Dodgey Dave

Hey Red90... Please read the posts, it's not as simple as just ringing up and ordering it. SKF did recognise the part by dimensions (*NOT* a standard size) and it was they who told me it was likely to be a "Protected Product" only able to be supplied to the OEM... That would be LR, or whoever made the column assemblies for them, if outsourced. DD

Cheers Jim, but I wonder if that's actually a true metric part, as though close, those dimensions don't stack up in a way that would fit I think. It's half a mm to large on the OD, and a sniff too small on the ID. Now, I know a bloke with a lathe, but he's a bit crook these days. It's always a posiblility though.... I've also noticed, that the inner shaft seems to have changed over the years, the newer columns have the inner shaft, "wasted" somewhat over most of it's length. The older parts are much more chunky, more like small car drive shafts! I've also had a more favorable quote for a new entire column, though at £140+ Vat etc, it'd still be a drain on resources.... More news as it happens. Cheers All. DD

Oh how I just wish it was that simple... It's an odd mix of sizes. I've just extracted another failed part (with great dificulty, as the circlip had rusted in, and both ends of that broke off!) and very carefully measured it. It works out at 1.4" OD, 7/8" (0.875") ID, and 3/8" (0.375") width. Sadly, having also just gone square eye'd searching several on line suppliers, no joy. However, I also found a site that say they specialise in odd, obsolete and old types, so an email has been bunged off to them. http://www.obsolete-bearings.com/ Any progress, will keep all informed. DD

Les, Jim. Thanks for the replies. Sadly, bearing suppliers are not of any help, they tell me it's a non standard part, and/or a protected part too, so even if they had them, they are obliged to only sell them to the OEM, in this case LR or whoever make the columns for them (it's not Adwest, I've already talked to them)... The bearing that came out, has no identifying markings on it whatsoever, making things even more dificult. Jim, your post on March the 10'th, shows the exact same part I'm after. Interesting you had one with markings ("22/36 2RS made in W Germany") so I'll try looking that up. I have obtained yet another complete column from the Finmere sort out on Saturday, and that one seems to turn freely, but noisily too, so that bearing is starting to go on that too... Well, it is another old one... But it is free running for the moment. If I find a source, I'll report back here. Seems there might be a market for them, if I find some... Cheers all.. DD

Hi All... Anyone know of a source of replacement bearings for the lower end of the main steering column on a early Defender? (Pre 91) Item 30 specificaly. The manual shows and details a procedure to strip the column and replace both top and bottom bearings, but I can only find a part number for the entire assembly (and that's expensive!) I'd idealy like to fit a fully sealed part, not just dust sealed as the original. (Why fit something like that to a "multi purpose" vehicle, defies logic, unless your from the darker parts of Brum I guess?) The thing (bearing) seems to be a non standard size (no surprise there then) so general bearing factors can't help, they tell me. It may even be a mad mix of imperial and metric, 7/8ths inch inside dia, about 35mm OD, and about 10mm wide. So far, I've had three "good used" assemblies pass my way, all have the same problem, that bearing is seized, the shaft turnning within the inner race. Eventualy, that too galls and seizes up. Mine went while going round a corner & I couldnt unwind the thing for a couple of minutes, and only then just made it round the block to park up again! It's most definately the bearing, I've stripped the column, and confirmed it, on at least two units now. Any ideas? Cheers All... DD