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Hi All,
I sent out my T/T column for rebuilding. I got it back and attempted to reinstall it but it is too short. The rebuild looks good and I am not too sure that the problem wasn't already there when I removed it. When I took it out of the car it was not bolted at the firewall to the transmission lockout bracket. The lockout cable bracket was just floating and the column was only held in place with the upper bolts to the under dash bracket. So as it stands with the column bolted to the bracket under the dash the firewall floor bracket is off of the floor about 1.5 to 2.0 inches. The connection at the steering coupler is also short about that much. The steering shaft extends out of the bottom of the lower bearing 5". Can the column jacket be too short perhaps a different GM vehicle? What is my solution here? Is the outer column jacket adjustable? Do I need to cut the firewall bracket off of the column and have it rewelded lower on the column. As you can also see the transmission lockout arm needs to come out about 2 inches to be on the outside of the firewall. The lockout arm in the picture is bent out slightly so that I could get it through the firewall cutout and will be bent back straight once the column is bolted in. column bolted to the upper bracket slid all the way forward. column to bracket bolts flange has approximately a 1.5 to 2 inch gap to the firewall floor. gap is about 2" with the flange and coupler installed (not shown) column to bracket forward adjustment gap at bottom of firewall flange/bracket
IIRC, you should install the column to the floor and put the bolts in place down there and then you use the wedge shape intermediate bracket, those bolts you show as well as the ones that go to the column itself, to adjustment to get the height to fit the drivers dash pad. and the slots sideways are on the top bracket that went to the firewall
The column may be collapsed. The mast, shift tube, and main shaft all can collapse in(is for safety purposes).
[QUOTE=teamo;1602753334]Hi All,
I sent out my T/T column for rebuilding. I got it back and attempted to reinstall it but it is too short. The rebuild looks good and I am not too sure that the problem wasn't already there when I removed it. When I took it out of the car it was not bolted at the firewall to the transmission lockout bracket. The lockout cable bracket was just floating and the column was only held in place with the upper bolts to the under dash bracket. So as it stands with the column bolted to the bracket under the dash the firewall floor bracket is off of the floor about 1.5 to 2.0 inches. The connection at the steering coupler is also short about that much. The steering shaft extends out of the bottom of the lower bearing 5". Can the column jacket be too short perhaps a different GM vehicle? What is my solution here? Is the outer column jacket adjustable? Do I need to cut the firewall bracket off of the column and have it rewelded lower on the column. As you can also see the transmission lockout arm needs to come out about 2 inches
I think the column has collapsed, probably due to rough handling while shipping. I can get the shaft to extend out to 5" but the column jacket is what will need to be adjusted to bring the flange tight to the floor so that I can bolt it in. I did find evidence of previous damage to the firewall that was repaired at some point in the past. I was thinking that maybe they grafted in the new fiberglass at the firewall and this had extended the firewall out 2" from stock. Looking at it now I think that may not be the case because I removed and restored the brake pedal and column brackets, Reinstalling the brake pedal bracket was a tight fit to the firewall so it is likely that the firewall is in the correct location.
Check the Bracket (with the 4 slotted holes) is all the way forward on the 2 bolts that attach it to the Brake Pedal bracket, they are slotted. Also the 2 bolt holes on the steering column are slotted and you may have some additional adjustment there.
How was the column shipped? They are very easy to collapse if dropped or banged on the shaft end. If the column fit before you removed it, then something happened between removal and receiving it back. The last column I bought came in a wooden crate with internal cutouts to support it.
I have the bracket all the way forward. I'll double check the slots that mount to the brake pedal support. The column was pretty well packed with bubble wrap and a section of pvc pipe slid over the steering shaft at the floor end.
steering column too short?
