78 silver 78

Has anyone used a Porta Power to Collapse the factory shaft? Don't want to remove M/C & Booster if I don't have to.
Thanks

Shark Racer

A heavy mallet and a block of wood was all I needed. MC and booster stayed inside.

78 silver 78

Thanks, but there is very little room. I have all the smog crap still on it. Calif. car

65GGvert

You might try tapping it as well as you can, my 72 collapsed surprisingly easy for 43 years old.

Frank_Nesta

Measure what you need then drop the Borge. You should have room from the bottom with the Borge out of the way. And tap into position.

Shark Racer

I have all the "smog crap" too - and long tube headers on top of that. The Calif components do not get in the way of this - the only difference between a CA car and a federal L-48 that makes a component difference in the engine bay is AIR, and those are far away from the steering box. With the box out, you'll have plenty of room.

My car is a 78 as well.

Street Rat

I bought a small handled 3lb sledge turned it sideways and used a block of wood. I worked from underneath the car. Mine took a few hits but eventually moved. I clamped some vice grips at my mark on the shaft so it wouldn't go too far into the column.

78 silver 78

thanks to everyone who answered. I measured from the shaft bearing to center of rag joint. should I take the borge rag joint apart? then set in the box, measure from bearing to center of rag, this should tell me how much to collapse the shaft?

Frank_Nesta

These are the instructions.

http://borgeson.com/instructions/800108

65GGvert

Maybe I was just lucky, but my column collapsed easily and then would extend back with a little effort, so I just pulled it back out enough to fit the rag joint. It wasn't as easy to pull as that makes it sound, but it did work.

78 silver 78

Thanks. I have the instructions. But, they read as if i'm going to take out my column, not. Some have said to collapse the shaft 2.5". I have so far collapsed mine 3.5" and looks like I could go a little bit more.

78 silver 78

Thank Shark Racer. I had to get a longer handled hammer.

Shark Racer

Glad to hear it worked out!

For reference, I used a 2.5lb sledge with a "standard" length handle and the power of anger.

mrvette

Sounds like you get a very HIGH MPPO.......Marginal Propensity was used to describe econ/marketing in B screwal decades ago means change in inclination to buy or NOT buy anything.....

so one of my classmates came up with MPPO, Marginal Propensity to get PISSED OFF!!!! and the entire dorm collapsed in laughter that evening.....

78 silver 78

Just ran into another problem. A.I.R. won't let me bolt up the box. I had planed on headers but, not right now.
Also I can rock my old rag joint on but, the new one seems like it's too small.

Shark Racer

The first few taps are the careful ones, and then the curve goes elliptical. tap - tap - bang - BANG - BOOM

Are you having problems swinging the box into place? Do you have a picture of the issue?

Can you possibly bring the box in from the bottom?

78 silver 78

I cut off the A.I.R. Went in no problem. I'm about to throw the rag joint. If I could at least line it up, maybe I could bang it on.

65GGvert

I had to sand and wire brush the splines a lot, then lube them, then still had to bang the new rag joint on. The new one doesn't have a split like the original and I agree, it is too small. I marked TDC on the steering column before I removed the old box, centered the new box and bolted up the rag joint without any movement of the steering wheel, the wheels or the box. Came out very straight.

capriguy

I pulled the column from the car and collapsed it on the bench. It was only about an hours work to get it out and it gave me the opportunity to clean everything and lube the shaft.

I have linked a video of how to collapse it if it helps.

78 silver 78

All my front suspension is off. I centered my steering wheel,then locked it. I used my dremel with wire brush still no go.