Anyone changed the Steering Spindle?

[NZ00Z3]

After fitting some grippy tyres (Goodyear Eagle F1 A3's) to Mora, I've got a twitchy steering at 60 mph with a small dead patch in the center. Mora has 110,000 miles on the clock and control arms, tie rods and front and rear bushings have all been done. So I'm putting the problem down to the rubber coupling on the steering spindle. It appears that they last about 100,000 miles or so before coming soft.

Link to clip on replacing the coupling on a E46 M3, shows new verse old
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=6&v=gYC-uPQjfgw

The picture attached show what the Z3 steering spindle looks like.

Has anyone changed the steering spindle?
How hard a job is it to do?

 

[pgunter]

Interesting as reading a few threads on other forums, they seem to think this could also be part of the tram lining issues too.. Strange but I can understand why they think it could be. What made you think it was needing to be replaced ?

@Lee thoughts ?

 

[the Nefyn cat]

Didn't actually change mine, but did take the whole lot out to get rid of the horrible graunching noise from the column (the lower bush needed a lot of lubrication). Seemed the easiest way was to take out the whole column, not a hard job apart from the shear-head bolts at the top of the column. Hammer and a centre punch, and a fair bit of patience got them out. Life is nicer with a well lubricated bush, I can tell you.

 

[NZ00Z3]

Priced the spindle and its a whopping NZ$750 or about 375 quid, so will be doing a detailed check of the old one before deciding to replace it or not.

The bottom end looks OK to get off, bu the top end is up at the fire wall and amongst the headers so will be a real bear to get to.

 

[the Nefyn cat]

That's why I took the whole thing out, it was still a pain getting the bottom off, many years of not being removed added up to a lot of stuckness. Didn't think I had much chance of getting the top joint undone and off, and I think I was right. Make sure you mark everything up, could also be a pain to re-align it all.