Stripped steering bolt from overtightening

[VS Omega]

Hi all,

When tightening my steering bolt for the last time (it is the last time now damnit) to straighten the boss kit I tightened the bolt too much, now it turns easily and I can't make it tight or get the thing off.

Is it safe to leave it like that? The wheel feels a bit loose (not extreme but noticable) but I don't want to drive if the damned wheel is going to fall off in my hands or will get loose over time. I can't undo the nut to get it off, if it needs to be fixed urgently is it easy to get the threaded bolt thing off and put a replacement in or a nightmare?

Regards

[vsl67]

Its a bit risky leaving it like that,probaly best to replace the steering shaft I dont think its to hard but more fiddley

[Doctor Bob]

i take it you mean the nut holding the steering wheel on??
depending on if the shaft is stripped or the nut, try pulling on the wheel while taking undoing it

[VS Omega]

Yep the steering wheel nut, is it possible I just stripped the nut or it's likely they're both destroyed? :/

Reckon it would be safe to drive 4km to work and back until I can get it sorted properly?

[Adamvr93]

most likely they are both destroyed.. though you might be able to clean the the thread on the shaft up with a die nut but if the nut is turning without getting tighter i'd say both threads are ruined..
i've never changed this part so i cant help you there but i definately wouldnt drive the car like that for your own safety as well as everyone else on the road.

[VrWagz1]

If your lucky its just the nut, but it is usually always the shaft that will strip. But if holden was smart they may have made the nut a lower tensile than the shaft and the nut may have stripped.

[the_duke]

hi mate,

It is more than likely that it is both!

But you might be in luck!
Where abouts are you from? (send me a pm)

I can give you a hand and if its just the nut, We can always make something up. Are you using the standard Holden steering wheel?

Thanks mate

[VS Omega]

It's a boss kit with an aftermarket steering wheel, I'm just going to get a replacement shaft (actually saving to get a whole spare parts car). I think the thread is gone only for the bottom part of the shaft if that makes sense, like this crappy example below:

*----- <---- shaft

* = damaged thread
--- = thread which is still OK

Like only the part where the nut is, is what's gone but the thread before the end is OK - I've got an idea: how about getting another nut and sticking it on top for now so I can drive the car around, the nut which is stripped would be like a thick washer and the second nut would be the one holding it on securely? like this new even more confusing text illustration:

*()---

the * is the stripped bolt still in place
the () is the new temporary nut
--- is the thread

I want to get a whole spare parts car because there's a few things I need and it'd be more cost efficient but I'd have to wait until tax time

[Adamvr93]

It's a boss kit with an aftermarket steering wheel, I'm just going to get a replacement shaft (actually saving to get a whole spare parts car). I think the thread is gone only for the bottom part of the shaft if that makes sense, like this crappy example below:

*----- <---- shaft

* = damaged thread
--- = thread which is still OK

Like only the part where the nut is, is what's gone but the thread before the end is OK - I've got an idea: how about getting another nut and sticking it on top for now so I can drive the car around, the nut which is stripped would be like a thick washer and the second nut would be the one holding it on securely? like this new even more confusing text illustration:

*()---

the * is the stripped bolt still in place
the () is the new temporary nut
--- is the thread

I want to get a whole spare parts car because there's a few things I need and it'd be more cost efficient but I'd have to wait until tax time

if you cant unscrew the nut try cutting it in half with an angle grinder but make sure you dont cut all the way down to the thread incase the shaft is still okay... then get a chisel and hammer and break the nut apart by bashing it (should come apart pretty easy) then you can try to clean he thread on the shaft up and buy a new nut for it.