1968 Charger Steering Column

[VegasCharger]

Not sure if this is supposed to be posted in here. Maybe chassis-suspension-brakes-wheels & tires? Interior? General Q&A? Mods please relocate if necessary, thanks.

Subject: 1968 B Body steering column power auto on the floor, mounting the two housings together with the OEM square bolts.

I am doing a rebuild of my steering column for my 68 Charger which had some mods done from previous owners. I do have the FSM for 1968 Dodge and it does cover the steering column where it had some detail pertaining to my question but not quite enough. My question is the two housings when it comes to mounting them together. I've attached some pics to better help describe my question. Are the two square head bolts supposed to drop in the slots of the jacket assembly (sleeve) then go thru the upper housing where it then receives a slotted nut?

Please view pics in which they will help with my description.

If so this is the case that the square bolts mount the two housings together, is there some sort of trick of performing this because it seems like a very difficult task to do. This leads my to believe that the previous owners (P.O.) skipped over this step by using rigged up brass tabs, sheet-metal screws, self-tapping screws, pop-rivets and drilled holes to mount the two housings together. It just seems so evident that this was the case.

Anyway I'm up for any trade secrets or unless I'm really missing the boat and that this is an easy task to pull off.

Please advise if anyone needs anymore detail.

Thanks in advance

[tan top]

 First fit  square head bolts into upper housing , then  put the slotted nuts on !  2 , 3 or 4 threads only ! so they are loose .  fit upper housing  to lower housing giving it a little twist  & or rocking / wiggle  to feel it engage correctly , while looking up the bottom of the lower housing ( picture A ) ( you could skip this bit  , BUT I never do , like to know if both are correctly aligned ) .   making sure the square bolts are in parallel  with the slots in the column tube  , not twisted ! . adjust as necessary with a long thin screwdriver from the bottom of lower housing ( picture A ) .
 all the while your doing this keep  , light downward pressure ( or pressing the housings together on column tube  ) , ( to compress the  springy wavy washer )  so  the    upper & lower  housing  parts  are  together with column tube in correct location  .  once your sure the square head bolts are parallel with the slots in the column tube , tighten the slotted nuts evenly , all the while keeping light pressure holding upper & lower housings & column tube together in correct position .  its only at the point  when , !  just before the slotted nuts become fully tightened , the square headed bolt twists a little & locks the column tube to upper housing . once you do it once  , its pretty straight forward .although  
think ive made it sound more complicated than it actually is  .

[VegasCharger]

...........once you do it once  , its pretty straight forward .although think ive made it sound more complicated than it actually is  .

Thanks Steve for the great advise  

It's amazing when you're outside looking in that you don't think of an easier way of doing something when it's right there in front of you. Thanks again.

It did a couple of practice runs with success, well at least I think I did right.

So I'm attaching some pics to display a mock up to see if I'm doing this correctly. For picture purposes only I attached the upper housing only the tube shaft to show you if I have this done correctly for when the time comes to install both housings together. Pics show both square bolts seated and fully tighten into the slots. Does this look correct?

Also the P.O. had flat washers and lock washers in place for the square bolt & nuts, were these used from the factory? My guess is no. Especially the flat washers, with both of them looking different in color. He basically had the two bolts seated in the square pockets with each bolt having a flat washer and a lock washer with the slotted nut torqued down. But he did not have the square bolts positioned in the tube slots. A skipped over process, thus the reason having all of the screws and tabs holding two housings together

Thanks, Bryan

[tan top]

 yes , that looks correct  ,  

I've just realised , looking at your pictures ,  think I've given some crap information , in my above post ! ,  don't think that square head bolt twists slightly , at full tightening torque , to lock in place ,   its , when the bolts are loose  , make sure they are not  twisted slightly  , if they are not fully seated  in the slot . before you tighten , or it might be how I said originally     , anyways  , how you have it now , is correct  , just tighten up & your done !!    sorry for this confusion , my memory is not what it was ,  even though I've taken mine apart lots of times ,  even as recently as  april this year    
I     want to say yes  to flat washers ,  but  going by what my memory is crap these days !
,  will  check mine later tonight  



***** EDIT******
just checked ,  was a quicky job  , thought I would to remove wheel , turn signal switch to look  , but was  no need  ,

    YES  flat washers on mine ,  checked the factory parts diagrams , NO washers    ,  all I can say because my memory is shot on somethings      if the washers were originally on mine , when I disassembled it  , I would of put them back on ! BUT  I also over think stuff too , I could of easily put the flat washers on before the slotted nuts  , because  ,  washers always go on before a  nut  ,

*****second edit *****
   thinking about this , some  more !  don't think there was washers originally  

[VegasCharger]

yes , that looks correct  ,  

I've just realised , looking at your pictures ,  think I've given some crap information , in my above post ! ,  don't think that square head bolt twists slightly , at full tightening torque , to lock in place ,   its , when the bolts are loose  , make sure they are not  twisted slightly  , if they are not fully seated  in the slot . before you tighten , or it might be how I said originally     , anyways  , how you have it now , is correct  , just tighten up & your done !!    sorry for this confusion , my memory is not what it was ,  even though I've taken mine apart lots of times ,  even as recently as  april this year    
I     want to say yes  to flat washers ,  but  going by what my memory is crap these days !
,  will  check mine later tonight  



***** EDIT******
just checked ,  was a quicky job  , thought I would to remove wheel , turn signal switch to look  , but was  no need  ,

    YES  flat washers on mine ,  checked the factory parts diagrams , NO washers    ,  all I can say because my memory is shot on somethings      if the washers were originally on mine , when I disassembled it  , I would of put them back on ! BUT  I also over think stuff too , I could of easily put the flat washers on before the slotted nuts  , because  ,  washers always go on before a  nut  ,

*****second edit *****
   thinking about this , some  more !  don't think there was washers originally  

Thanks TT. I'll go w/o the washers

It seems like you did your own column resto, so if you don't mind I'm going to ask you another question lol.

Are the two screws that secure the wire loom cover plate a pan style type? Or are the holes supposed to be threaded and the screws to match? The holes on mine column tube are tapped out to bigger sized and I will probably have to weld plug them and re-drill new holes. I really don't want to use larger sized lag screws. I've attached pics to help explain better.

Thanks for your help thus far.

[tan top]

 no worrys ,     Bryan  ask me anything  ,  if I can help I will , any excuse to talk  about charger stuff      although I have to think now ,  how did I do that , sometimes

 yeah done  my own column , I  stripped the charger right down to the last nut bolt & clip  & then some ,  doing the resto ! done everything my self   , only thing I did not do !  was engine machining ,  fit tires on wheels & re chrome bumpers ,  think ive removed ,  taken apart , re fitted,   everything on the car many many times since ive owned it  , this was even before I done the resto , & after  too ! always something to change or do different or add     took column apart again in april to  remount , !  the column mounted tach , that I put on there  back in april 89    differently  , got rid of the big ole hose clamp ,

  like all your pictures with written info & arrows   great stuff   ,   easier for me to see whats happening  , picture to me is worth a 1000 words as they say  


  just  this second taken  one out to photograph  , these are the originals  or should I say one of the originals , added measurements  for reference !
they are self tapping  phillips pan head screws ,  the threaded part is very short , think as not to touch the inner shaft

might be able to just blob a bit of weld on one side of the holes , bit of a file , then re fit screws  , instead of welding them up completely & re drilling  , just an idea  

 one thing , silly question !    your turn signal harness connector , is the harness that short ? or is it just bent up out of the way just for the picture , ?
69 is  much longer ,  that connector is right down by the brake pedal , clamped on the heaterbox

[VegasCharger]

Once again thanks TT

So it looks like neither of my screws are of the original thanks to your descriptive picture. Also it looks like they need to be black. Maybe a trip to Ace Hardware is on the docket.

I will russell up my turn signal switch and take a pic as well as measure it for you. I'm going to need to replace mine, mainly the reason I started to tear down my steering column in the first place. P.O. had butt spliced some of the wires together plus I believe that the contacts were weak.

Any suggestions on vendors for a 1968 B Body turn signal switch?

I will get on taking pics of my T/S switch.

Thanks again for your help. 

[Lennard]

I have a classic industries turn signal switch in my column.

[66FBCharger]

Is a '69 column the same as a '68?

[Lennard]

Is a '69 column the same as a '68?

Yes

[66FBCharger]

Thanks!

[VegasCharger]

I have a classic industries turn signal switch in my column.

Thanks Leonard. Do you have it functional yet? If so how is the quality?

[Lennard]

It's functional but not mounted in my car yet so I can't give you a review.

[VegasCharger]

It's functional but not mounted in my car yet so I can't give you a review.

Thanks

[VegasCharger]

   one thing , silly question !    your turn signal harness connector , is the harness that short ? or is it just bent up out of the way just for the picture , ?
69 is  much longer ,  that connector is right down by the brake pedal , clamped on the heaterbox

TT actually I re-read your question and realized that I didn't have to fetch my old switch up to answer your question. But here are some pics anyways. The pic in my original reply was of the harness being pulled through the housings thus having the connector up against the bottom housing. That is when I realized that you had to remove each wire from the end connector to be able to remove the T/S switch. Looks like the wire harness run is about 21"

[VegasCharger]

.

[tan top]

Once again thanks TT

So it looks like neither of my screws are of the original thanks to your descriptive picture. Also it looks like they need to be black. Maybe a trip to Ace Hardware is on the docket.

I will russell up my turn signal switch and take a pic as well as measure it for you. I'm going to need to replace mine, mainly the reason I started to tear down my steering column in the first place. P.O. had butt spliced some of the wires together plus I believe that the contacts were weak.

Any suggestions on vendors for a 1968 B Body turn signal switch?

I will get on taking pics of my T/S switch.

Thanks again for your help.  

 the original screw color was , like a black coating , phosphate ? on mine  , with like traces of flash rust , type thing . because mine is not 100% factory resto etc I just wired brushed them up &  left them bare metal , it was only after taking the column  apart some years  later ,  for some reason I forget now  ,  I painted them black  

what you could do , if that turn signal switch is working  ok ,  think I might  just solder the wires instead of the spade connectors , should imagine its a bit tight for room in there with the connectors  
can help with where / whos turn signal switch is best  , I got a nos one from yearone  more than 15 years ago .

  one thing , silly question !    your turn signal harness connector , is the harness that short ? or is it just bent up out of the way just for the picture , ?
69 is  much longer ,  that connector is right down by the brake pedal , clamped on the heaterbox

TT actually I re-read your question and realized that I didn't have to fetch my old switch up to answer your question. But here are some pics anyways. The pic in my original reply was of the harness being pulled through the housings thus having the connector up against the bottom housing. That is when I realized that you had to remove each wire from the end connector to be able to remove the T/S switch. Looks like the wire harness run is about 21"

yeah I got it now     it was just the way the picture was  , & me thinking it was short  




picture below shows unrestored column

[VegasCharger]

 the original screw color was , like a black coating , phosphate ? on mine  , with like traces of flash rust , type thing . because mine is not 100% factory resto etc I just wired brushed them up &  left them bare metal , it was only after taking the column  apart some years  later ,  for some reason I forget now  ,  I painted them black  

what you could do , if that turn signal switch is working  ok ,  think I might  just solder the wires instead of the spade connectors , should imagine its a bit tight for room in there with the connectors  
can help with where / whos turn signal switch is best  , I got a nos one from yearone  more than 15 years ago .



picture below shows unrestored column

My soldering skills suck and that's something you definitely cannot take shortcuts in or doing a poor job is electrical work. So I will look into YO as they will have a 30% sale around the corner. Also I think the cam contacts are worn.

Thanks for the pic

Looks like you have power windows, cool. Also nice vintage under dash unit.


Another question, do you know where I can get these steering column plastic bow ties (see pic)? Are they reproduced? If so what vendors sell them? Or are they NOT important to put back in after restoration?

Thanks again TT

[tan top]

 the original screw color was , like a black coating , phosphate ? on mine  , with like traces of flash rust , type thing . because mine is not 100% factory resto etc I just wired brushed them up &  left them bare metal , it was only after taking the column  apart some years  later ,  for some reason I forget now  ,  I painted them black  

what you could do , if that turn signal switch is working  ok ,  think I might  just solder the wires instead of the spade connectors , should imagine its a bit tight for room in there with the connectors  
can help with where / whos turn signal switch is best  , I got a nos one from yearone  more than 15 years ago .



picture below shows unrestored column

My soldering skills suck and that's something you definitely cannot take shortcuts in or doing a poor job is electrical work. So I will look into YO as they will have a 30% sale around the corner. Also I think the cam contacts are worn.

Thanks for the pic

Looks like you have power windows, cool. Also nice vintage under dash unit.


Another question, do you know where I can get these steering column plastic bow ties (see pic)? Are they reproduced? If so what vendors sell them? Or are they NOT important to put back in after restoration?

Thanks again TT

  sorry for the confusion  , that picture is not of mine  , ( its a unrestored  69 -R/TSE  black with tan top & interior )  , I posted it for reference , to show the color of the tiny phillips pan head screws , we were talking about  

not sure where you can get them plastic bowtie thingys     don't think I have them on mine  , ( well cant remember   ) , will have co check  

[VegasCharger]

  sorry for the confusion  , that picture is not of mine  , ( its a unrestored  69 -R/TSE  black with tan top & interior )  , I posted it for reference , to show the color of the tiny phillips pan head screws , we were talking about  

not sure where you can get them plastic bowtie thingys     don't think I have them on mine  , ( well cant remember   ) , will have co check  

No problem, I just thought that was your rig

Maybe those plastic "bowties" were used as an indicator to see if the car was ever involved in an accident. So when the hobbyist restored their steering columns they did not get put back on assuming they had them on there in the first place.

Hmmmmmmmm is this another 2nd gen Charger lesson