RHD CSL Manual Steering Rod (info needed)

[Wes]

As part of my RHD CSL restoration I've swapped out the power steering box and replaced it with a manual one sourced from W&N some time ago.
Some of you would be aware that this change means the existing steering rod is approx 100mm too short. The easy answer is to simply cut and extend the rod but it's actually illegal to modify a steering rod in such a way in Tasmania.
Is there anywhere that stocks these rods? W&N and Jaymic appear not to carry them. How have other members dealt with the issue?
I've DM'd a couple of UK members that I hope know the answer but thought I should also post here so everybody benefits from the information.

 

[Gazz]

Hi Wes,
By steering rod do you mean a section of the steering column? I have a section in my parts but I don't know what it is from, E9 or E3, manual or power steering. It's the part with the two prong end for the steering coupler. What section do you need and what length is it? I also have a spare manual steering box.

Update - Sorry Wes. I dug it out and it has been extended with a welded sleeve to presumably manual steering length so it's most likely illegal.

 

[frogisland]

Wes, i put a manual box on my (race) e9 (albeit LHD) and needed the longer column. It must have taken me a couple of years to find one, and that was 4-5 years ago! They very rarely come up for sale, i have kept a tentative look out since but only seen a couple in the usual online forums, ebay.de etc and as i recall they sold complete with the manual steering box. I think i found mine by emailing many of the ebay.de (and other Eu countries) sellers whom had large e9 listings, i.e. possible private/trade breakers, for which i got lucky. Had the same issue finding a manual steering rod for my e12 as well!

 

[Gransin]

The easy answer is to simply cut and extend the rod but it's actually illegal to modify a steering rod in such a way in Tasmania.

While I fully understand your point with it beeing illegal, and even a safety issue, there's ways to lenghten the rod in a very safe manner if you can find someone who knows what they're doing, I mean just in case you can't find one. I can't see that anyone would look that closely on the steering rod during an inspection? We have pretty detailed inspections here, but nobody has ever looked closely on the steering rod that I can remember.

 

[Keshav]

Hi Wes,
By steering rod do you mean a section of the steering column? I have a section in my parts but I don't know what it is from, E9 or E3, manual or power steering. It's the part with the two prong end for the steering coupler. What section do you need and what length is it? I also have a spare manual steering box.

Update - Sorry Wes. I dug it out and it has been extended with a welded sleeve to presumably manual steering length so it's most likely illegal.

@Gazz assuming you have a RHD manual steering box, could you be so kind as to post some detailed pics particularly of the ZF plate showing the part# and somewhere on the case should be a date stamp too. And possibly the complete length of the steering rod?
Purely to understand the differences between the two manual boxes, RHD vs LHD. Ive never heard off an original RHD E3 or E9 with factory manual box therefore the thought as to why the RHD ones exist and for which use.
This chart shows that there is a specific rods for each type ...... just not what the length differences are which obviously they are.