Outer Limits 4x4 Board

As the title suggests, my steering decided to take a holiday halfway throught slipery rock road at Mt watagan (NSW). Just wondering if this is a common problem? Has it happened to anyone else? Or was i just pushing th ol girl toop hard

The details - For those of you who know the track, i had gotten past the first difficult section, then had to maneuver (sp) around a big random rock, without backing down the bit i'd just come over, sooooo i turned the wheel when the car was stationary... this is when i heard a sort of bang/clunk in the steering collum, though 'o crap' but it still steered so away i went. Got past the next few little bits ok, then a big, long rock ledge, just started to go up it when the wheel started spinning like the old timezone ridge racer games... totally freely .

Anyhow... this all happened around 5pm spent 3 hrs mucking around with it, and found out that the spline (?) from the shafty thingy from the actual sterring wheel, jumped out of the uni joint. But access to this was a major pain.... but the next day we had the last member of the group show up and save the day (after leaving the rocky on the track overnight).


Soooo, is this common? should i replace the rod/spline thingy? it feels stronger than before but the grooves looked a bit worn(used to make noises when i turn, gone now).... can i get/make a stronger one was thinking of going to wreckers and just getting a spare and keepong it in the back . Also, to replace the actuall shaft that goes from the sterring wheel to the firewall do you have to remove the sterring wheel and/or collum?
Sorry for the long post

EDIT- Also, does anyone know what that rod/spline/shaft thingy is actually called, the bit that goes from the steering wheel, to the joint in the firewall. So i dont sound like a moron at the wreckers ... thats if anyone understands what i am trying to say Thanks

To replace the inner steering column, you have to remove the entire steering column from the vehicle. Undo the spline in the engine bay, 4 bolts on the inside on firewall, then 3 I think, holding the column up under the dash. There is a large circlip at the bottom of the column. Remove this, and the wheel, and the inner column slides out the bottom. While you are there, check the crappy plastic bearing carrier. They die, and fall out, and make the inner column move round all over the place. I should have one or 2 spare inner columns, as well as a spare uni or 2. I would guess the original problem was the bolt coming loose, allowing the spline to slip.