dyoes said: 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?
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=5I 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|