vento top steering columb bush replacement on non adjustable steering

[dave huggy]

Hi all, recently bought a 1994 1.8 vento auto with fixed steering wheel, for use at my holiday home, there is lots of play in steering wheel,at the top, back and forth,just wondered what kind of job it is to replace top columb bush.hoping to buy parts whilst I am presently in uk

[Crasher]

You have to remove the wheel (presumably no air bag on yours?), remove the upper and lower cowls and then remove the column switches. Then you will encounter a splined bush that is pressed onto the column with a spring below, this bush has to be extracted with a puller. Then you can remove the steering column upper bearing housing which is also the ignition lock, switch and barrel housing. The bearing is not replaceable separately so this will mean a new housing, the bush on the shaft never wears but it would be good to fit a new one anyway. The housing contains the lock barrel and the ignition switch, I suggest you fit a new ignition switch whilst you are in there. You will have to remove the lock barrel from the housing and this requires some careful drilling in a very exact position, this is shown in the Haynes manual I think. I suggest you only buy the parts genuine, pattern lock housings are rubbish in my experience as are the 6N type ignition switches.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd20/Crasher1964/Golf3lockunit.jpg