Steering wheel problem
 

Recently moved from the south up to Queensland.
Very long way to drive, so had the 3 Jags and Corolla sent by car transporter.
The convertible top leaked slightly and on the 2 week journey from depot to depot to depot on the way it was subjected to continuous rain.
It needed 5 days of hot air to dry out the cabin.
Just before loading onto the transporter I noticed the steering wheel was not in the zero degrees position while driving straight ahead.
I always minimise force in the steering system by avoiding steering input with the car stationary, as far as possible.
The steering wheel has slipped 45 degrees to the right.

I picked up the car from a depot 10km from the new house.
I gingerly tried the steering and it worked so very carefully drove to the house.
As I turned corners with minimum possible steering input the steering wheel would sometimes move between zero and 45 deg.
I have raised the car on the hoist in my new 6 car garage ( the reason to buy the house ) and there is nothing wrong underneath.
I have pulled the steering column apart on my coupe a couple of times many years ago.
On the convertible I once removed the steering wheel for work on the instrument panel, but I do not recall having to go further than that.
When finished I put the steering wheel back on the spline and tightened the nut.

Looking at the drawing in my XJS parts catalog I am not sure where the steering wheel slippage can happen.
It must be 20 years ago that I last stripped a column.
Anybody had this problem before ?
It would be handy to know before I pull the steering wheel and dive in.

My first thought is steering rack bushings falling apart. Common failure.

After that is the lower column with that oddball knuckle joint/u-joint. There is some history of this joint failing.

https://parts.jaguarlandroverclassic...682cb685b3.png

I can't imagine what could wrong inside the column.

Maybe the steering wheel just came loose? Not likely, but.....

Cheers
DD

You got it Doug.
I was fixated on a fault in the column.
A close look at the rack bushes shows the starboard one both sides is cracking up.
They look factory original. Not too bad lasting 36+ years.