Frank from Baltimore: '65 Coupe w/auto transmission.

Need advice from someone who has successfully removed their telescopic steering mast jacket assembly through the firewall so I can slide off the directional housing and jacket escutcheon for re-painting.

1) The dash cluster is still in place, as I just installed a new dash harness. I would like to leave the steering shaft assembly in place as I don't want to open the steering box; hence my choice to remove the parts off of the steering wheel end of the shaft assembly.

2) I have been following the '63 Corvette Shop Manual, and the '65 Corvette Shop Manual Supplement covering the removal of a telescopic mask jacket, outlined in Steering Section 9-2.

3) I removed all the bolts securing the inner and outer mast jacket from under the dash and at the firewall. I removed the snap ring, retainer and felt seal from the lower end of the shaft assembly in the engine compartment. I also removed the snap ring from the upper end of the steering shaft, accessable after removing the steering wheel and directinal wiring. The stop bolt on the outer mast column has been removed as well. At this point, the only items remaining on the cabin end of the steering shaft is the directional housing and escutcheon.

Here's the problem. The inner and outer mast jacket has pulled just past the firewall, but will pull no farther. The masts will actually rotate 360 degrees around the shaft, but will pull out no farther. Is there something else not shown in the exploded diagram keeping the two jackets attached to the shaft assembly?

Thanks in advance for any help or advice you can give.

FRANK

 

Stop! There's no need to open the steering box! Just disconnect the rag joint, remove the clamp at the firewall, remove the attachment just behind the cluster, and pull the whole column out of the car - takes about five minutes.

 

John Z:

Isn't the steering shaft all one rod going through the rag joint into the steering box?

Frank

 

No. The shaft is split at the rag joint. The top half of the shaft will come out with the column. That's the easy way to do it.

 

Frank,
No the steering shaft rod goes into the upper part of the rag joint and the rod from the steering box goes into the lower part of the rag joint.
Don

 

Sorry Mike, we must have been answering at the same time.
Don

 

Thanks guys. I'll go out right now and take it off.

Thanks!

 

It continues... I'm going to need a special socket aren't I? The heads of the bolts on both ends of the rag joint have 10 or 12 contact points that almost, but not quite fit a 7/16ths socket.

Frank

 

Frank,
7/16ths is the right one for that 12 point bolt unless bubba changed something.
Don

 

Just use a 12-point socket.

 

pm sent.

 

The shaft came right out, and what a mess it was inside the inner tube swith all the dried up lubricant.

Now if I can just remember how everything goes back together with the aid of the photos, AIM and service manaual supplement. The tele sure is a complicated animal.

Now, like all projects attempted... if it just works like it did BEFORE I took it apart!

Thanks for everyone's help. That is what makes this site so great!

Frank