Steering column bulkhead gaiter

XK
1

Pretty sure I know the answer to this one but here’s hoping… Has anyone mastered replacing the steering column gaiter without the complete removal of the column/box?

2

Hi Nigel
I did… Buy two pieces of the Aluminium Part and get them proper opposite diagonal die cutted in a tinsmith’s workshop or laser cutted the same way.
Put the four fragments flush together with JB weld
around the column and install the part on the bulkhead. Scatter the joints properly and they will be really hard to find.
The rubber grommet can be easy slit over the steering column from the cockpit side, of course you have to remove the steering wheel first.

Best Regards
Lukas

3

Thanks Lukas - do you have any pictures of the end result?

4

Of course I will send you pictures, but I can take them earliest Monday evening because I work remotely for the weekend.
Best Regards
Lukas

5

IMG_20211122_162512
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IMG_20211122_162502
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6

Hi Nigel, here are the pictures.

Best Regards
Lukas

7

That’s super neat! My gaiter is much larger and is without the aluminium shroud though

8

Yes, FHC and DHC gaiter is different from OTS.

IMG_20210218_170723147
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Maybe you can remove the wheel and push the thing through.

9

Thank you Nigel

Maybe as Rob mentioned it"s possible to push the whole rubber gaither through the bulkhead… Make sure the rubber is warm and therefore flexible and use some tire fitting paste…
Last chance could be to properly cut the new gaither on it’s underside and glue it together after wraping around the steering column with a special vulcanizing glue. Then shift it into end position…

Best Regards
Lukas

10

Super Glue works great on most rubber parts. It works equally well on fingers. :grin:

11

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Well… here’s what’s left of mine:

12

you can take steering wheel off and slide whole lot through, certainly I have done it on an xK120DHC

13

Here’s a better pic of mine.

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14

Did you fabricate the aluminum retainer, Lukas? It looks thicker than the piece original to my OTS.

15

Hi Nick
The increased thickness of the retainer is because there are two aftermarket retainers shifted. I had the same problem as Nigel had (change the worn retainer with steering column installed) thus I cutted two retainers differently and glued them together around the column.
I know it’s not the perfect solution, but it’s much better than leaving the badly dented old retainer in place.
Best Regards
Lukas

16

Looks good to me, Lukas.

17

Thank you Nick :+1:
And it prevent me from fiddling out the steering box :wink: