Help Needed: Steering Column to Rag Joint
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 41
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From: Bellevue IA
Help Needed: Steering Column to Rag Joint
I had to "fix" a body mount situation for my 1970. Essentially the body was sitting too low due to incorrect installation by previous work done. The body now has the correct aluminum mounts and is sitting at the correct height. The result has caused the steering column to come up "short" of the rag joint assembly. See pic.
First question, this is too far off, correct?
2nd question: Correct me if i am wrong, but i need to slide the steering column into the engine compartment to make up this length? If so, what's the trick in getting the column to move? I have the plate on the engine side of the firewall removed and the two bolts under the steering column loosened but it won't budge. Thanks.
First question, this is too far off, correct?
2nd question: Correct me if i am wrong, but i need to slide the steering column into the engine compartment to make up this length? If so, what's the trick in getting the column to move? I have the plate on the engine side of the firewall removed and the two bolts under the steering column loosened but it won't budge. Thanks.
Last edited by Keith88; Apr 2, 2014 at 11:46 AM.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 41
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From: Bellevue IA
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 4,789
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After putting the body back on my 73 and installing a new rag joint, I measure about 3/16" of spline showing in front and aft of the coupling. That leaves plenty of flat area on the shafts for the bolts to capture... I think you're ok too...
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 971
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From: Middlesex NJ
More than likely the shaft collapsed a little on itself due to the body sag.
The shafts in these car are collapsible incase of accidents.
Jim Shea might be able to tell you what the proper length of that shaft should be from the lower bearing out to the tip in normal circumstances.
when I installed my borgeson i had to collapse my shaft to get the column back in as the borgeson is quite a bit longer that the original steering box.
I believe my shaft was originally 4 1/4"s from the bearing to the tip of the splines to get the borgeson in I had to collapse the shaft so that only 1 7/8" was projecting out from the bearing to the tip of the splined area.
The shafts in these car are collapsible incase of accidents.
Jim Shea might be able to tell you what the proper length of that shaft should be from the lower bearing out to the tip in normal circumstances.
when I installed my borgeson i had to collapse my shaft to get the column back in as the borgeson is quite a bit longer that the original steering box.
I believe my shaft was originally 4 1/4"s from the bearing to the tip of the splines to get the borgeson in I had to collapse the shaft so that only 1 7/8" was projecting out from the bearing to the tip of the splined area.
Last edited by mysixtynine; Apr 2, 2014 at 02:22 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,274
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From: Westminster Maryland
Hi K88,
I marked the position of the coupler on the steering shaft when I disassembled the chassis.
Here's where it is now that it's back together.
It's a 71.
Regards,
Alan
About 3/4" of the steering shaft is captured in the coupler.
I marked the position of the coupler on the steering shaft when I disassembled the chassis.
Here's where it is now that it's back together.
It's a 71.
Regards,
Alan
About 3/4" of the steering shaft is captured in the coupler.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 518
Likes: 12
From: Panhandle
K88: I also agree with Mr Jlr. Your column appears normal. I just installed mine and it was short. Being out of the car and bouncing around the garage for a few years, I guess. I just followed Shea's paper and got it back to the original length and all is good.
Alan, That looks great. Your garage must be humidity controlled and heated an cooled?
Here's an excerpt from Shea's Paper
It indicates the length of the C3 Corvette lower steering shaft.
Year Type of Column Length Dimension in Inches
1969-1976 T&T 4.70 From end of shaft to bearing retainer face
Alan, That looks great. Your garage must be humidity controlled and heated an cooled?
Here's an excerpt from Shea's Paper
It indicates the length of the C3 Corvette lower steering shaft.
Year Type of Column Length Dimension in Inches
1969-1976 T&T 4.70 From end of shaft to bearing retainer face
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Verdad Gallardo
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,098
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From: Las Vegas - Just stop perpetuating myths please.
That is a problem with the collapsing column usually from an impact on the front end. From what i understand there are only plastic stem like items (not even plastic rivets) that maintain the correct column length which can become sheared inside the column and allow the column to collapse/shorten - somewhat like mysixtynine said.
The fix is to pull the shaft out again. I was instructed to loosen the lower housing and with the shaft in a vise use a come-a-long attached to upper housing pull the shaft out again - just an inch or so. Sorry for the weak instructions but i havent gott'n to do mine yet but it is in the same situation.
Good luck,
cardo
The fix is to pull the shaft out again. I was instructed to loosen the lower housing and with the shaft in a vise use a come-a-long attached to upper housing pull the shaft out again - just an inch or so. Sorry for the weak instructions but i havent gott'n to do mine yet but it is in the same situation.
Good luck,
cardo