520 Steering Part and Help !

[SUN520]

Hi All ,

 

Just wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction to obtain the little rubber that sits behind the steering wheel , in the column ?

This bit ..

 

Unfortunately half of the part number cant be read .. i have 48056 2**0*

 

Would i be able to replace it with something similar ?

 

I am looking to cutting approx 4 inches out of the column also , to accommodate my beer gut .

Is there an easy way to do this (eg. column still in) , or will i need to remove the whole column to cut and shut it ?

Has anybody done this mod ?

 

Thanking you in advance for your help ..

 

 

Cheers Phil ;)

[mklotz70]

You can download the factory parts manual on the tech page of http://www.olddatsuns.com to get the full part number.

 

I shortened the column in my wife's 521 years ago. I took the the whole box/column assembly out and then removed the inner shaft with the ball cage. I had a machinist with a nice large lathe cut the shaft. We turned down the shaft a bit and made a custom butt joint connector. The two shaft ends fit in the connector snuggly, then he welded it together. I'm pretty sure we did the splice about 18" down from the steering wheel end......mainly because of how deep the head of his lathe was. There's a disc/ring of some sort in the lower part of the outer tube....the connector has to be small enough to slide back through it. It's also a bit of a challenge getting the ball cage back in the box.

 

I've seen guys cut/weld the shafts in the engine compartment with it still in the rig.....can't say that I'd ever drive it that way!

[mklotz70]

Also.....

 

If you are going to be using an aftermarket wheel....such as a Grant.......you won't find an adapter that will allow the horn and blinker canceller to work. The 620 adapter will fit the shaft just fine, but it's too short.

 

The fix is to mount your adapter on the stock column....measure the gap that's left. Then.....shorten the outer column the amount you want .....4" is probably max before the plastic housing hits the dash.....then cut the inner shaft enough to remove the gap. Just keep in mind that the rim of the wheel may get too close to the dash.

 

Keep in mind too that you will have to use a smaller wheel. The angle of the steering column pulls the wheel down into your lap when you shorten it and you won't be able to get your leg between the wheel and the seat when you shorten it 4".

[SUN520]

Hi ,

 

Thanks for that link to the parts catalogue .. Now to decifer it , then find where to find one ..

I was thinking of going to the local Nolathane dealer and finding something similar to fit ...

 

It has taken me 6 months to find a boss kit that fits the old girl ..

After buying a second hand Grant , that had a stuffed boss , i finaly found one that fitted ..

 

An OBA

 

I think some bits were missing , but i noticed my wooden steering wheel had the same pattern on it so i fitted it to the boss ..

 

 

As you can see it is a rather thick boss , hence why i want to chop the column down .. at least the thickness of the boss i rekon ..

 

The indicator delete will be inneffective but not a problem to me when i drive ..;)

I am still thinking about the horn ...

 

I think i may take the column out and take it down the road to the metal shop for them to cut , shorten , and maybe put a sleeve over the join , then weld the sleeve perhaps ..

 

I read a couple of threads about removing the column but is the 520 the same as the 620 ?

 

Thanking you ,

 

Cheers Phil ;)

[mklotz70]

Look down through the horn button hole...is the nut mounting surface near the top or way down inside? Near the top is good. Look up from the back side where the brass ring is.....is the tapered spline way up inside or close to that end? Way up inside is good. If yours matches up with the "goods", then the horn ring and blinker canceling should work. When you put a 620 adapter on a 520/521, there's about a 1.25" gap. Hopefully, your adapter will sit down far enough on the shaft for the horn to work. Since you say you want to shorten the column the amount of the adapter, I'm kinda guessing that you've already tried to mount it and they don't match up.

 

The 520 column is slightly different, but should be close enough to use the info. On the 720, they changed it alot.

[ggzilla]

NOTE: Australia Nissan part numbers for this may be different. The prices sure are...

Some guys just whittle a new one from nylon, polyurethane, delthane, etc.

 

See the readup for ideas: Steering Column Bushing Repair

[mklotz70]

That's one of those parts I plan on making out for Paula's rig...her's squeaks a bit.

[Charlie69]

Mike, is the 521 different from the 520?

 

I will be at the jy tomorrow, last time I was there there was a 71 521. I will look and see if the bushing is there if it is I will get it. I will send it to SUN520 if it will work I will Udate tomorrow after I return from the jy.

[Charlie69]

Your 520 column being a 1966 should be the early style which was used up to April 1968.

 

The part number for the early bushing is 48054-08700 No longer available.

 

After 1968 the part number for the later bushing is 48054-20500

possibbly available from link below. Call and verify availability before ordering as some parts are no longer available.

 

http://www.nissanparts.cc/cart/?pn=48054-20500

[mklotz70]

I'm not completely positve that the outer tube diameter is the same, but they'll mount up on either rig. The biggest different is that the 520 has a housing that can be flipped to the other side and used with a RHD inner shaft and arm. The 521 can only be mounted to the LH side.

[Charlie69]

According to the part number search I did 520 and 521 have different #'s. But that does not mean they won't interchange. Leaving now for jy. If i get the bushing from the 521 I will compare it to my 520 and post pictures.

[Charlie69]

I did not get the 521 column bushing today, however I did get a 620 upper column bushing today. They look the same except the 520 has a groove on the top and the 620 is flat. I tried the 620 bushing in my column and it fit better then the 520 bushing, less slop (wear). I personally do not see any need for the groove.

 

Here some bad pictures.

 

http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/rr132/Charlie69_Datsun/Spare%20Parts/DSC00549.jpg[/img]"]

 

 

I hope this helps.

 

Charlie

Edited August 29, 2009 by Charlie69
forgot pictures

[SUN520]

Hi ,

 

Thanks for the link ...

 

It looks like the 620 one is the same ..

 

I will get one from the link .. If they ship to Aust .. ;)

 

Mmmn , i may just call the local Nissan dealer first .. could be quite humorous ..:lol:

 

Thank you again ,

 

Cheers Phil ;)

[datzenmike]

48054 20500 is the part number used on 521 and 620 columns. The 521 number changed 3 times during the 521 run and may have adjusted the rubber's firmness or the removal of the groove but would still interchange.

Edited August 30, 2009 by datzenmike