Repairing a Steering column thread

[Mission]

Beno
I know the feeling, having just assembled my steering with the cover and wheel on and all looking wonderful in 2 pack black and now the head light flasher does not work.
 Re your thread problems, if it is really bad a machine shop can clean it off with the lathe and cut a completely new one to suit a common thread and nut.

[Terry]

Hi,

back a few posts ago I mentioned a tool I saw on a shop counter but it wasn't a thread cleaning tool as such but it cleans up the end to make a nice chamfer to get your nut started, https://www.bordo.com.au/new-e-z-chamfer-tool-australian-innovation-at-its-best/

We still haven't have seen any pictures from Beno to see how bad the damage is on her column and whether it could help in her situation but I think I might just grab one of these tools for my workshop.

Terry

[Beno]

Haha it certainly does.

I also had some success today in getting the steering column nut back on. After getting my google on I discovered a random method and thought it was worth a shot.

Using another damaged nut we cut it on one side using a hacksaw and opened it up just enough which allowed the nut to go on the column before then using a pair of locking pliers to force it closed as much as possible before undoing it back off the column. After about three goes at this, it was enough to fix up the thread enough to get a nice new nut back on! 

[Beno]

Apologies but any photo I tried to take of the damaged thread to begin with didn’t turn out very well because of where the damage was.

[Steam]

Great outcome.
Definately left field and a  bit whacky but an excellent solution for an unusual thread.
I am putting it into my memory bank of good ideas.
I have often used the opposite solution where grooves are ground into a bolt to form a rethreding type tap where a conventional tap is unavaiable..

[Terry]

Hi,

that is a nice solution. I have split nuts to get them off, but never thought about using it to clean a thread like that.

Well done.

Terry