Recently began to get the notchy steering issue we all go through at some point, and took it upon myself to follow RIWWP's guide to replacing the lower steering shaft U joint. I got to the part where you have to actually take the joint off the shaft, and, without a long enough screwdriver for the job, my buddy and I collectively (moronically) decided to pull the entire column out through the firewall.

It came out (with a rubber boot and a foam piece) easy enough, I tapped the U joint off with a hammer and replaced it with the new one. Guided the column back through, attempted to line up the steering wheel and the wheels, took a couple tries, and I think I've got it lined up.

The brackets for the main support and the tensioner (4 bolts with nuts holding them on) for the tilt steering are not lined up, nor is the steering wheel lined up with those two components currently. However, to the best of my knowledge, the wheel is straight and the tires are straight at the same time - I assume this is the most important part.

I'm now trying to put the column back up into the dashboard, but it appears to be about an inch too far forward - the nuts won't hold them on. The column is as far forward as (I assume) it will go, it looks to be in the same place the original piece was in. It's dark out and my phone is dead now from using the flashlight on it, so I'll have to resume tomorrow.

Long story short, what have I done wrong? Or do I just need to force the column in more? I followed the steps provided to a T, aside from the whole pulling the steering column out thing. Is the rubber boot supposed to provide forward tension, and not having it there is screwing me up?

I'm planning on resuming work tomorrow after work, or Monday.

 

I bet you don't have the steering rack shaft into the u-joint far enough, or the column shaft into the u-joint far enough....or both. Probably the rack end. I didn't pull my column entirely out, but that boot is just flimsy rubber, it can't provide any force against bolted metal.

 

I replaced my column before and don't recall having any issue putting the replacement in. Did you compare the joints to make sure the replacement matched the original? Otherwise you must not have something else right wrt fitment as suggested in the prior post.

Also the way to check steering shaft/rack alignment is to turn the steering wheel fully in both directions and see how the full lock positions line up to each other. It's approx. 1.5 turns each way so the wheel should be almost dead on upside down in both directions when centered properly with the steering rack.

 

Possbly. There was a white plastic piece on the steering column, I may have whacked it down a bit when taking the joint out. The boot is actually rather thick (I have an 04) and difficult to force back through the firewall - I assume adverse effects will take place if I don't get it back through?
I have the superceded part to the original, the Miata joint according to RIWWP's thread from 2011 when he was trying to replace it. Don't have the part number offhand, but they're identical as far as I can see.
I'll try and force it farther on with some more grease and a hammer this afternoon.

 

Update: Turns out the main mount slid up the steering column. The joint was as far in as it would go, but hammering the mount back down the column allowed me to bolt it back up properly.

 

Glad you got it.