I am installing my steering column..Non Tilt.. (1969 Coupe) I have looked at Jim Shea steering papers, but I can not find any reference as to how much of the actual column shaft should fit inside the collar part of the rag. My first attempt looked like it would be about 1/2 inch of the column inside the collar. Does any one know if this is correct?

 

It's been awhile since I installed mine but I seem to recall there were splines in the end of the shaft that were about an inch long. I covered the splines. The shaft can collapse into the column and may have to be pulled back out. One half inch does not seem like enough.

Robert

 

As I recall, there was a cross groove in the steering shaft and the rag joint flange had to slide on far enough to get the bolt through the groove to thread into the other side of the flange. So it would only go on one way.

Gary

 

You install the flexible coupling all the way until it bottoms out on the gear input shaft. You let the steering column flange take up the tolerance between the car frame and the body. That is why the column shaft has a 1/2 inch long notch machined into it. Just as long as the pinch bolt fits through the notch the connection is secure anywhere along that length.

Jim

 

Thanks for responding Jim, When I originally took all this apart, the rag was not sitting flush on the steering gear. It was maybe 1/8 to less than 1/4 inch away from steering gear. If I slide the new coupler all the way until it sits flush with the steering gear, the groove in the steering gear shaft does not line up with the pinch bolt. I t looks like the original set up will work now. But my concern was just how much of the steering column has to be inside the rag "collar" to be safe and effective. It is hard to see how much is in there, but it appears like it will be 1/2 inch of column in rag collar. Also....How does one tell if the column and rag and steering gear shaft are all lined up? There is a good bit of adjustment available in the column where it attaches to the inside of the car. And...is there any specific order that all this needs to be put back together in? I.E. rag first then on to gear and then column in and tightened???

 

First the flex coupling onto the gear input shaft. Place the gear exactly on center (flat at 12 o'clock). When you install the flex coupling the stop pins should be at 6 and 12 o'clock. The pinch bolt should be straight up with the head pointing at you as you reach over the fender. You should be able to install the pinch bolt through a slot or an annular groove on the gear input shaft.

Tighten the pinch bolt to 30 ft-lbs.

Loosely install the flange on the column steering shaft. The pinch bolt should pass through the slot in the steering column shaft. Loosely install the pinch bolt. The flange should slide back and forth about one half inch with the pinch bolt loosely in place.

Slide the steering column down through the hole in the front of dash. Install the column flange on the two bolts that are sticking out from the flex coupling. Loosely install the steering column up into the dash. Now position the lower end of the steering column so that the steering column shaft is pointing directly at the steering gear shaft. (You will know when they are aligned when the stop pins are central in the slots in the column flange. The pins should not be touching the flange.

Place the car on the ground with the full weight of the car on the wheels. Begin tightening the various fasteners (vertical bolts under the dash; two nuts holding the lower column flange to the floor pan; two nuts and lockwashers on the two bolts sticking out from the flex coupling.

Again check that the stop pins are central. Now rotate your steering wheel one quarter turn. Recheck that your pins are still central.

If they are still central, tighten all of the fasteners to spec.

Jim

 

OK, thanks for the response