Help, can't mount my steering wheel ...

Hi all,

Upon overhauling/mounting my steering column I must have done something wrong …
Because of this the steering axle won"t stick out enough to mount my steering wheel on.

It sticks out barely two centimeters, just enough to screw the bolt on.

I checked both the knuckle joints (interior and exterior), and I don't have enough material left to pul the axles back.

So I don't get it, what am I doing wrong … ? Hope someone can explain this …

Here are two images that wil hopefully clarify … (sorry can't seem to put in an image directly …)

https://goo.gl/photos/JKS4JvPqYUBSquas8

https://goo.gl/photos/Z7xesitdGtyx8FvPA Thx!!
 

It looks as if it is assembled incorrectly.  I have never seen the lower spring past the inside of the steering tube.  It's supposed to be internal to support the shaft and on impact it allows the inner shaft to collapse on itself to avoid crushing chest injuries.



What I have found over the years is that replacing the shaft as you remove the upper spring from behind the wheel, the shaft will collapse on itself "magically"  so when you go back there is insufficient area to get the spring and clip back on at the top.

What I have done to prevent this is to place the nut back on the shaft and pull on the nut with pliers to "pull" the shaft back out.
I then use a flat blade screw driver and place it in the lower ujoint, placing a block of wood between the floor and the screw driver to act as a fulcrum to lever the shaft and to keep it up while I place the screw driver on it.

I think that your bottom spring is on wrong, and should be up the shaft held in place buy the lower bearing assembly.

On the Vortex somewhere there is a thread about rebuilding the shaft…

here is a early shaft


here is a later shaft

Great tips Briano, (also on vwvortex   ) will try them asap and keep you posted!
On friday the earliest …

Problem solved!

See my full reply at VWVortex http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?8015673-Help-can-t-mount-my-steering-wheel

Thanks for the help!

Glad it worked for you.  
Cheers on updating to close the issue.