Evening fellas.  Dad got the steering column from his coupe back from a rebuild vendor this week.  The key cylinder gear broke, and after disassembling it, he decided to have it sent out and completely restored.  So it's back, with all new bearings and doo hickeys.  It's a '69, with the tilt/tele column.

When we tried to install it on Saturday, it's too short!!  The column lines up inside the car correctly, but the splined shaft won't reach the rag joint (it's about 1.5 inches short).  We suspected that the vendor swapped some parts around or some such nonsense.  But when we called him, he said the column is meant to be collapsible, and to pull it out and "tap it out some."  Meaning to install half the rag joint on it and whack it some until it extends.

I've installed a couple of columns in these cars, but have never rebuilt one.  But it sounds like horse hockey to me, and I'm scared to damage the column by whacking at it with a hammer. 

Anyone have any ideas?




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"Let them that don't want none have memories of not gettin' any."
- Brother Dave Gardner

The lower shaft is designed to slip up inside the upper shaft in the even of a collision. You should be able to pull the inner shaft back out with no problem, tho it is supposed to be fairly tight. With the rag joint on, you can pry it down with a prybar, or tap it down with a hammer. You're not going to hurt anything...unless you miss with the hammer.

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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

I bought a "completely restored" column too.  They missed the ignition switch and some of the horn parts during their process as I swith wants to come out with the key and I have to fiddle with same to ge tthe key out.  The horn contact parts were just missing.

I read somewhere that you don't want to bang out the collapsible column with a hammer as you may damage the lower bearing.  Anyhow, look up Jim Shea's thoughts on it before you get out the sledgehammer.  http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/?cat=5

I would say your restorer should have done this task for you.  Mine did a crappy job too, so what are you to do?





|UPDATED|6/20/2014 1:34:34 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

Thanks for the replies.  We'll give it a shot this weekend.  I just didn't want to take a mallet after $650 worth of work and destroy it...

Darryl


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"Let them that don't want none have memories of not gettin' any."
- Brother Dave Gardner

I'd be willing to bet that after the resto on the column, that lower shaft is prolly not all that tight to begin with....I bet it slides out without too much pressure. Someone here not too long ago had and issue with theirs being too loose....it slide in/out really easily. Ya never know til ya give it a tug. 

As far as damaging the lower bearing, it's certainly possible if Bubba decides to knock the crap out of it with a 8 pounder, but under normal conditions, I've never seen a lower bearing damaged from tapping the shaft in or out. You can always use a rubber or plastic mallet....


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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Thanks Joel.  Didn't get a chance to play with it this past weekend as Dad is on the road more than a traveling circus.  Maybe this one coming up.  It will be nice to have all three C3s running at the same time!!

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"Let them that don't want none have memories of not gettin' any."
- Brother Dave Gardner