Steering issue.

[ausgolfer]

Does anyone else have a problem with play in their steering shaft?
ie Up and down or side to side, not in and out......

For as long as I can remember I can literally push the bottom of the steering wheel upwards and the whole steering wheel along with the shaft will move by about 1-2mm.
Am wondering if there's a bearing in the steering column somewhere that might be knackered as I remember seeing that the shafts are solidly rivetted inplace.
This doesn't really effect the steering but just seems to detract a little from the experience when you can feel it flexing.

[moto]

Yes mate, theres a ballrace at the top of the shaft. From memory it is pressed into an aluminium housing and it should be a very snug fit on the shaft. If you remove the wheel, the stalks and the plastic covers around the stalks you should be able to spot any play in the bearing. I'd be surprised if there's a problem there though. Its a big bearing and it doesn't have a lot of work to do.

There are two other possibilities:
The Aluminium bearing housing is secured to the outer tube of the shaft by an allen screw. That could be loose or missing.

Or, the A shaped bracket that locates the column to the body under the dash may not secured properly. From the factory it is bolted to the body with two smooth headed anti-theft bolts. To remove the bracket from the body these have to be drilled out and later replaced for reassembly. If you have hex-headed bolts or similar securing that A bracket then someone has had it all out before and things may not have been reassembled properly.

[Dan]

MK1 has plastic sleeve things on both the top and bottom (and the bearing you talk about) when they are stuffed a similar thing happens, not sure about the mk2s...... soon as you take it apart (undo at the universal joint end and pull the shaft out you will find out), on the mk1s the plastic sleeves usually fall to pieces during this process.

[ausgolfer]

Cheers guys great advice there.

Another problem has sprung up over night, driving along the freeway late last night I "assume" a fuse has blown since all the interior cluster lights(including the heater panel and hazzards) have gone out and I couldn't see the clocks to see how fast I was going.

[Golf Loon]

Another possibility for the in and out movement could be that down by the pedals where the steering shaft goes through the firewall there should be a spring on the shaft where it enters the bottom of the housing. If thats missing it could cause the symptoms you describe.

[Golf Loon]

If the lights thing is not a fuse, it could be the dimmer control on the light switch. Try jiggling the dimmer up and down as you adjust it, lights may flicker.

[Jmac]

Reostat in the headlamp switch mate give it a tap like the guys say. Sounds like you will need a new one. On the play thing mate just check the allen bolt that clamps the ign housing. There is a hole in you cowling to get access to this on the left under ind switch. The size of the bolt is 6mm. sometimes they fit a shear bolt. if not you will need a new ign housing and there is a little trick to remove the ign barrel- can be done in place
Cheers

[ausgolfer]

I checked the fuse and unless it's a different fuse it's not that, I also giggled the dimmer switch(when it first happend) , I know they can often be the problem as my sisters e30 beema had the same problem. But as I was checking fuses and testing lights today my mate noticed that my rear number plates lights have stopped working aswell....

[Golf Loon]

if not you will need a new ign housing and there is a little trick to remove the ign barrel- can be done in place
Cheers

Whats the secret Jimmy??

[Jmac]

Hi it would be easier if i had one ill have a look and take a piccie if you dont beat me to it. With the use of a right angled drill and 1/8th part drill bit,thats the tools and on the housing there is a specific place where you drill the hole. Firstly, as i said easy if i have a piccie so before i rant on too much ill have a look to see if i have a housing.
Without a piccie ill try. Where the key goes in if you look straight at the slot and draw a line on the housing from the slot at the top. Then the VW sign on the top of the housing- centre of that crosses through the first line. that is your drill spot. Drill through the housing layer. The hole will now expose the spring retainer for the barrel. Poke a scriber or a screwdiver in and out the barrel will come. If you are changing your ign housing then this process is the same but with easier access if that makes sense.
Cheers