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Lind
Samba Member
Joined: November 06, 2000
Posts: 9915
Location: idaho
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 Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2020 8:57 am Post subject: Broken steering column |
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I had the good fortune to borrow a '51 panelvan last summer. I drove it about 800km through Europe. It drove just fine for me, but right after I dropped it off, the owner went to drive it into his warehouse, and the steering column broke in two. I feel lucky that it didn't happen a few KMs before when I was driving at speed.
I recently talked to a friend who had the exact same thing happen to him on his '52 bus. Not rusty, it just snapped.
Both were early BDs with the separate box and column. Both columns broke in the middle, not at the end or the junction.
Has anyone else had this happen or heard of this? I am a bit concerned as I don't want this to happen on my '50.
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busben
Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2008
Posts: 527
Location: Somerset, UK
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| Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2020 3:05 pm Post subject: Re: Broken steering column |
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Wow! Lind! No experience of this personally but that’s a pretty scary thought ...... especially with the various modified, big engined, early buses out there on the roads using stock front ends  |
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andre b
Samba Member
Joined: August 10, 2004
Posts: 806
Location: San Jose C.A.
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| Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2020 4:49 pm Post subject: Re: Broken steering column |
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| yep.my 52 steering rod snapped. I want to say almost half way point.luckily i was only going up a driveway,i think the pressure of the angle and the stiff front springs might have something to do with it,and is it just my barndoors..lol or do all the barndoors have a really stiff front end? |
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Scotty
Samba Member
Joined: July 02, 2003
Posts: 1531
Location: Northampton - Uk
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| Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 6:16 am Post subject: Re: Broken steering column |
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First I've heard of this, you got me worried now!
| andre b wrote: |
| do all the barndoors have a really stiff front end? |
Given the square cross section of BD torsion leaves (due them all being the same size) I suspect they do. There is obviously a reason why vw changed the torsion leaves on later buses to the star cross section with different sized leaves
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| EverettB wrote: |
I'd be curious to know the length of his tip.
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andre b
Samba Member
Joined: August 10, 2004
Posts: 806
Location: San Jose C.A.
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| Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 6:25 am Post subject: Re: Broken steering column |
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| Scotty wrote: |
First I've heard of this, you got me worried now!
| andre b wrote: |
| do all the barndoors have a really stiff front end? |
Given the square cross section of BD torsion leaves (due them all being the same size) I suspect they do. There is obviously a reason why vw changed the torsion leaves on later buses to the star cross section with different sized leaves |
makes sense.my 53 kombi rides ok but still a stiff ride,i grease the crap out of too.the steering pin bushing is wore out and dreading pulling the front beam.if there's a way to put a later beam in lets see it?oh and deferentially not lowered ones,lol |
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Lowdown Dirty Rat
Samba Member
Joined: June 25, 2005
Posts: 878
Location: Cornwall, UK
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| Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 1:31 pm Post subject: Re: Broken steering column |
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You got me freakin’ out 
But I have a split beam in my Barndoor so softer leaves. Tell me I’m not going to die
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Mr. OGPaint
Samba Member
Joined: September 24, 2010
Posts: 823
Location: Oregon
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| Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 7:54 pm Post subject: Re: Broken steering column |
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WOW!!! Hearing about 3 failures just here in this thread, SCARRY!! Thats an extremely high failure rate for such a critical part. Sound like they've all been with the 2 piece steering column systems.
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In aviation we would send items like that out for a full NDI (non-destructive inspection), Magnaflux or etc looking for hairline cracks and corrosion pitting on the inside and out. These Services are available at many machine shops.....of course an upgraded column of some sort could be a better option.
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Patrick Hall |
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Lind
Samba Member
Joined: November 06, 2000
Posts: 9915
Location: idaho
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| Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2020 6:42 am Post subject: Re: Broken steering column |
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| Mr. OGPaint wrote: |
WOW!!! Hearing about 3 failures just here in this thread, SCARRY!! Thats an extremely high failure rate for such a critical part. Sound like they've all been with the 2 piece steering column systems.
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In aviation we would send items like that out for a full NDI (non-destructive inspection), Magnaflux or etc looking for hairline cracks and corrosion pitting on the inside and out. These Services are available at many machine shops.....of course an upgraded column of some sort could be a better option. |
Just two failures, Andre was the second one that I referred to in the original post.
I like your idea on the NDI. I don't know why I didn't think of that since I have a little experience with that from when I was a building inspector. We would do magnafluxing, and dye penetrant. There is also the good old ring it like a bell test also.
Both failures happened at slow speeds, which makes sense since the steering input has more stress on it the lower the speed.
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55samba
Samba Member
Joined: June 21, 2002
Posts: 805
Location: CA Bay Area
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| Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2020 10:35 pm Post subject: Re: Broken steering column |
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| Probably a 2 piece shaft friction welded. That is a common manufacturing process. |
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CaLiBus
Samba Member
Joined: May 27, 2011
Posts: 1097
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| Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2020 4:26 pm Post subject: Re: Broken steering column |
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So Lind, what did you decide to do? pics?  |
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Lind
Samba Member
Joined: November 06, 2000
Posts: 9915
Location: idaho
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| Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 6:24 am Post subject: Re: Broken steering column |
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| CaLiBus wrote: |
| So Lind, what did you decide to do? pics? |
we are going to inspect the column, and test it. Probably magnaflux it, definitely ring it like a bell and see if it makes a live sound or a dead sound.
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