Steering Column shearbolt help

[Koizumi]

The two shearbolts behind the tach keep coming loose after a week or two; consequently causing the steering wheel to rock side to side when turning. I have no idea how to to tighten them. Bentley has let me down, too. I've been using my fingers to turn the 2 bolts (they're round on top!??). Do I have to take the wheel off to get at them from underneath?

[DRACO A5OG]

Post a pic,

If you are talking about the plastic shroud, wheel needs to be removed to get access the four mounting screws. The to side screws are to keep the two halves together, be careful not to over torque those or the plastic mounts will strip and just spin as you tighten.

[jsveb]

I am not a hundred percent in this, but I think, if these bolts do not hold up as supposed to, you have to drill them out and install some new shear bolts.

According to the factory manual during disassembly this is what you do to remove the steering column.

Good luck

[Koizumi]

Thanks for the responses thus far. I can tell you gents that when I turn them real tight (from behind the tach), the wheel has no side2side play. I'm not referring to the plastic shroud. These 2 bolts seem to bolt the column down to prevent it from moving when turning the wheel. They keep the column 'put' so to speak. I changed the steering wheel a few weeks ago, and I noticed that after a week or two, these 2 bolts were loose. When I tightened them, the column solidly stays put when exerting lots of steering force (like during a 3 point turn in a tight street, etc). I'll take pics tomorrow in the daytime. These 2 bolts are right behind the tach on the bottom.

[911ish]

I'm not sure what everyone else is talking about or how they have interpreted your post. Nonetheless, the shear bolts that secure the column to the dash can't be easily accessed without first removing the dash (and thus the windshield). You can see them when you remove the tach, but that's all I have been able to do in that position - look at them.

Additionally, the shear bolts are not easily tightened even when you do have access to them and thus you aren't applying the appropriate amount of torque to keep them "put". I would suggest that you remove your dash, replace the shear bolts with some hex or allen head bolts and apply generous amounts of loc-tite to the threads before install. I have searched high and low and have not been able to source the original shear bolts for either the 73- years or the 74+ years. On the original shear bolts, once they are properly torqued, the head will snap off and voila.

[Two Rivers]

Just replace them with standard bolts. They where a poor mans anti theft device from the factory. Not sure what they where thinking. Must of had a lot of car thefts and figured this was a easy way to keep an on-est man on-est

[RWebb]

use vise-grips

unless you own a pair of vice-grips

[Fishcop]

Originally Posted by Two Rivers

Just replace them with standard bolts. They where a poor mans anti theft device from the factory. Not sure what they where thinking. Must of had a lot of car thefts and figured this was a easy way to keep an on-est man on-est

Ditto. Use M8 socket/allen heads and nylock nuts.

[Koizumi]

I do own vise grips (amongst other tools) but there isn't any room to get at these bolts!

I'll slap in some M8s in there after drilling them out. It is quite odd that Porsche installed them.

Cheers