Does anyone know if it is possible to get this sucker out without pulling the rack or opening up the PS system? I replaced the rack at the same time I rebuilt my engine and didn't pay any attention to how it was lined up until the motor was back in and all the accessories were bolted back up. Now as a result I am driving around with an upside down steering wheel.
If I could get this shaft out I could adjust the rack and wheel back to the correct positions without having to pull the rack. I tinkered with it a bit but I haven't figured out a way this can be done. Anyone done it?

 

yeah it is real easy.

There is a bolt where it meets the steering wheel shaft by the brake booster/firewall. remove it. slide the interm. shaft off of the steering wheels nubby shaft, I think it is easiest to line it up to push it towards the engine, or maybe down. one side of the interm. shaft is open to do this.

If you need to deal with the lower section at all.

remove the lower big plastic ball that is protecting the lower joint.
back out the bolt at the bottom which is pinching the shaft together. if I remember correctly, you dont have to remove it, just back it out a good bit.

once you have it off the steering wheels nubby shaft at the fire wall, you can pull it back towards the cab and it should come off and out of the car with some manuevering.

Now after all that, I have no idea if you can just rotate the steering wheels 180 degrees and remount it. I cant remember right, but I think it will only go back together in a certain way. maybe it is only the bottom that is like that.

Also I remember something about an air bag warning with just rotating the wheel with nothing hooked up to stop it. I dont know if you have an air bag, and on my 90 I never had an issue with it.

Anyhow, i did it exactly like you. rebuilt the engine. yanked the rack. and one step further took that whole shaft apart, polished it, and put it back together never know if I put it back right. Found some pics, looked at a buddies car, found my rubber bushing in the middle was junk, rebuilt it out of metal. once I figured everything out I realized my rack is actually off a tooth or 2 and I could make some really tight left turns, right turns were horrible.

Hope this helps you out.

 

Yeah. Sounds like a plan. I think what I did is install the shaft when the rack wasnt straight. If i can get it off both ends I can straighten it out I am certain. I was trying to take that rubber joint part in the middle off, and wasn't getting anywhere. I wish i knew it was that easy beforehand.

In case anyone is thinking they can try this, don't. I already tried. The wheel on the 84-89 can be installed in a different position, but the horn only works if it is lined up with a certain contact on the column which requires the wheel to be installed one particular way only.

 

You need to be careful not to break the airbag coil when you turn the steering wheel/column 180 degrees. There is only so much slack in the coil and if you twist it too far it will break. But the basic theory of just unbolting the top end of the intermediate shaft and turning the wheel/column to realign is sound. I would just add in the step of removing the airbag and wheel and re-centering the airbag coil.

BTW, the c shaped clamp end that holds the intermediate shaft to the lower column can be deformed in and fit the column too tighly to reinstall. If this happens you have to make a spreader and bend it back out a little to refit.

Sauce

 

I dont have an airbag in my '89. I was sucessful in getting my steering wheel turned around right using this method.