Steering column lower bearing help!

Right, here is an interesting problem that im hoping someone can help me withAt the bottom of the steering column there is a bearing that sits in a nylon sleeve.  Now for some reason it keeps popping out which makes the steering wheel bang around the steering column and is quite obviously going to be an MOT failure and potentially dangerousWe have attempted to get it back in, with limited success, as it seems the nylon sleeve has worn a bit too much which is making it slip.  Turns out this sleeve and bearing is obsolete nowHas this happened to anyone else?  What can I do to fix it?  Any help with this would be great as it means the cabby can be back on the road within the next few weeks if I can get this fixed!

HELP!!!

lower bearing still showing as available on my etka, all the LHD only parts are NLA though!

171419517B - lower bearing - 3.22+VAT

which is this:
http://www.volkspares.co.uk/Shop/product_info.php?cPath=3621&products_id=9356&osCsid=f6a2ed53178c38c90bffbca44728d69e

nice how they think its ok to charge more than VW eh

Once again rubjonny, you have come to the rescue-you deserve a medalI would rather pay the cheaper VW price-do you have a part number for it so I can go and ask?

Hi yes I can also say that this part is still availble, I purchaced one last month from Wayside VW dealers in Milton Keynes, was under a fiver too.

Thats good to hear!  Dont suppose you still have the part number for it!?

yes its the part number in my first reply

 sorry rubjonny, I must be going blind!

Rang up the dealers today and ordered it.  9 left in the country and only cost 3.33 quid-result!

When fitting, is it just a case of pushing it in?  Only reason I ask is that the original one popped out again yeasterday and we had knocked it in with a hammer beforecf_emoticons__BangHead:

i dont think there is any special method to putting it in, but do you have the tension spring between the uj and column bearing? if not that may be why you have play and it keeps falling out?

there should be uj -> spring -> 'thrust ring' -> bearing above

the thrust ring and spring are nla im afraid

I stumbled across this a while back on Ebay, it's a retaining sleeve to hold the lower bearing in place. I guess this problem must be much more common in the US?!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170801024190?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Might be useful if the new bearing doesn't fix your problem.

Ahh I see.  All the other parts should still be there as we had only disconnected the linkages when we removed the steering rack in the engine bay.  It was weird as nothing came off when it was disconnected.  Only happened when we put the steering wheel back on to test the steering rack, CLUNK, what the hell was that-bearing had just popped out underneath and now wont stay in.  Nothing else had come off and we didnt have any spare items rolling around on the floor, so the rest of it must be there!  Bit of a pain to see properly as its bloomin awkward to see inside the steering column!

The collar thing was something we had already discussed as a way to fix it if the new bearing doesnt work!  Last resort hopefully

Arrrghhhhh…disaster!
Picked up the bearing tonight, all good and is the right one.  Went to my mates and had a look at the lower end of his steering column only to realize that my lower spring is missingcf_emoticons__BangHead:God knows how the bearing has stayed in for the last few years as we definitely  never removed itI had a look on ebay for lower steering column springs and got a couple of results, but one spring seems too long and the other seems too short!  Is the lower spring supposed to go through the bearing I have just bought?  As you can tell im very confused about this and could really do with a technical drawing or someone to explain it, as im really stuckPlease help!

spring part number is above

edit: hmm! I thought it was, but my post must have got lost! I said before that its actually the LHD spring which is NLA, the RHD one is available:
481419343B - spring - 2.22+VAT

oh and if you need the thrust ring, classic parts do it and you can order via heritage:
http://www.vwheritage.com/vw_act_vwclassicParts.search.htm?classicSearchText=171419539

Rubjonny you are an absolute legendSo all I need is this thrust ring and spring and thats it, no other parts needed?  The top part of the steering column is complete, its just the lower part thats causing all the issues!

if the thrust ring is missing aye, that plus the spring and bearign you all set

Excellent!  Have ordered the spring from VW (only 8 left in the country now) and am ordering the thrust ring from VWHeritage tonightRubjonny you have been a legend helping me out with all this stuff as well as all the stuff with the engine and electrics.  Dont know how to thank you properly, but if you are about at any of the mk1 shows I hopefully will go to this year, then there will be some cold beer waiting for you

no worries dude glad to help

Sorry for hi-jacking the thread but having now acquired the 3 parts mentioned I have a few questions about their fitting:
1:Thrust Ring
Which way round does it fit? does the narrower end fit onto the spring?
2: Bearing:
a/ VAG have provided me with 2 different parts I

does anyone know which part is the one I want? Secondly should these fit within the outer steering column as both are a very tight fit (and if so how far in) and the black one on the right has a metal collar which will restrict how far it can be inserted?

on the etka pic the thrust ring narrow end appears to fit into the bearing.

i cant see the pics can you host them somewhere? or email them to me at my username @lineone.net

the metal one appears to be 171419517B as per a google search which is the one you need if so, i dont know which way it goes but id assume you want the narrow end in first pushed in untill the lip hits the bottom of the column tube. then fit the column tube, then pop the thrust washer in to take up any play between the column and the bearing. then fit spring, then fit uj

Well i got round to fitting the new parts to the steering column, taking it to pieces was easy but putting it back together was a nightmare!  Anyway I think ive done it correctly, but would appreciate it if someone could tell me for definite-wink wink rubjonny