaft is not protrude enough out of the dash, and the hub was hitting the dash? Can't think of anything else that would prevent the hub from sliding on far enough to engage and latch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scannon Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Easy enough to lengthen the shaft as it comes out of the dash. Just loosen the impact clamp and slide the upper shaft back a bit and retighten the clamp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranky Posted August 24, 2014 Author Share Posted August 24, 2014 I'm starting to think that the mounting hub is faulty in some way. This is the steering column without the steering wheel mounted. http://photos.barbierifamily.org/photos/i-JktRXR8/0/L/i-JktRXR8-L.jpg This is the hub one the steering column without the steering wheel mounted on it. I have the large spline in the correct location and the hub slides on past that. This is as far as the hub will go. I cannot get it to slide further. It feels like it is hitting a hard stop. I have tried pushing it on with the release plate completely pushed in so that the balls are free to move. http://photos.barbierifamily.org/photos/i-ZcDDscC/0/L/i-ZcDDscC-L.jpg I tried wiggling it. I tried pushing on it harder. I even spent an hour filing it and de-burring it so that there is nothing rough on the inside of the hub. I also tried mounting it backwards and it doesn't mount at all in that direction. At this point, I'm at a loss and am considering ordering another hub to see if I can get a different hub to match. I've tried, but I cannot figure out what is causing this hub to stop as I mount it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffee break Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Cranky, It looks like there is enough space to seat the wheel. Keep after it. The attached photo relates to the problem I encountered. The clamp block had slid enough that it was hitting the mastercylinder and limited rotation. This happened when we were unloading the car off the trailer and was near to rolling off the side of the ramps. This was the first day I owned it. If there is a "good" time for this to happen, it was then. I went to make the adjustment to correct the interference and the grub screw failed. It has been replaced with a new one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitcat Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Cranky: As mentioned, I think you have the identical symptoms as I did. Mine wld slip right on, it just would not lock in place. It doesn't look like the bulkhead is interfering. I dont think you are doing anything wrong in your technique (when everything's working right, a 3 year old could do it). I think something is wrong with your hub. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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