top bearing on steering column

[Dazzle34]

Hey hey,im new to this so bear wi me please
i have had a mk3 gti 8v(k93) for a year now and i have just had it tested and it failed. rear disc pads and bearings which shouldnt be 2 difficult if i can get bolts out that holds the cradle to the hub managed to get 1 out but the other 3 have rounded and rusted so any ideas wud be sweet, but the other thing it failed on was the top bearing on the steering column and mount? i have spent all day taking the steering wheel off, all the trim off and column off but i cant see anything wrong with the bearing??? the only play i cud find was the ignition cowling moved when i moved the steering wheel, to me it looked like the sheer bolt that holds the cowling to the column wasnt tight enuf. i have been to euro car parts for bearing and sheer bolts but i was told dealer parts only?? is this true?? when i told the dude at Euro he laughed and said i must have swinging on the column for the bearing to go!! wen i picked the discs n pads n stuff up from a garage i took the cowling wi the bearing in and the mechanic said the bearings looked fine. cud it be that the bolts needed replacing??
i dont want to go to the trouble of changing the bearing if its only the sheer bolts needed replacing.

any info wud be great.
Cheers

[Rmachines]

If the cowling is moving its usually more to do with the lower bearing, i have never actually done it on the golf but the bottom one alows the top to have a swing effect on the columb sometimes.  Might be worth fitting a new top bearing anyway and see how it goes, i doubt the bolts would come loose.

The rear brake bolts are a very common complaint!  I come across it all the time on the golfs i have.  I have tried a few diffrent ways.

Bang on an old socket and use a long bar... works ok.

Heat it up with a torch and use a torx bit banged in (or socket) ...usually works

Loads of WD40 and a quick pray... works if your lucky

Perferably.... combine them all!  they will budge eventually.

[Dazzle34]

Thanks for that
 it just seems as though the ignition cowl isnt clamping to column properly as though the sheer bolt is loose, where is the bottom bearing and how difficult is it t change? is it worth doing both at the same time?/

Cheers

[Wayne]

Bottom bearing is a lot harder than the top, mine had excessive play in it, I fitted a replacment column much quicker and easier.

[Dazzle34]

i think its a trip to dealers tomorrow for top bearing then.

 thanks for that. :

[Wayne]

i think its a trip to dealers tomorrow for top bearing then.

 thanks for that. :

Easy way to check, grab hold of the steering wheel and see if you can move it up or down, that will prove if you have play in the bearing.

[GOLF_MK]

Mine has play in the bottom bearing but thankfully that isn't an mot fail - it's on my to do list!!

[Paul86S2]

Try something like these to get your rear caliper bolts out

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=260307665240

Others have said they have had good success with them.

I used the "bang an old socket on" method.

Paul

[Dazzle34]

iv had another day at getting the bolts out of the cradle on rear brakes, tried aliitle heat but far too wet(snow at times) n windy to work, my mate had ago with his allen sockets and BIG bar but still no movement it just rounded the bloody things.rang a garage to see how much n that mite have to be the way to go. i have ordered new ones from vw anyways.

Just on the steerin column bearing issue the parts dep at vw barnsley said that system wasnt picking any top bearing for the column up??? must have been on fone bout 45 mins while he searched everything. so i ordered every other part to replace so fingers crossed that will solve the problem.