Steering Column tube Grommet install

[Airedale]

Anyone have any advise on how to get grommet to stay put when installing tube through grommet and firewall. If the procedure is easy it has escaped me so far. Thanks

[rcroane]

Is it a tight squeeze (I've never attempted this before)? If so, maybe some lubricant on the grommet will help?

Or could you secure the grommet in place with some tape while pushing the column through?

Or both of the above?

[panicman]

I think I may have used a tiny bit of dish soap. Also, I twisted back and forth as I pushed it through, and that helped.
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Plate of shrimp

[carcrazed]

It is a PIA since the grommet fits tight around the column. X2 on the dish soap and maybe spread some on the column itself also.
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1965 Herbie Replica. 1776cc dual Kads.
1961 Beetle 33,000 Original Miles

"Just When you think you are getting ahead, you're always wrong."

[61SNRF]

No, not easy at all!

I suppose if one had the tube powder coated or applied a heavy layer of paint it could make it worse to start off with?

Recently put a WCM seal in a '64 and do recall struggling with it and it took several practice try's to finally get installed.

If you put the seal in the hole first, push the tube through and the seal pops out
Put the seal on the tube first no way can you work the lip into the hole all the way around

-No question you pretty much have to have the gas tank out.
-Put the seal in the firewall hole clean and dry.
-Lube only the outside of the tube and center portion of the seal. Your choice for lube, but thick and heavy is best, you don't want it to creep in and loosen the dry firewall/rubber edges of the seal. Straight liquid soap, white grease, McKay assembly lube, KY etc.
-From inside the car, slowly work the tube into the seal a little at a time with some force while counter-holding the seal from dislodging from the tank side. Use a small seal pick to work the end of the tube into first few mm's of the tube into the seal if needed.
-Once the end of the tube is started, rather than pushing the tube into the seal, you instead from the tank side push the seal towards the inside of the car over the tube a little at a time until you get past the halfway point. Because the fitting has to be tight and weather resistant, you are essentially compressing the rubber to a calculated degree, so expect some resistance.

Hope this helps...
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-Bruce

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

[Airedale]

Thanks, With all the advice and lots of patience I finally got it.

[Roman Peasant]

Just fit one today. Install the grommet though the hole with no lube. This is important
Next lubricate the bottom of the metal steering column with Windex (glass cleaner is a good temporary rubber lubricant as it leaves no residue. You do not want to get silicone etc on the outer grommet face)
With fuel tank removed, have a helper put upward pressure on the grommet with BOTH HANDS from the front compartment.
Next slowly wriggle the column back and forth from inside the car whilst applying gently downward pressure. The helper will stop the grommet from popping out.
If a part of the seal does not seat properly wait until the glass cleaner has evaporated and use gentle upward pressure on the column with a small pick around the steal to make it seat properly.
Hope all this makes sense!