Saab SONETT III Service Manual page 110

Steering column and bearings
Disassembly
1. Disconnect the battery cable.
2. As from model 1971:
Pry off the signal contact with the fingers and dis-
connect the cable from the knob. Cut off the cable
which is winded round the lower part of the steer-
ing shaft about 6" below the rubber grommet in
the steering shaft.
Remove the rubber grommet for the cable from the
steering wheel shaft, unscrew the safety pad and
remove it together with the signal contact and the
upper part of the cable.
3. Unscrew the clamping screw at the joint on the
lower part of the steering wheel shaft.
4. Remove the covers of the steering column and take
the flasher- and windshield wiper switches away.
Remove the tape that keeps the cables to the steer-
ing wheel column.
5. Remove the ignition- and starter contact by un-
doing the two screws which can be reached from
the side of the steering wheel lock.
6.
Remove the buzzer contact. The contact is placed
to the right on the upper side of the steering wheel
lock and can be loosened with the fingers or if
necessary with a pair of polygrip pliers.
7.
Disconnect the instrument insert from the instru-
ment panel (pass the speedometer cable in from
the engine compartment), thus providing access to
the two retaining screws for the column stand and
enabling these to be removed. Note the washer
under the two screws.
peffe~eweie~~~ ,
8. As from model 1971:
Remove the strip which keeps the steering column
to the cross support. It is necessary to remove only
the left hand side screw and nut. Fold back the
strip (3/8" nut).
9.
Pull the steering wheel shaft out of the steering
gear pinion. The steering column is now loose and
can be removed from the car.
10.
Clamp the lower part of the steering wheel shaft
in a vice and remove the steering wheel. Remove
the actuator with a screw driver.
11. Make sure that the steering wheel lock is free and
pull the steering column stand upwards. It might
be necessary to pry off the lower rubber bushing
with a screwdriver to loosen the steering column.
Reassembly
1. Check that the steering wheel shaft bush ings are
correctly mounted in the grooves of the rubber
bushings. Mount the upper bushing in the steering
column. (The arrow should point towards the steer-
ing wheel.)
2. Push the steering wheel shaft into the steering co-
lumn and mount the lower bushing in the column.
Lock the steering wheel lock and check that the
lock plunger enters the twist stop.
3. As from model 1971:
Prepare the mounting of the signal cable by putting
a steel wire in the steering shaft.
4. Refit the column in the car and connect the steer-
ing shaft to the steering gear pinion. (The front
wheels should be al igned straight ahead.) Attach
the steering column with the two screws. Do not
forget the washer under the two screws.
5. Adjust the spline connection at the steering shaft
joint and fit and tighten the clamping screw. (As
from model 1971 the earth cable must be connected
to the clamping screw.)
6. Check that there is a clearance between the steering
column and the flange of the steering shaft. Tighten
the two screws for the steering column. As from
model 1971: refit also the strip around the steering
column.
7. Refit the instrument insert (pull the speedometer
cable back into the engine compartment).
8. Refit the flasher and windshield wiper switches and
fix the cables to the steering column with tape.
9. Refit the ignition- and starter contact a d the buzz-
er contact.
10. Refit the actuator so that its center line coincides
with that of the switch housing when the wheels
are aligned straight ahead. The actuator should be
fitted so that it is situated about 1 mm below the
tooth of the switch.
WARNING
Make sure that the actuator is not fitted so far down
that it can damage the switch for the windshield
wipers (model 1970).
11. Refit the covers for the steering column and f it the
steering wheel. Refit the washers $o there is a clear-
ance between the steering wheel and the covers.
12. As from model 1971:
Pull the cable for the signal contact through the
center hole of the safety pad and the earth cable
clip of the signal contact. Then pull cable through
Nov. 1972
SAAB 641-2