Steering Column Shaft Re-Install
 

Hi guys,

Long story short, my technician disassembled it to install the headers. It's not going back in now. Is there a special or proper way/tool to install this back together?


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...0225434a0.jpeg


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...97233471b.jpeg

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...c80fceb01.jpeg

Alright, got this done! Apparently I had to knock it a few times and give it some strength. Mercedes didn't want to be treated with love.

Then another problem happened, steering electric is not responding and the airbag is on even after driving. I installed the tune after that and still the same. It didn't go away so its not a tune issue.

Any suggestions?


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...81eee5ba3.jpeg

That's not where I disconnected mine, good luck getting that back in the correct spot now.

Yeah ditto. I think there's a special way you need to get that aligned. A little lower on the shaft is a one-bolt knuckle where the shaft slides easily out horizontally, and then back in only one way.

Why would you align anything? All you do is push the universal back onto the spline far enough so that you can get the bolt to pass through in the groove area of the shaft. Easy Peasy.

OP, I'm betting something else got disconnected and not reconnected after the header install and that is why you are getting the messages. Or maybe someone nicked a wire?

Because that's not where most people disconnect the shaft. Underneath the car, right near the headers, is a bolt on the steering column where the shaft slides in and out only one way - there are no splines to align there. If you look at the picture above (which looks nothing like where I and many others usually disconnect the column from), it appears the shaft was separated at a different point, where the splines could be realigned in about a hundred different ways. At least that's how I'm seeing it.

OK, I get it, the alignment you are talking about aligns the steering wheel. Still no biggie, just push it on, check the steering wheel and move it a spline over until you get the steering wheel centered. But it sounds like your way is better. I installed headers on my 2006 Vette 10 years ago and I took off the spline like the OP. Only took me a couple of tries to get the steering wheel centered.

Thanks everyone. I sorted it out last night already. (see my second reply). No alignment is needed and the car drives straight with no problem.

Now there is another problem which you can see in reply #2. Any one have any idea? :D

I gave an idea on your problem, either something didn't get plugged back in or a wire could have been nicked. I don't believe in coincidences, so I'm betting your header install and this problem are somehow related.

I think thats the code that comes up when the airbag sensor is disconnected. It has to be cleared through the OBD. Same thing happened when I took out my seat.

Time for a trip to the dealer or someone with Star Das or Xentry for a SRS reset.

glennhl,

Thanks man. I looked under the steering area and all is intact and connected. I'll put the car on a lift on Monday and check.

I made a quick stop at the dealer nearby and he just hooked some device and the results are below.


https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...a006b126c.jpeg

I will see underneath the car if I got something disconnected by mistake. Any possible connection in specific area related to this to check?

Did you remove the steering wheel for any reason? Looks like your airbag is not hooked up properly.

I didn't remove the steering wheel. Just the steering column.

Just an update, the clock spring somehow got broken :( so I'll be replacing that and get this sorted. The part won't arrive till end of this week at least. Thanks for your inputs guys.

Hi mate. Sorry to resurrect post. But did a replacement Clock spring sort this issue? I have exact same problem.

Cheers
Tel

Airbag issue.
 

Did you disconnect the battery before any of this work started ?

Hey I’m having this problem right now, can’t that thing back in there, so you just forced it on?