little help please

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mrose

mrose

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I am reinstalling the steering column in my 1968 Barracuda. Automatic trans with floor shifter, regular column no tilt and I see that the shoes in the steering coupler are riding right at the end of the coupler, actually sticking out 1/4 of an inch from the end, making it impossible to get the cap on it. Nothing has changed from when it was disassembled and the column is all the way in and bolted properly from the inside and on the firewall. I am not sure where those shoes are suppose to ride inside that coupler? It is almost like the column shrunk about an inch? I didn't disassemble the column at all, just took it out and now putting it back in?
Any experience on this would be appreciated.
Thanks
 
mrose said:
I am reinstalling the steering column in my 1968 Barracuda. Automatic trans with floor shifter, regular column no tilt and I see that the shoes in the steering coupler are riding right at the end of the coupler, actually sticking out 1/4 of an inch from the end, making it impossible to get the cap on it. Nothing has changed from when it was disassembled and the column is all the way in and bolted properly from the inside and on the firewall. I am not sure where those shoes are suppose to ride inside that coupler? It is almost like the column shrunk about an inch? I didn't disassemble the column at all, just took it out and now putting it back in?
Any experience on this would be appreciated.
Thanks
Click to expand...

Pictures help,guy.. Yanked my /6 '67 floor shift column apart ,for a 360/727 header swap.. The steering column ,lined right up. Swap a steering box,or column? (power steering conversion?).
 
A gentle hint:

"help," or "need help" is never a great title for a thread. Try to put something in there that gets attention. We KNOW you need help that's why everybody is here

Is it possible that the collapsable shaft got bumped and then set down a bit hard on the end? In other words see if you can pull it back out
 
There are sheer pins in the column shaft. May have been broken or defeated before you bought this car. That would allow the shaft length to change.
 
so where do those shoes ride in the coupler? it looks to be about 2 inches of travel area in there so should it ride in the middle or more towards the top or bottom?
 
You would want them in the middle if you can get them there. You need to figure out why it does not fit. The collapsable column is the most likely suspect
 
The bottom of the column isn't secured to plate that bolts to the floor, and the column can move up and down thru the plate if the bolts that hold the upper column are left loose in the white slides. You should be able to move the whole column up and down an inch or so, that may cure your problem.

hope it helps.. cheers
 
If the nylon pins ARE sheared, then after you pull the shaft back down and engage the coupler properly, You will need to properly locate the shaft so that it cannot come back out and retract into the column. If it ever did that while driving, well, you can imagine the rest..............:(
 
AJ, can I open up the column to see if the pins are sheared?
Is there any way to tell?
 
If the pins are sheared, the shaft will likely fall out, or at least move easily up and down inside the tube; there is nothing else holding it in there, except perhaps a little oxidation.
If it falls out, simply stick it back in.
The coupler,on the end, is supposed to be pinned to the steering box. But if the coupler has been disassembled for cleaning and repacking, it is quite difficult to successfully reassemble. Normally this is not a big deal. But if the nylon pins are sheared,the shaft could migrate out of the coupler;only gravity would be keeping it in there.
 
The collapsible portion of the shaft is simply a 3/4" DD male section (top)....sliding into the 1" DD female section (bottom)

There are two plastic/ nylon collars holding the two tight.They are designed to break away upon impact.

On my mockup, I simply remove the plastic so make sliding the lower portion in /out for installing u joints, shaft, etc AND removing /replacing the entire lower half without touching anything inside the cars interior.

On my silver Duster, for final install.....I slightly press the lower 1" DD section to get as snug a fit (without the plastic) as possible.

Maybe someone remakes the plastic collars, but I really like the ease of being able to slip the lower portion in from the engine compartment

However, I agree with the inertia, doublecheck the nylon attached to the column bracket....often old, brittle and broken.
 
AJ and Hemi Denny thanks for the feedback,

I took mine out, set it aside for 3 months (in a safe place) and when I went to put it in it just reaches the top of the coupler inside, so the little shoes are in the coupler at the top and I can get the cap on.

The shaft is tight and not moving up or down or loose at all in there, so with what you are saying I don't believe the pins are sheared.

Hemi Denny, are you saying that if I loosen the plastic collar at the bottom I can make the shaft come down more (or lengthen the unit)?

Or is it ok for the shoes to be riding at the top of the coupler?

In reality (as long as the pins are not sheared) the overall length of the unit shouldn't shorten, right......My obvious fear is that it comes out of the coupler and therefore no steering. I know I am probably being Paranoid, but because I am not sure where the shoes were riding in the coupler before I removed it I have this fear of going 60 mph down the road and then loosing steering.
 
Personally, I always have the box coupling properly assembled before the column goes into the car.
There is a tiny pin ( about 1/16 dia and 1/8 long ) right at the rim of the box, that is supposed to keep the coupling guts inside the box. It aint much but does keep it together.
That wire formed clamp that retains the box top ( aftermarket creation ) would serve the same purpose and/or provide additional insurance.
 
Redfish, any idea where I can get that "wire formed" clamp?
and what it looks like?
 
mrose said:
Redfish, any idea where I can get that "wire formed" clamp?
and what it looks like?
Click to expand...

I think a member here was involved in the market reappearance of that piece. See, It was available from its original creator many years ago ( I don't thing it was ever patented ) and later disappeared for some years.
My guess, Ebay or wait for a member to post a better answer.
 
MyCuda,
I have looked at those,
If I am seeing it right the splined end would go on the steering box spline and the sleeved end on the steering shaft, does the bolt/nut go thru the existing hole at the end of the shaft that now holds the shoes? is that the way it would work?
It would need to be an easy installation because there is "zero" room to work down there because of the headers and brake booster and brake lines........

am I seeing this right?
 
The wire formed clamp is simply a formed piece of wire. Snaps on. No bolts or screws.
Actually ingenious creation in my opinion.
 
mrose said:
AJ and Hemi Denny thanks for the feedback,

I took mine out, set it aside for 3 months (in a safe place) and when I went to put it in it just reaches the top of the coupler inside, so the little shoes are in the coupler at the top and I can get the cap on.

The shaft is tight and not moving up or down or loose at all in there, so with what you are saying I don't believe the pins are sheared.

Hemi Denny, are you saying that if I loosen the plastic collar at the bottom I can make the shaft come down more (or lengthen the unit)?

Or is it ok for the shoes to be riding at the top of the coupler?

In reality (as long as the pins are not sheared) the overall length of the unit shouldn't shorten, right......My obvious fear is that it comes out of the coupler and therefore no steering. I know I am probably being Paranoid, but because I am not sure where the shoes were riding in the coupler before I removed it I have this fear of going 60 mph down the road and then loosing steering.
Click to expand...

it is possible a (upward) wack on shaft cause it to colllapse / slip inward slightly.....would not be the first time this has happened.

if you can find a way to grip /grasp the end....it will pull back out. the nylon collar gets wedged in as it collapses and I think the collapse was designed to only go one way. it took some pulling force, but I have pullled the outward shaft completely out without dis assembly of the entire shaft / column. Some are easier than others.
 
RedFish said:
The wire formed clamp is simply a formed piece of wire. Snaps on. No bolts or screws.
Actually ingenious creation in my opinion.
Click to expand...

That clamp was the factory's fix for the hard-to-fasten top of the coupler. A friend of mine in MI found a TSB describing the fix for the top. He found both sizes (long and short), had them made up and sold them at the Nationals, other swap meets and on-line for a long time. When he couldn't get any more economically made, he sold his remaining stock to some other vendor at the Nationals. Apparently they disappeared for awhile then resurfaced - I've seen them on eBay. They do work!keeping the top on the coupler!
 
mrose, here is how I installed mine.

There is a setscrew on both ends to tighten.
the smooth end I just ground down a flat spot on shaft
started a drill bit so setscrew slightly indents the shaft.

Or you can go crazy and drill thru shaft and use bolt or pin.
Set screw on spline end is suffient. IMO
Flaming river makes longer ones but are very expensive, if you need longer withcolumn issue.

dave
 
mrose said:
AJ and Hemi Denny thanks for the feedback,


Hemi Denny, are you saying that if I loosen the plastic collar at the bottom I can make the shaft come down more (or lengthen the unit)?

Or is it ok for the shoes to be riding at the top of the coupler?

In reality (as long as the pins are not sheared) the overall length of the unit shouldn't shorten, right......My obvious fear is that it comes out of the coupler and therefore no steering. I know I am probably being Paranoid, but because I am not sure where the shoes were riding in the coupler before I removed it I have this fear of going 60 mph down the road and then loosing steering.
Click to expand...

No, the shoes should be somewhere near the center.
If you remember installing the column, you will remember tightening 3 nuts which pull the column up onto the supportworks. Well those studs coming down,go through the plastic slotted bushings, we are talking about. If you loosen those 3 NUTs, you will be able to slide the column up and down, that is towards your chest as you are sitting in the seat. Simply slide it down to the bottom, or until it stops, then check your coupler engagement.I usually back it up a hair from there, and go back and tighten those nuts.

As to the spring retainer, you can make your own from a coathanger, or safety wire. It may not be pretty, but it get's the job done.

Also keep in mind that the coupler has a very specific spot to be before you secure it. First there is a master spline, and then the roll-pin. There is a receiver groove on the stump coming out of the steering box, in which that pin fits.. I'm pretty sure you can't mess up that install,but, I thought I should mention it. If the roll-pin is not in there, it's possible for the coupler to slide down a bit too far. There's not much room there, maybe a quarter of an inch at most.

And one more thing; those shoes fit into the coupler two ways, only one of which is right.
 
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