A little background, it’s at the end of an eps motor worm shaft:
The worm wheel is plastic so heat is probably not an option. The cover is a little more than 1/16" thick, so I doubt I can pry it open.
Any ideas on how to get this thing open?
If anyone is wondering why I’m considering opening this, it’s because I have a bad $1 bearing right inside that opening that I’m hoping to gain access to. If I can’t, it’s at least $1000 for an entire steering column.
I think, though, with the thickness of the material. I’d have to use a pretty heavy duty/thick pry bar, which would most likely require grinding the tabs all the way down. Once the cover slides up and down, I think the only way to re-attach it would be welding, which, if I had to walk it somewhere to do, I can do, but, I’m hoping for less grinding and less walking
The cover plate can be welded onto, but the housing is cast aluminum.
You posted a video last week of the noisy power steering motor, you may find the noise is from the gears. If you don’t have a second vehicle, don’t take this one apart.
Sorry, I was trying to keep the photos to a minimum so it might be hard to see. The tabs that keep the covers in place are cast into the larger housing below the cover. This might show it better:
Cast aluminum? Yikes! Are you sure? That changes things. If I start trying to pry the crimp steel lengths, that aluminum is going to give long before the steel moves. At the same time, though, being aluminum, it should be a lot easier to cut the cover off.
The noise matches up exactly with this:
And this is the worm bearing. I can even put my ear towards the housing, and, while it’s not a perfect test, I get more rubbing near the smaller bearing end then near the big bearing- or towards the gears in the middle.
If the gears are toast, then it will be in the same state after I replace the bearing. Then I’ll need to spend the $1000 for the entire steering column, but I think it’s still worth it to try and replace the bearing.
I was going to say to use a vice or press to pry the tabs apart but not if cast and would break. I think I would consider using a dremil to cut the slots away. Looks like about a quarter inch top and bottom on one or both to free the bracket. Then on reassembly spot weld it together again.
Or as said grind the tabs off and if thick enough drill and tap for a couple short bolts with a bracket or tap on the edges of just the bracket to reassemble. Then you aren’t disturbing the housing at all. If you get my drift. It’ll make it a piece of cake to take it apart again. That’s why we all collect tools.
How about grinding off the top part of the piece that is pressed together and then bending the bottom as you pull the top parts apart enough to get it off? Then press them back together and tack weld both sides at the top when you put it back together.
I agree with Nevada in his #6 post, The slots in the cover plate were crushed to retain the cover plate. You can pry the slots open. Look very closely to the top of the plate in the picture, the metal is very thin there…
Yeah maybe if you just cut one end of the slot loose, that would be enough to pry it open enough. Then tack weld it back together again. Assuming that bracket is steel not aluminum. But aluminum can be welded too but will cost ya.
I was thinking about this. The worm shaft inside this marries to the eps motor above it with a spring. It’s not a lot of force, but there’s a little force pressing against the cover. There’s also the vibration of the car. While I think the present connection appears a bit overkill, jb weld might not be quite up to the task.
It’s also my power steering. If the jb weld failed, I don’t think it would be catastrophic, but… the worm shaft could shift and maybe jam the wheel- at that point, it wouldn’t be a case of no power steering/hard to steer, but no steering at all.
The way the cover is connected might seem to be overkill, but there’s a safety factor involved.
I’m trying get the cover off so I can replace a bearing that’s right behind it. It’s one of two bearings on the shaft. The bearing is making a rubbing noise. If it were just me, I’d probably live with it, but I drive for Uber and it’s just loud enough that it’s got to go.
And, even though it’s one of two bearings, and might not be all that critical to the functioning of the part, it makes me a little nervous knowing that the bearing is bad.
This shows the bearing and the plastic bearing cover that slides around it (that, when removed, allows clearance for a puller).
My car is a 2010 and that video is at least 2018 or later, but I really don’t think the inner wormshaft workings changed during that time. I’m 99.9% certain that all that changed was the outer cover (the newer outer cover just screws on). My housing even has a hole in the side wall that accommodates a small screw/plug that keeps the plastic cover in place like the new one has.
I was just thinking through the nature of a worm shaft. As the shaft applies force to the wheel, it’s going to want to push through that hole- hence the overkill cover attachment. I need a sturdy reconnection.
One nice thing is there there’s definitely some space around the end of this when it’s in place, so if I wanted to build on to it (maybe some kind of bracket), I can.
I can’t run a C clamp across the entire housing- but, perhaps I can come up with something along those lines.
