Steering wheel grommet ?

[Rushy67]

A successful MOT yesterday with no advisories for Bambi.
The garage noted that the "grommet" / seal where the steering wheel column comes up through the floor is broken.
Can the informed amongst you all tell me the correct part name for this?
Is it still available?
Is it easy to fit?

Thanks

[Call the midlife!]

Can't remember the actual name or part number but yes it's still available, probably around £25 for genuine Toyota and straightforward but not particularly easy to fit.
It sleeves over the steering shaft so you need to split that to fit it and if you're going to the trouble of splitting the shaft it's worth looking at the condition of the steering UJ at the same time.

[Topdownman]

I think you are talking about;

Lower Steering Column U J Dust Cover Genuine Toyota
MR2 Roadster 1999 onward

Part number: 45026-17010

Price:  £21.68 + vat 

The above is from the TCB list;

http://www.tcbparts.co.uk/suspension.htm#Mr2(Suspension)

As said above though, probably not worth changing unless you are doing the UJ too?

[Call the midlife!]

Just a word of warning though, it's there for a reason and CAN let water through into the footwell if it's missing/rotten.

[Rushy67]

Many thanks for the information, i will get one ordered.

[Petrus]

Mine went awol too; does not rain much over here and it is a lightweight alternative to airco ;-)

[Joesson]

This grommet is split on my 2 and in the unlikely event of my driving it in the rain I don't want to get the carpet and my feet wet so will be replacing it.
Does the team think* that this is better approached from the lower/ front end of the column by removing the lower UJ or from the top / rear end by removing the top UJ?

*How many Members I wonder remember that phrase?

[SV-3]

This grommet is split on my 2 and in the unlikely event of my driving it in the rain I don't want to get the carpet and my feet wet so will be replacing it.
Does the team think* that this is better approached from the lower/ front end of the column by removing the lower UJ or from the top / rear end by removing the top UJ?

*How many Members I wonder remember that phrase?

Even I, have only read about it

[Joesson]

This grommet is split on my 2 and in the unlikely event of my driving it in the rain I don't want to get the carpet and my feet wet so will be replacing it.
Does the team think* that this is better approached from the lower/ front end of the column by removing the lower UJ or from the top / rear end by removing the top UJ?

*How many Members I wonder remember that phrase?

Even I, have only read about it

I only ever listened to it, the TV programme was somewhat later!

[Joesson]

Well, it is said that there is no "i" in team but with no thoughts forthcoming from the team I thought I would seek self enlightenment and have a look under the dash area.
From that exploratory examination I found that there is no upward movement available on the top UJ, so to remove the bulkhead "grommet" the lower UJ must be moved upwards to disengage the spline from the rack and then downwards to remove the lower UJ and shaft.
The top UJ pinch bolt will of course need to be loosened/ removed to allow the splined column to move upwards inside the upper UJ.
While I believe the lower UJ to be in good condition, as I have to remove it to replace the grommet, I will do that before ordering said grommet and check the UJ off the car then only one order/ delivery necessary.

[SV-3]

Well, it is said that there is no "i" in team but with no thoughts forthcoming from the team I thought I would seek self enlightenment and have a look under the dash area.
From that exploratory examination I found that there is no upward movement available on the top UJ, so to remove the bulkhead "grommet" the lower UJ must be moved upwards to disengage the spline from the rack and then downwards to remove the lower UJ and shaft.
The top UJ pinch bolt will of course need to be loosened/ removed to allow the splined column to move upwards inside the upper UJ.
While I believe the lower UJ to be in good condition, as I have to remove it to replace the grommet, I will do that before ordering said grommet and check the UJ off the car then only one order/ delivery necessary.

Found this in the "How To's" section; some good photos etc:
https://www.mr2roc.org/forum/index.php?topic=32611.msg395848#msg395848

[Joesson]

Well, it is said that there is no "i" in team but with no thoughts forthcoming from the team I thought I would seek self enlightenment and have a look under the dash area.
From that exploratory examination I found that there is no upward movement available on the top UJ, so to remove the bulkhead "grommet" the lower UJ must be moved upwards to disengage the spline from the rack and then downwards to remove the lower UJ and shaft.
The top UJ pinch bolt will of course need to be loosened/ removed to allow the splined column to move upwards inside the upper UJ.
While I believe the lower UJ to be in good condition, as I have to remove it to replace the grommet, I will do that before ordering said grommet and check the UJ off the car then only one order/ delivery necessary.

Found this in the "How To's" section; some good photos etc:
https://www.mr2roc.org/forum/index.php?topic=32611.msg395848#msg395848

Thank you @SV-3 I did have a read through previously and having read it through again I can see that what I 've written is not kosher.
It would seem that the upper UJ is completely removable by undoing the two pinch bolts and sliding it down the ample length of visible spline on the shaft coming up from the frunk.
I did try some years back to remove the lower UJ to check it off the car but gave up for fear of damaging the splines on the rack shaft.
I could feel no play in it and so cleaned and thoroughly pumped it, with my long obsolete Wanner grease gun, full of grease.
On that basis I think I will order up a " grommet" from TCB and attack from the top/ inside the car.

[Joesson]

Well, it is said that there is no "i" in team but with no thoughts forthcoming from the team I thought I would seek self enlightenment and have a look under the dash area.
From that exploratory examination I found that there is no upward movement available on the top UJ, so to remove the bulkhead "grommet" the lower UJ must be moved upwards to disengage the spline from the rack and then downwards to remove the lower UJ and shaft.
The top UJ pinch bolt will of course need to be loosened/ removed to allow the splined column to move upwards inside the upper UJ.
While I believe the lower UJ to be in good condition, as I have to remove it to replace the grommet, I will do that before ordering said grommet and check the UJ off the car then only one order/ delivery necessary.

Found this in the "How To's" section; some good photos etc:
https://www.mr2roc.org/forum/index.php?topic=32611.msg395848#msg395848

Thank you @SV-3 I did have a read through previously and having read it through again I can see that what I 've written is not kosher.
It would seem that the upper UJ is completely removable by undoing the two pinch bolts and sliding it down the ample length of visible spline on the shaft coming up from the frunk.
I did try some years back to remove the lower UJ to check it off the car but gave up for fear of damaging the splines on the rack shaft.
I could feel no play in it and so cleaned and thoroughly pumped it, with my long obsolete Wanner grease gun, full of grease.
On that basis I think I will order up a " grommet" from TCB and attack from the top/ inside the car.

Or perhaps not.
Just spoke with Paul at TCB and he recently sold his last stock grommet. They are on order and are in transit so he said to give it a week and check again.

[Call the midlife!]

I'm trying to remember from when I did mine whether or not you could fit it from the top anyway as the hole in the grommet is only big enough for the shaft to pass through, not the UJ I believe.

[Joesson]

I'm trying to remember from when I did mine whether or not you could fit it from the top anyway as the hole in the grommet is only big enough for the shaft to pass through, not the UJ I believe.

Thanks CTM, as I see it the grommet must go on from the top of the bottom UJ shaft based on the respective diameters and having now looked (twice) I think I may have a clue.
I really didn't want to be taking the bottom UJ of off the steering rack unless absolutely necessary.

[Beachbum957]

I just changed the lower u-joint, but I think you could change the boot just by removing the upper u-joint. Remove the pinch bolts and slide the upper u-joint down on the shaft to disengage it from the steering column and then pull it off the intermediate shaft.  The boot comes off on the inside of the car, along with the intermediate shaft dust cover, which is just a small rubber boot that slips over the shaft and has to be installed from inside the car anyway

The intermediate shaft coming through the floor has a flat for the lower bolt on the upper u-joint, so that can only index one way, but the u-joint isn't indexed on the steering column.  The manual indicates you should put match marks on the upper shaft and the u-joint so they index correctly when you put it back to together.  It is very easy to get it off a spline. Been there, done that. 

[Joesson]

I just changed the lower u-joint, but I think you could change the boot just by removing the upper u-joint. Remove the pinch bolts and slide the upper u-joint down on the shaft to disengage it from the steering column and then pull it off the intermediate shaft.  The boot comes off on the inside of the car, along with the intermediate shaft dust cover, which is just a small rubber boot that slips over the shaft and has to be installed from inside the car anyway

The intermediate shaft coming through the floor has a flat for the lower bolt on the upper u-joint, so that can only index one way, but the u-joint isn't indexed on the steering column.  The manual indicates you should put match marks on the upper shaft and the u-joint so they index correctly when you put it back to together.  It is very easy to get it off a spline. Been there, done that. 

Thanks for that, confirmation is always good.
Marking the relative positions is in my mind. I'm old enough to remember Snopake, typists correction fluid which would be ideal. I might use a dab of paint, I've got at least a week to wait for the part so the paint will have plenty of time to dry.

[scm2004red]

Haven't a clue what this grommet is made of or looks like, but what is to stop anyone cutting the grommet once, fitting it around the shaft, applying superglue or similar, and working it into position?

[Joesson]

Haven't a clue what this grommet is made of or looks like, but what is to stop anyone cutting the grommet once, fitting it around the shaft, applying superglue or similar, and working it into position?

Pride.

[Carolyn]

Well ,if you have the right glue -why not:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Super-Glue-High-Impact-Flexible-Strong-Bond-Gap-Filling-Rubber-Toughened-BLACK/233013268330

[Joesson]

Or to put it another way, for the same reason @McMr2 asked for and @Carolyn advised the tightening torque for the fixing bolt in the front control arms,
and I don't want to use adhesive because it's not the wing of an aircraft.

Seriously, the part is around £25 why cut it up and stick it back together, and hope, to fit it when all it will take is a little of my time. As a bonus I get to practice limbo dancing under the dash.

[1979scotte]

Or to put it another way, for the same reason @McMr2 asked for and @Carolyn advised the tightening torque for the fixing bolt in the front control arms,
and I don't want to use adhesive because it's not the wing of an aircraft.

Seriously, the part is around £25 why cut it up and stick it back together, and hope, to fit it when all it will take is a little of my time. As a bonus I get to practice limbo dancing under the dash.

Ah retired people and time.
Although during this lockdown most of us have nothing better to do.

[Call the midlife!]

Generally the grommet lasts about as long as the joint so it's usually done at the same time, I suppose its no different to a slit cv joint boot and is held in place with a hose clip so it wouldn't be a major drama to cut and paste it on.

[Beachbum957]

Haven't a clue what this grommet is made of or looks like, but what is to stop anyone cutting the grommet once, fitting it around the shaft, applying superglue or similar, and working it into position?

That probably won't work as there is the large boot, and then a smaller dust seal boot that slips over the shaft on the inside.  You would have to split both, then find a way to glue them both back together so the small seal boot would work.  Considering the limited space you have to work in, it would probably be as much work as pulling the upper joint and doing it the proper way

There is an old mechanic's adage. You can do it right, or you can do it over. 

[scm2004red]

Can't argue with that.