Steering Colunm Problem

[troutstreamnm]

I have a 70 Charger with power steering and a console shifter for the 727.  I recently removed the steering colunm to do a bunch of work on the front end and upon replacing it found it's about 3" too short to hook up to the steering box.  All of the interior mounts to the firewall and dash look fine.  I did rebuild the steering coupler and it feels fine.  I also put a new signal switch in, but never had the shaft out of the colunm.  The bearing and retainer clip at the top of the colunm are properly in place.  What is going on?  Did I somehow collaspe the colunm? Help 

[mopar_nut_440_6]

There are two plastic pins in the main shaft of the column where the smaller shaft which your rag joint connects to joins the thicker shaft which goes up to the steering wheel which can break. It sounds like these may have broken.

Unfortunately the column must come apart to replace it which is a bit of work.

Hope this helps.

[UFO]

Will the coupler slide down?
There is some wiggle room not sure if it's that much thou.

[troutstreamnm]

The coupler moves freely and is at it's max out location.  I think mopar nut may have it right and I busted the pins in the colunm.  Problem is I don't have the tool to remove the colunm lock plate to get the shaft out.  Can you just drive that pin out?  Can you get replacement plastic pins even if I do get the colunm apart?  Thanks folks

[mopar_nut_440_6]

You will need to pull the column apart to get at the pins as they are hidden under the tube that runs under the main body of the column. I have no idea where to source the plastic pins but I am sure you can find a roll pin which will work.

[troutstreamnm]

Sounds like this is going to be an adventure  Thanks for the help Mopar Nut.

[roger440]

Let us know how you go. Ive got to do this on mine. Mine pulled out of the joint while i was parking!!!!!!!!!! 2 minutes earlier id been doing 80 

Someone had broken them before i had it and just pulled the coloumn out and left it.

[b5blue]

The factory injected hot plastic in through the holes you will find when you get it apart. Do a "search" here for the many solutions others have come up with. There is a hole in the coupler end of the steering shaft that will gauge the proper depth that shaft should be into the coupler as too deep or shallow could cause it to bind or pull apart.

[1charger69]

i drilled down after i relined up the factory spots and filled the space with JB Weld...works good

[Roth68rt]

Just tap the coupler down to the splined shaft as far as you need to, it will go.  There is no need to replace the plastic pins.  They were there to allow the shaft to collapse in the event of a crash.  Keep pressure on the back cover of the coupler while you tap it down into place otherwise you will pop the shaft out of the coupler.  You only need to overcome the pressure of the sheared plastic to get the shaft to move into place.  The upper portion of the shaft is held in place with "C" clips so its not coming apart.  Make sure you line up the spline notch with the coupler so you can get the roll pin back in.  In fact you may want to tap the coupler as far down as it will go and then back it into position, this will center the lower shaft in the coupler. 

Steve

[A383Wing]

Exactly what he said above...I did the same thing....once the shaft is in place on the steering box...it ain't going anywhere

[adauto]

Earl, I agree .. dont sweat the plastic pins, things arent going anywhere once your pins in by the box
BIGS 

[roger440]

Exactly what he said above...I did the same thing....once the shaft is in place on the steering box...it ain't going anywhere

Mine did 

[b5blue]

No fix could allow the shaft to settle too deep in the coupler, the JB Weld fix is what I would have done also. 

[TylerCharger69]

Yeah....that skinny center square-like rod slides in and out.  That happened to me too, and it took me awhile to figure out what had happened.  I drilled out the plastic, lined it back up, and drilled a new hole just above where the plastic was to accomodate a roll pin.

[Chatt69chgr]

If the two shafts are permanently connected together by whatever method, then, if a crash occurs, the steering column cannot collapse and so could be driven through your chest.  This was a common occurrance before collapseable steering columns were introduced after a violent front end collision.  I think the best thing is if the pins have been sheared would be to let the two shafts just move freely against each other as has been suggested.  If the assembly was apart, then a hot glue gun could be used to squirt more plastic in the holes.

[jaak]

No fix could allow the shaft to settle too deep in the coupler, the JB Weld fix is what I would have done also.  

I had my column apart to paint/restore/replace bearings, etc. I found my plastic pins where sheared also. While I had it apart , I also used JBW to repair it. Wish I would have taken photos.

Jason

[b5blue]

I would think the JB Weld would "shear" OK as would nylon bolts, hot glue and other solutions. 

[Back N Black]

There is a wire bail available that prevents the coupler from coming apart if the steering shaft telescopes. I have one installed.

[roger440]

Do you have a pic??

[jaak]

There is a wire bail available that prevents the coupler from coming apart if the steering shaft telescopes. I have one installed.

Yeah I've seen those before, where did you get it?
Jason

[b5blue]

I've search to no avail. 

[Back N Black]

Here is a couple of pics, it uses the existing holes for the role pin and wraps around the top. I bought from e-bay, cannot remember the vendor.

[69Beeman]

 I have completely rebuilt my 69 charger column and i remeber the shaft moveing at what you call the plastic pins . the shaft was shorter when i got done tapping out the lower support bearing .luck had it that i noticed this before i put it back together .
this is all i did was put the small end in the vise and took a brass chisel and tapped the larger shaft back to the spot the rust was not showing .the smaller shaft was not rusted , this was easy to spot because the smaller shaft was not rusted inside the larger shaft . and left it alone it has been fine with over 6000 miles last summer driving .  also it still can colaspse on a accident .
The factory service manual has a distance setting for the guage hole to the top of the coupler is 13/16 from the hole to the top of the coupler. this is adjusted from the inside lower suport bolts and sliders on the dash .  hope this helps

[roger440]

Here is a couple of pics, it uses the existing holes for the role pin and wraps around the top. I bought from e-bay, cannot remember the vendor.

Thanks, looks useful.