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This is on a 71, and it is an automatic. There is a combination of tubes running inside the steering column used to lock "on" the key lock when the transmission is not in park. If you are familiar with the steering column, you will know exactly what I'm talking about. The tube set (one fits inside the other) was designed to collapse in an accident for safety purposes, and the factory method of keeping the tubes aligned was to inject nylon in a slot that is "shared" sorta.
The problem I need to resolve is that the nylon has failed and I need a method to "stick the tubes" back to gether while trying to retain the collapsing safety characteristic. An obvious solution is a couple of set screws, but I was considering replacing the nylon with epoxy. ( Setting the tubes up to correct alignment and then forcing epoxy into the slots in place of the nylon.
Has anyone done this with satisfactory results? Is there a better way?
This is on a 71, and it is an automatic. There is a combination of tubes running inside the steering column used to lock "on" the key lock when the transmission is not in park. If you are familiar with the steering column, you will know exactly what I'm talking about. The tube set (one fits inside the other) was designed to collapse in an accident for safety purposes, and the factory method of keeping the tubes aligned was to inject nylon in a slot that is "shared" sorta.
The problem I need to resolve is that the nylon has failed and I need a method to "stick the tubes" back to gether while trying to retain the collapsing safety characteristic. An obvious solution is a couple of set screws, but I was considering replacing the nylon with epoxy. ( Setting the tubes up to correct alignment and then forcing epoxy into the slots in place of the nylon.
Has anyone done this with satisfactory results? Is there a better way?
Thanks A
I pull the two pieces apart, fill the depressed area with JB weld epoxy, line it up and push together to a finished length of 24 1/4 end to end.
I decided to take the Epoxy path as a solution. I expect it will work similar to JB weld. I wiped the grease residue off the shift shafts, but didn't degrease it with a solvent/simple green such that the epoxy is not sticking very well to the actual metal tubes. I followed "Corvgreags'" procedure and then after the two tubes that make up the shaft were push together, I push epoxy into the slots on the outside tube. Looks like it will work.
Something else - I have the non-tilt, non collapsable steering column, and my shift shaft length in 28 1/2 inches, not 24 1/4. It is too close for my licking, and I need to check into changing it out for a collapsing/tilt column - or - I may just cut a few inches out of the steering housing tube and then shorten the Shift shaft and steering shaft - again assuming the epoxy method holds up.
I decided to take the Epoxy path as a solution. I expect it will work similar to JB weld. I wiped the grease residue off the shift shafts, but didn't degrease it with a solvent/simple green such that the epoxy is not sticking very well to the actual metal tubes. I followed "Corvgreags'" procedure and then after the two tubes that make up the shaft were push together, I push epoxy into the slots on the outside tube. Looks like it will work.
Something else - I have the non-tilt, non collapsable steering column, and my shift shaft length in 28 1/2 inches, not 24 1/4. It is too close for my licking, and I need to check into changing it out for a collapsing/tilt column - or - I may just cut a few inches out of the steering housing tube and then shorten the Shift shaft and steering shaft - again assuming the epoxy method holds up.
the 24 1/4 shift tube length is for the tilt-tele, I dont know the standard column length.
Steering Column - Fixing collapsed shift tube
