S13 Steering Wheel Shaft adjustment question

[DiscountPirate]

This is on a rhd S13 Silvia but pretty sure it's same thing as 240sx. Everything is stock and I am using the OEM steering wheel. I am just trying to get the actual steering column shaft and lower knuckle adjusted and spaced properly.
Starting at the steering rack there is the knuckle joint to the lower steering shaft. Where the knuckle fits on the steering shaft splines is it supposed to be aligned with the flat spot facing the opening where the bolt is? On the rack splines is there a divot or flat spot that needs to be aligned with the knuckle? How do you know how deep to insert the steering shaft into the knuckle? When I push the adjust the shaft deeper or more shallow into knuckle it moves the whole shaft in or out at the top where the steering wheel mounts. There at the top is a bearing and a C clip to hold shaft against it. When I look at diagrams it appears that there are 4 round pieces at that area, but I can't identify them, so I'm not sure if I might be missing a spacer or washer or something. How can you make sure the shaft is at right place in the housing to eliminate in and out play?

[DiscountPirate]

I found a diagram that explains alignment for the lower knuckle, but nothing for the top part. The lower knuckle is supposed to be put on rack with open slit lined up with a metal tab on the rack, and then the upper part of the knuckle is supposed to be inserted with the flat part of shaft facing the open slit by bolt. I didn't see any details about adjusting in and out play in the upper part of the shaft.

[projectsupra]

The lower two piece shaft should be easily collapsible (for accidents) and needs no adjustment, just pull it to mate to the upper U-joint, the steering column bolted to the car shouldn't move axially.

Only good pic I have of mine before I installed it all.

https://i.imgur.com/lnaZQG0.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/tDGi1FL.jpg?1

[DiscountPirate]

OK Thanks for pics for clarification. I understand aligning the lower knuckle to rack, but if I remove the upper knuckle bolt and slide the shaft up and down in the knuckle it does not stop or seat in the knuckle. I do not see mark on knuckle or shaft indicating how to far to insert. Only reason I am asking is because if I have it fully inserted as far as possible, the limiting factor is the Circlip at the bearing up by the splines, and I get a little steering wheel rubbing on the plastic column housing. If pull it back a little to clear the housing, there is a few mm of space between circlip and bearing and it appears there is enough spline engagement into the knuckle, so I was just trying to confirm if whether my assumptions were correct.

[DiscountPirate]

I just realised something that may be part of the confusion. Your column has the secondary knuckle up by firewall (with solid bushing), and lower down it looks to be collapsible. This is on an S13 1990 Silvia RHD and my shaft has an additional bushing where your collapsible boot is. My 89 hatch also has same exact type of column. Must be a zenki thing but I don't know if that changes procedures.

[DiscountPirate]

PROBLEM SOLVED:
My issue was that the C clip by upper bearing I kept referring had popped out of it's groove and moved up the shaft about an inch. It wasn't until I inspected with a flashlight that I saw it was not seated, so I just put it back in the groove and upper shaft does not slide anymore. The lower shaft has maybe an inch of splines showing above knuckle but still appears to have enough engagement. Going to double check and take for a test drive today but pretty sure it's all good now and only thing left is an alignment.