Steering Column Steering Shaft Length Question
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 113
From: Saginaw Michigan
Steering Column Steering Shaft Length Question
I have found a fairly common problem with respect to the lower steering shaft length on the Saginaw energy absorbing steering columns.
The steering shaft on the 1968-82 steering columns is manufactured in two pieces. The lower shaft (which sticks out of the lower column bearing) is designed to telescope back into the steering column if a force is applied to it. The upper and lower shafts are originally held to a fixed length by injected plastic pins. The pins are sheared if you have a severe frontal collision; or if the steering column is dropped; or the lower shaft is pried upon. The lower shaft can be pushed up into the steering column where it seems to jam in place. It requires quite a bit of force to get it back out to its original length (5 inches extending out beyond the lower bearing).
If you had this problem, would you please indicate how you got your steering shaft back out to its original length.
Did you remove the column from the car in order to get at the shaft?
Did you install the cast flange on the shaft so that you had a better gripping surface?
Did you tap on the shaft as compare to just pulling on it?
I would like to describe an easy, acceptable procedure to get the shaft back to its original length.
Thank you,
Jim Shea
The steering shaft on the 1968-82 steering columns is manufactured in two pieces. The lower shaft (which sticks out of the lower column bearing) is designed to telescope back into the steering column if a force is applied to it. The upper and lower shafts are originally held to a fixed length by injected plastic pins. The pins are sheared if you have a severe frontal collision; or if the steering column is dropped; or the lower shaft is pried upon. The lower shaft can be pushed up into the steering column where it seems to jam in place. It requires quite a bit of force to get it back out to its original length (5 inches extending out beyond the lower bearing).
If you had this problem, would you please indicate how you got your steering shaft back out to its original length.
Did you remove the column from the car in order to get at the shaft?
Did you install the cast flange on the shaft so that you had a better gripping surface?
Did you tap on the shaft as compare to just pulling on it?
I would like to describe an easy, acceptable procedure to get the shaft back to its original length.
Thank you,
Jim Shea
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,608
Likes: 3
From: Canberra AUSTRALIA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
Jim,
I have had this with my standard and my previous (now stolen) T/T column.
I found it was almost impossible to do in the car. I was reluctant to start tapping a hammer around in there.
I pulled the column out of the car. Had a friend hold the column above a vice with the shaft sitting between the jaws. The jaws were there to support the bearing and top of the column, not to hold the shaft. Put a large steel washer on the shaft under the bearing so that the force of hammer is spread over the washer to the bearing instead of the vice jaws on the bearing
We put on a set of vise grips to the shaft (not the splined part at the bottom) and gave it some taps with a hammer. I figured I would rather ruin some vice grips from harbor freight then crack the cast flange. Depending on how clean your shaft is it can take a bit to get through the lower bearing. As scarey as it is to belt on something with a hammer it does work
If you had an old cast flange then this would work too. I wouldn't want to put a flange back on the car after I had been beating on it with a hammer.
Pete
I have had this with my standard and my previous (now stolen) T/T column.
I found it was almost impossible to do in the car. I was reluctant to start tapping a hammer around in there.
I pulled the column out of the car. Had a friend hold the column above a vice with the shaft sitting between the jaws. The jaws were there to support the bearing and top of the column, not to hold the shaft. Put a large steel washer on the shaft under the bearing so that the force of hammer is spread over the washer to the bearing instead of the vice jaws on the bearing
We put on a set of vise grips to the shaft (not the splined part at the bottom) and gave it some taps with a hammer. I figured I would rather ruin some vice grips from harbor freight then crack the cast flange. Depending on how clean your shaft is it can take a bit to get through the lower bearing. As scarey as it is to belt on something with a hammer it does work
If you had an old cast flange then this would work too. I wouldn't want to put a flange back on the car after I had been beating on it with a hammer.
Pete
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,282
Likes: 172
From: Lake Wylie, South Carolina
Pete,
Thanks for the info on this. Jim has been helping me rebuild My T\T for the last few weeks. I just put all new bearings inside my T\T column and Jim's post was spawned by my dilema. The good news is I understand your instructions.
The bad news is I have to pull this freakin column back out. 
Thanks Jim and Pete for all your help.
Jim,
Would you send those pics back to me that I sent you last night? I accidently deleted them. I will post them in this thread so others may get a better understanding of what we are talking about.
Thanks for the info on this. Jim has been helping me rebuild My T\T for the last few weeks. I just put all new bearings inside my T\T column and Jim's post was spawned by my dilema. The good news is I understand your instructions.
The bad news is I have to pull this freakin column back out. Thanks Jim and Pete for all your help.
Jim,
Would you send those pics back to me that I sent you last night? I accidently deleted them. I will post them in this thread so others may get a better understanding of what we are talking about.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 24
From: I can walk to MA
Seems to me a slide-hammer would be very useful here, but
how to connect to the splined end of the shaft ... either the
flange or a similar piece fabbed up without the splines.
IMO - best to do this with the column removed.
Jim - I have a coupler question ... but don't want to hi-jack this thread.
I will start an obvious thread later today.
Also, don't hestitate to ask. We are all here for your steering questions.
how to connect to the splined end of the shaft ... either the
flange or a similar piece fabbed up without the splines.
IMO - best to do this with the column removed.
Jim - I have a coupler question ... but don't want to hi-jack this thread.
I will start an obvious thread later today.
Also, don't hestitate to ask. We are all here for your steering questions.
Last edited by NHvette; Apr 6, 2005 at 12:41 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,284
Likes: 933
From: Indiana
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Unmodified
My question not exactly on topic here, but it is about the collapsible steering column on a 68. Mine is not a telescopic column, but you can in fact pull up and push down on the steering column for a couple of inches.
From the pictures above, it appears that somehow those plastic pins have been broken. Where would you get the pins and how would one go about replacing them? Is there any other pins that could be used?
Thanks
Ol Blue
From the pictures above, it appears that somehow those plastic pins have been broken. Where would you get the pins and how would one go about replacing them? Is there any other pins that could be used?
Thanks
Ol Blue
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
I have to admit to some vagueness o my memory bank these daze, BUT, ten years ago or so, when rebuilding my column I noticed those pins were very similar to the injection molded plastic that holds the OEM Universal joints in place.....course if you don't know the OEM U joints because all we see THESE daze are the replacements being replaced, I can see where some of you 'young-uns' may be confused...Jim, I know you know what I mean....
so the pins are similar, thing is, I never bothered a thing with mine, and that column is tight as can be, and allways has been, no slop at all, it's not all THAT easy to slide up and down int eh shaft, but it does go with a bit of a pry bar....I used a 2x4 on the firewall over top of a mounting flange bolt for a fulcrum....
pried out on the flex joint flange, as it was secure on the end....
GENE
so the pins are similar, thing is, I never bothered a thing with mine, and that column is tight as can be, and allways has been, no slop at all, it's not all THAT easy to slide up and down int eh shaft, but it does go with a bit of a pry bar....I used a 2x4 on the firewall over top of a mounting flange bolt for a fulcrum....
pried out on the flex joint flange, as it was secure on the end....
GENE
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