Jaguar XK150 Steering Column Bushes - Can I use the MK2 Plastic Bushes?

XK
1

Hello,

I have a LHD 1958 Jaguar XK150 DHC. The question is, can I swap the old steering column felt bushes for the newer MK2 plastic bushes?

I am currently converting to RHD and whilst I have the column out of the car I have fully dismantled it ready for rebuilding - so far so good.

I was surprised to find that it ran on felt bushes but there have been a lot of surprises with my car and its still only early days yet.

I was a little dubious about the felt bushes and thought that the existing bushes must need replacing after 60 years on the car but is that really the case? When I did a bit of reading I discovered that once you replace the felt bushes with new ones the column becomes a lot tighter to the extent that it can end up difficult to turn.

I did read somewhere that you could use the MK2 plastic bushes but again it was just hearsay with no pics, no comparisons or confirmation from someone who had successfully done the swap themselves.

Please can anyone shed any light on this for me before I rebuild with felt?

2

Andy,
Yes, you can use the plastic bearings for a MKII. The rubber end cap at the bottom of the steering column can also be used.

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yes you can fit the plastic bushes

4

But be sure and lubricate them as my experience with a 3.8S was the car would not self center if they were dry.

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The Mk2 plastic bushes look a lot thicker than the felt and have lugs on the outside from what i can see in photos…im assuming you have to trim the lugs off but do you also have to ream out the inside?..interested on how you get on fitting them Andy…please put up a post when you fit them…cheers…Steve

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Hey thanks for the reply, have you fitted them to your car?

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Hi John,

Were they a straight replacement for the felt bushes or did you have to modify them?

Please can you let me know what lubrication you applied and if they still moving freely?

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Hi Terry, thanks for the response - have you fitted them to your car?

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Hi Steve,

Yes all of what you have said has run through my mind too ha ha.

I will of course post about my progress. I intend to post updates on everything that I have asked the forum about to help others like myself who follow in the future.

I must say that this is a lovely forum to be on and everyone is so very helpful and pragmatic. Its a pleasure to be on here and a real step up from other forums that I have been on.

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Yes, it was a very straightforward operation.

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My 1965 3.8S came with plastic bushings, virtually the same as the replacements. I lubed them as best I could with some oil after I had it all back together and found the wheel would not self center easily. Seems to have worked OK (and lasted so far) as I was NOT about to take that overly complex steering column out a second time!

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Thanks for clarifying that for me John. Presumably it self centres ok now after the bushes have had some use and worn in?

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Hi All,

Just a quick update.

The Mk 2 plastic bushes have finally arrived.

A quick check confirms that they seem to be the right size and fit.

The SNG Barrett list price (in 2022) is £13.82 inc vat.

I will take a few more pics as I fit them in the column this week and will post an update.

Bush 1
Bush 11920×1440 172 KB

Bush 2
Bush 21920×1440 111 KB

.

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Hi Andy,

I fitted the felt bushes to my XK150 without any issue. I fitted the plastic bushes to my Daimler V8 (basically a MK2) a number of years ago and they do need to bed in. That is, the steering was not fully self centering for a few miles. When fitting I did find them tight, and I probably did grease them a little. However they do not take long to bed in, and I am happy with the result. You can find others experience of bedding in on the MK2 forum.

Regards,
Clive.

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Thanks for the reassurance Clive,

I’m a convert now. Fitting seems straight forward enough but I will do a post on it with some pics to help others who follow in the future see just how they fit.

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Just a quick update for everyone.

The original felt bushes are positioned at the top and bottom of the steering column and look like this.

s1
s11920×1440 172 KB

s2
s21920×1440 86.7 KB

s3
s31920×1440 108 KB

Each felt bush is held in place by two metal rings (one at the top and one at the bottom) locked into position by a further spring ring which engages with the two holes at the tube ends.

s4
s41920×1440 118 KB

s5
s51920×1440 121 KB

The replacement Mk2 plastic bushes are designed with two lugs on them to slot into the two holes at each end of the tube as shown.

s6
s61920×1440 105 KB

s7
s71920×1440 103 KB

They are a very neat and precise fit. However, I have noted that they sit both lower and higher than the original felt bushes and so the bit of shaft that they rub on will be dirty and tarnished. This will result in the new bushes binding through friction. Make sure that you get the wire wool out and clean off the shaft before fitting the new bushes. They are tight and will take time to bed in. It would probably be a good idea to put a bit of polybush grease on them during final assembly.

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