anyone else stupid enough like me to take off the spring clip for this little spring under the steering wheel. If so how did you fix it.

Just a WAG, would a Deep Wall Socket of the right size allow you to compress the spring enough that you could then shove the clip (I'm envisioning a "C" style clip that encircles the shaft) in to lock it in place?

Again, just a WAG as I've not done or seen what you are referring to.

FWIW

E

What I've done in that situation is take two small needle nosed locking pliers and clamp down the center two coils on opposite sides compressing the spring enough to snap the clip in place. Now that was some time ago when I did that and it wasn't on a Z. When I say Z, I mean S30. It that some kind of collapsable or energy absorbing setup? Looking at your picture, that's a ZX, right? I don't recall ever seeing anything like that in a Z.

yes it is a zx. unfortuneately there isn't enough room to use pipe or socket to compress the darn thing cause then you can't get the clip in. It has to be almost compressed completely to get the clip in so pinching in a couple coils doesn't work either but thanks. I think I figured out a way use an angle iron over the shaft bolted down and then a couple of tapped holes to screw down on the spring. ANYONE ELSE DON'T DO THIS IT IS A PITA TO GET BACK. i thought I needed to take it off to get at the combo switch cause my running lights were out. YOU Don't loosen it up a lot.

for comparison:

There is no way around it. You need to build yourself a specialty tool that you will never use again. I've got lots of used once tools that I've made. You will need to compress the spring and washer and allow room to get the clip started. I think I would use an old socket of the appropriate size and cut out material to create "fingers" to push against the washer. If you have removed enough material from the socket, you should be able to spin the clip into the groove while compressing the spring.

thanks for all the replies. the solution was simple once I figured out what had happened. there is a flex piece connecting the steering column to the piece that goes to the steering box. this is very stiff and old it pulled the steering column down making it very dificult to put the spring together. solution was to pull the steering column back up. by oneself dificult. being an old guy tho I had studied catapult technology in school so did what is in the picture. Once you pull the column up fairly easy push to get the spring down and the clip back in place.

Were you a Roman Centurion in a previous lifeLOLLOL

What is the other end of rope tie to??

Just looped it around roof through the hatchback. Not a lot of force needed just more than you can apply one handed and put the spring clip in. No not a centurion the romans used engineers to build catapults and trebuchets.