Left to right hand drive - steering column.

[Pascal's pilot]

Hi everyone,

A further update on my progress towards my conversion from left to right hand drive.

The steering column.

I started by cutting out the top steering mounting from my scrap RHD GTL.


Drilled out the spot welds, trimmed off the excess metal and aligned the pattern on my cars bulkhead, after removing the air vent.



Temporarily fitted the mounting bracket in position.


Temporary fitted top section of the steering column.


At his point, I noted that neither of the lower steering column sections were the correct length to attach to the steering rack.
One was way to short, the other way to long.
Looking at the left hand drive rack showed that the input flange was approx. 25mm from the body of the rack.


The right hand drive rack flange was very different at approx. 50mm from the rack body.


I have concluded that this is likely down to Renault using several suppliers for steering racks.

This was not going to be a straight forward right side for left side swop over.

Now I need a custom length lower steering section, but what length ?




First I loosely fitted the right hand drive dash board.



Where is the correct place for the column ?
First I aligned it with the old witness marks but I am still not sure that is 100% correct.



I have a reasonable gap between cowl and steering wheel.

Then I thought about the indicator stalk. For the indicators to cancel automatically the steering wheel must be at the correct position to contact the trigger on the indicator switch.
This is the defining item.
I have fitted the indicator stalk and aligned the steering wheel to the stalk trigger.
However the indicators do not cancel because there is excessive play in the plastic trigger on the stalk.
Progress halted until a new indicator stalk arrives.



This photo shows both lower steering column sections, short one fitted to the car plus spacers and the long one resting along side.
I made up these tube spacers to find the correct increase in length I will need.
Currently, plus 57mm if the short lower section is lengthen.
My plan is to take the section to a local machine shop and ask them to do the modification for me.
Home welding a steering column is a no go for me.

That's it for now, cheers Dave.

 

[jcarruthers2]

Hi Dave

If the LHD steering rack is the earlier type with track rod arms as opposed to track rod ends, the steering column will be different to the later type of steering rack with track rod ends. If you have transferred the matching column and steering rack from the RHD R4gtl donor vehicle then they should align unless there is an issue with the alignment of the steering mountings on the inside of the car.

 

[Andy McGhee]

I imagine most of us with GTLs will have a rack with a longer pinion shaft, like the one in this photo:

 

[JdeW]

@Andy McGhee is wright the steering racks LHD vs RHD are different.
Next challenge are the steering rack adjusting washers for the correct allignment.

 

[Pascal's pilot]

Hi Andy,

Thank you for solving the mystery for me.
Every day is a school day with Renaults haha.

Re: shimming. both my shims or spacers are the same thickness, so I thought that would be OK.
back to the workshop manual for more education. thx Q-plate

 

[JdeW]

Réglage des cales du boitier de crémaillère de direction

Réglage des cales du boitier de crémaillère de direction sur une Renault 4

www.la4ldesylvie.fr

These shims are specific to the 4L on which they are mounted

 

[Pascal's pilot]

Just the 4L and NOT the TL and GTL ?

 

[Pascal's pilot]

Hi Chris, I did transfer the right hand drive rack and column but as you can see.. no go.

 

[jcarruthers2]

Hi Dave

Have you noticed any differences in the shape/configuration of the bulkhead on the right side of your LHD R4 in comparison to the shape/configuration of the bulkhead where the steering column was fitted originally on the RHD donor R4?

 

[malcolm]

I'm as confused as you are. If you are using both the rack and steering column from the same car it really ought to fit. No way it can be 100mm out. What parts are you using and from which cars? If it helps I'm sure folk will have some spare parts they can measure.

The GTL RHD steering rack is different from the earlier cars with the 850cc engine to provide a path for the RHD lower radiator hose so make sure you don't get caught up in that later.

I'm lazy with the steering rack shims. They set rack height but I have never figured out why they bothered.

 

[Pascal's pilot]

To answer Chris first. I will check the shape of the dash left compared with right, as this is a possible cause of the difference in height.
Having said that, the pattern that I cut from the GTL fitted snugly in position on the right hand side into existing indentations and the column lined up spot on with the hole that I had cut in the bulkhead.
I was quietly confident that all was well.

Malcolm: I am 57mm out by current calc's.
I am now waiting for new indicator switch to double check position against the underside of steering wheel, which may only change it by +/- 1mm.
The rack photo that Andy sent would seem to make sense aka getting the correct height but why do I need it if fitting a matched set of gear from the RHD GTL ?
All this is not the end of the world, a bit of engineering will sort it. However it irks to not understand what's going on.

 

[Pascal's pilot]

By the way, the upper sections of steering column are completely different.

 

[jcarruthers2]

Hi Dave

As an afterthought (you may have tried this already). Is it possible to slide the R4gtl steering column through the hole you have cut out in the bulkhead so that the other end of the steering column lines up flush with the steering rack flange as to be bolted together ( or is just a case that it is 'too long' and won't fit?)
If it is possible to fit it, then you can look at the situation of the steering column from the inside of the car. It may then become obvious as to what might be causing the column to be 'too long' from an internal perspective.

Out of interest, I did a search on this website for 'Left Hand Drive to Right Hand Drive Conversion' and read some old threads and there was mention of differences in LHD and RHD bulkheads on a couple of occasions.

 

[Pascal's pilot]

Hello all,

Thank you all so much for all the input.
After going to bed and thinking about the situation, I realise that I may have assumed to much.
When the doner car arrived it had the rack and column with it.
The column was fitted in the car.
The rack was inside the car.
So it is possible that this is a RHD rack from another version of the R4 or even an early R5.

I will still check out the column dash mounting point heights for interest.

I feel foolish now but by our mistakes we learn lessons never forgotten.

Cheers Dave

 

[Pascal's pilot]

Hi all,

I have checked the position of the steering column top mount on the dashboard, as per Chris's suggestion.



All a bit crude, but it does the job.

The white bar is resting on 2 heater mounting studs.

The lateral location is a little out (0.45cm). However, given that the securing plate inside the bracket can slide a 1cm either way, acceptable.

The gap between the measuring bar and the underside of the white bar is spot on at 1cm.

The height of the bracket out from the white bar at the highest point is also spot on at 2.5cm.

Now I have to source a matched pair of GTL steering column and rack, which I may have on my #3 R4 RHD GTL wreck. (from eBay last week).

Engine and gearbox out next, then onto the hand brake set up.

Cheers Dave

 

[Andy McGhee]

Dave
If you don't get what you need from the eBay R4, I might have a steering column and rack. The rack would need a rebuild, though!

 

[Pascal's pilot]

Thanks Andy, I will remember.

 

[mr-reno-139]

I seem to remember this problem when I converted the yellow peril to Rhd
The 845 steering rack and the 1108 GTL steering rack has a different length shaft between the flex disc and the rack body
I currently have a customers 11:08 GTL at my workshop if you want some measurements under the bonnet

 

[Pascal's pilot]

Hi Paul, thank you very much for your kind offer, I will remember.

I checked my #3R4 (wreck) this morning and it has the correct rack with a long neck, so I am fairly confident that the column + rack from this car will fit mine.

As you can imagine I am now awash with doors, widescreens and other excess R4 stuff.
I am going to use the 1108cc engine + gearbox from R4#3. (845cc now for sale)
There will be some doubles of some RHD stuff, disc stub axles and a rear axle set up + more.
Please keep this in mind.
Thank you for your interest.

regards Dave