Arent these a fun item for interchange..
Hows about anything that people are confused with just ask me if i can explain..
ok..to keep this relatively simple we will only be dealing with manual or auto floorshift type steering columns...mostly refered to as blank columns...
HQ..there is technically 2 types of blank columns for hq...first style spans 1971 to 1973 and maybe early 74 but ive never verified that.
differences are only in the plastic blanking shroud and its associated mounting bracket on the earler columns..in the pics below you can buy a new shroud from rares fro the late hq and the hj to wb but not the early hq..i will be posting a pic of the early column mount bracket but the nuclear reactor on my camera ran out.
Top ignition pot is the same hq and hj and so is the ignition barrel and the cog and rack n rod..
HQ columns do not have the floor mounting plate welded to them rather they go through a rubber seal in the floor mounting plate.
HJ..the hj column has a different shroud to the hq but is the same shroud as hx hz and wb commercial..
the top ignition pot and ignition barrel is the same as hq and the column mounts through the floor plate the same as hq.the blinker switch is the same as hq..
HX..the hx column changes a bit from hj..the main column is welded to the floor mounting plate,so no more rubber..the top pot also changes because of the blinker switch which has the wipers mounted to it.so it has a large square cut out..the ignition barrel is the same as hq and hj..
HZ..the hz column is exactly the same as hx except for the whole top pot where the ignition barrel goes in changes and it has its own unique ignition barrel and top pot from hq hj hx..with the ignition barrel in the top pot it is easily to identify from hx...hx is chrome with double finger hook and hz wb is black with single finger hook.
WB..is the same as hz in every sense except it has a hole for a hazard light knob sticking out the left side of the pot and the actual blinker rocker mechanism is different because of the hazards..
The blinker switch mechanism/wiring is the same from hq to hz and will accept the hq hj arm and also the hx hz wiper/switch arm..wb is different because of the hazard light switch..
Ignition block which is attached to the side of the column and your wiring plugs into it all interchange..
the cog and rack and rod are the same hq hj hx and then changes for hz wb.....note in the pic that the straight cut teeth is hz wb and the angle cut is hq hj hx..
There is a couple of reasons for columns not working correctly..the columns are collapsible in 2 places..the outer casing which has a mesh that collapses and the inner shaft which has a plastic pin that breaks so it will collapse..hitting the centre shaft with a hammer to get the steering wheel off will damage a column..always use a puller..
If your whole top pot is moving side to side it will either have loose screws that hold the ignition housing pot to the column or the column is cracked and and the metal is splitting...
When putting a steering column back together the most common problem is that the centre shaft has moved downwards and you will not be able to get the circlip to where it should clip in..to fix this problem get some vice grips and pull the shaft up..in my experience more than 90 per cent of columns are damaged in one way or another but its all fixable..
When removing a column always undo everything at the bottom first especially in hx hz wb as they are a welded plate to the floor and when you undo the 4 bolts under the dash on these the weight will bow the column which is collapsing the mesh..
Pic above is the mesh section which is designed to collapse..this one is rooted.
Pic above is of the mounting part for the pot and where it will start to crack and seperate..
Pic above is where it will seperate as well and it will also crack sideways in more extreme cases..
Pic above is the centre shaft that i am refering to and these 2 are both hq to wb centre shafts except one is partly collapsed which of course becomes a problem if you are trying to put a column back together..
Pic above is the plastic pin refered to that breaks and allows the centre shaft to collapse into itself..
Pic above is shown as this is usually how much you are short when the column wont go back together..
Pic above is the difference between a hq to hz and a wb blinker switch..the one on the right is wb and has the provision for the hazard light switch knob..
This picture above is a shot of the top pot of the steering column and is what it looks like when you remove your blinker switch to undo or tighten the screws i was talking about earlier...but it is also how you remove the ignition..see the slot?...you need to stick a steak knife or small screwdriver into this with the key in the off..not lock but off position...barrel should come out...if not hold tongue in a different position and persevere with it..
This picture above is what happens when you let your mate (who has no friggin idea..onya george)... try to fix your top bearing by bashing the utter crap out of it...one very collapsed column..
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