Steeroids Help Please !! 2 big questions.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
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From: Exiled to Richmond, VA - Finally sold my house in Murfreesboro, TN ?? Corner of "Bumf*&k and 'You've got a purdy mouth'."
CI 6-7-8 Veteran
CI-VIII Burnout Champ
St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
Originally Posted by bobs77vet
seems like maybe you should take a break and come back to it tomorrow....i would not grind the u joint....play with it some more
I will work more with it tonight when the temperature drops back below 100 degrees outside, and I am sure I will be on the phone with Speed Direct first thing in the morning.
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 31
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From: Benton IL
Bseery
What you want is that column aligned as straight as possible with the input shaft on the rack. Move the rack in towards the engine or back towards the fender, whatever it takes to get it straight and then get the column back as far as possible. Take as much curve as you can out of the u-joints even if you have to cut some off the column. I cut about a 1/2 inch off my column with a small cut-off tool. You also have to play with spline alignment to get the steering wheel centered.
You WILL like it when you get it aligned !!
I can't post a picture as I have no camera but my end nut only has 3-4 threads left showing
What you want is that column aligned as straight as possible with the input shaft on the rack. Move the rack in towards the engine or back towards the fender, whatever it takes to get it straight and then get the column back as far as possible. Take as much curve as you can out of the u-joints even if you have to cut some off the column. I cut about a 1/2 inch off my column with a small cut-off tool. You also have to play with spline alignment to get the steering wheel centered.
You WILL like it when you get it aligned !!
I can't post a picture as I have no camera but my end nut only has 3-4 threads left showing
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 113
From: Saginaw Michigan
People with the production steering system sometimes have problems with their steering column shaft being collapsed and therefore being too short to reach the flex coupling.
You guys with the Steeroids system just have the opposite problem.
Don't shorten the lower steering column shaft by cutting it off! Just tap on the steering column shaft until it starts to collapse back into steering column. You can probably shorten it 4 inches or so. Shortening it by collapsing the lower steering shaft will not cause any safety problems.
Caution: This only works on 1967 and later columns. Anybody with a C2 (except 1967) has a one piece solid steering column shaft.
You guys with the Steeroids system just have the opposite problem.
Don't shorten the lower steering column shaft by cutting it off! Just tap on the steering column shaft until it starts to collapse back into steering column. You can probably shorten it 4 inches or so. Shortening it by collapsing the lower steering shaft will not cause any safety problems.
Caution: This only works on 1967 and later columns. Anybody with a C2 (except 1967) has a one piece solid steering column shaft.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 29,745
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From: Exiled to Richmond, VA - Finally sold my house in Murfreesboro, TN ?? Corner of "Bumf*&k and 'You've got a purdy mouth'."
CI 6-7-8 Veteran
CI-VIII Burnout Champ
St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
Originally Posted by mrvette
Jim, of course, is exactly right,......
I banged my shaft so hard it collapsed and got the coupling just right.....
GENE
I banged my shaft so hard it collapsed and got the coupling just right.....
GENE
on it to do this, and how do you protect the end so you don't screw up the splines ?
Racer
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 422
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From: Mesa AZ
Keep at it Bryan, I have been working with mine this week too. It takes some fooling with but I have got it right twice, unfortunately I didn't stop while I was ahead. I have some minor binding right now but I'm driving it. It is well worth the effort. Got to luv the "new feel".
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
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From: Exiled to Richmond, VA - Finally sold my house in Murfreesboro, TN ?? Corner of "Bumf*&k and 'You've got a purdy mouth'."
CI 6-7-8 Veteran
CI-VIII Burnout Champ
St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
Well, I talked to Eric at SpeedDirect's main location. He had me check the following.
Make sure that the lower U-joint is on to the pinion shaft to the point that the pinion shaft is even with the inside of the u-joint opening. On mine the pinion shaft actually protrudes about 1/16th of an inch further. I did loosen this and move that u-joint up and down and it makes a MAJOR change in the entire alignment of the shaft.
2nd. He had me adjust the center bearing support. I had it pulled as far forward as possible. He had me change this to being adjusted about 1/2 way.
So far, from what I can tell by turning it manually with no power assist (don't have fluid in the car) that this adjustment has taken care of my binding. I will know later tonight.
Chad -- are you going to either of the events this weekend? There is a pizza dinner / get together Friday night and a cruise to Show Low Saturday for lunch. Let me know if your coming or interested.
Make sure that the lower U-joint is on to the pinion shaft to the point that the pinion shaft is even with the inside of the u-joint opening. On mine the pinion shaft actually protrudes about 1/16th of an inch further. I did loosen this and move that u-joint up and down and it makes a MAJOR change in the entire alignment of the shaft.
2nd. He had me adjust the center bearing support. I had it pulled as far forward as possible. He had me change this to being adjusted about 1/2 way.
So far, from what I can tell by turning it manually with no power assist (don't have fluid in the car) that this adjustment has taken care of my binding. I will know later tonight.
Chad -- are you going to either of the events this weekend? There is a pizza dinner / get together Friday night and a cruise to Show Low Saturday for lunch. Let me know if your coming or interested.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
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From: Saginaw Michigan
I mistated my description of shortening the steering column shaft in my posting this morning. You really should just press straight against the end of the shaft rather than tapping or banging on it. Sharp blows could damage the bearing in the lower end or the bearings in the column head. You want a slow consistant press load to move the shaft up into the steering column.
C6 the C5 of tomorrow
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 6,665
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From: Twin Cities Minnesota
Originally Posted by mrvette
Jim, of course, is exactly right,......
I banged my shaft so hard it collapsed and got the coupling just right.....
GENE
I banged my shaft so hard it collapsed and got the coupling just right.....
GENE
Originally Posted by BSeery
how hard do you have to on it to do this, and how do you protect the end so you don't screw up the splines ?
on it to do this, and how do you protect the end so you don't screw up the splines ?
Um Gene wasn't talking about his steering shaft, the dirty old man...
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 29,745
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From: Exiled to Richmond, VA - Finally sold my house in Murfreesboro, TN ?? Corner of "Bumf*&k and 'You've got a purdy mouth'."
CI 6-7-8 Veteran
CI-VIII Burnout Champ
St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
Originally Posted by 427V8
Um Gene wasn't talking about his steering shaft, the dirty old man...
Racer
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 422
Likes: 0
From: Mesa AZ
I'm seriously considering making the run Sat. Sounds like it might be fun and a good chance to get a little wheel time too. You came over to my house about 3yrs ago when I installed my fans, don't know if you remember or not.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
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From: Orange Park Florida
Originally Posted by 427V8
Um Gene wasn't talking about his steering shaft, the dirty old man...
but I allways follow the ruts in the road....
GENE
