Tilt Column Disassembly Problem

Look great. Nice job...

 

I finally got it almost together. Just need to pull the key and steering wheel out of the old non-tilt column and pray!

I was a bit worried there for a while and I learned a few lessons the hard way.

For example, the rack for the key has to go in before you put the pivot pins in. Also, before the upper cover goes on. As if that wasn't enough, I learned you have to put the locking plate pin in before you put the key-rack in. Valuable lessons.

And I've got very few parts left and I'm sure they are of no value. One is the shifter sector plate which is of no value to a 4-speed column. Also not needed with a 4-speed is the gear indicator linkage under the speedo and the other is the old horn/turn signal cancel cam that I had a new one.

New turn and tilt levers installed and it looks like brand new to my tired eyes. If you see a flaw, just lie and say it looks good.

 

It DOES look great, Greg! Good job...they are kind of fun to work on.

 

Once you get the hang of it and make a tool to pop out the pivot pins, they are pretty simple. I'm not going to start a business of doing them though.

This one goes in my 71 4-speed car but I've got the turn signal lever for my 70 that I've got to swap out. It is looking pretty crusty after all those years. I might clean up the nub-ectomy I did on it with a hacksaw in a parking lot as a poor college kid. We robbed it out of a 1971 Monte Carlo SS with a 454.

 

It's more fun if you just rebuild them and don't mess with the collar. It's a lot more fun if you have the right tools. There are many columns now that are messed up, when I bought my 70, the steering wheel didn't lock, the ignition wouldn't go into accessory. What was weird about yours was the bearings weren't dry. They're always dry. There is one thing I should have told you that I learned from Jason. There's a foam seal at the bottom inside the column, it's always missing. It's a good thing, stops fumes, dust, cold...it's re-proed for 2.00 but HTF. I only like to do them for myself, too.

 

The seal in the bottom was still pretty good. It wasn't completely gone. The bearings were a little dirty but not dry. I worked new grease into them and they did feel smoother. I used wheel bearing grease. Everything got a cleaning and a good coating of fresh lube

As far as I can tell, everything is where it should be and functional.

The tilt is smooth, the key-switch feels stiff but that is trying to move it with needle-nose pliers. It moves from accessory to start easy enough. I think once the cylinder is in it, it will be fine. More leverage.

 

Nice work!

 

Next issue. Can't get the pinch nut on at the splined end outside the firewall. It appears to be 1/8th inch shorter than the none tilt column.

Newly assembled tilt on left with bearing out, old non-tilt on right.

 

Oh man, Greg...remember the part you pressed out and pushed back on? It's on too deep. Where the back drive arm is near the splines, there's a spec, like 1/8" or something. You're going to have to go back in, I think and get some slack. You following me?

 

So you have the splined shaft, then the tube with the lever. Then the outer tube/column. Where the lever is, see how there's a small space between the lever and the actual column? That's the length you're missing at the spline.

 

So, you mean take it down to the tilt bowl again? I didn't actually press anything out or in. Is there a chance it was in a crash and collapse it or something? It didn't look like it.

So, what do I press down on? Can you reference a picture or a part in this diagram? I know it isn't the proper one but it looks very similar.

 

Yup, what Jason said 59. While it looks like one piece it's really 2 pieces with plastic holding it together.

 

Thanks, it is back apart now. Once I know what has to be altered, I can put it back together. It goes much faster the second time.

 

Mine is 27 5/16" from the bottom of the spline to the first machined area on the joint.

It is 29 1/16" from the bottom of the spline to the bottom of the first bearing race, which should be the last point of where any variability could exist.

Does part 73 have any give? It looks like a tube within a tube.

 

Mine to there is 28 5/8" long. A little shy of yours. How long is the spline to the joining point? Mine is 17 1/8", maybe 17 3/32" if we are precise. Yours looks about the same. So, it is collapsed some. Any idea how to elongate it? Two Stage 1s connected to each end by chain? A comealong and a tree? An unpress?

 

OK, we managed to get mine back to 29" at the inner edge of the swivel like yours.

It was fairly easy to clamp it in a vise and drive a rod down the splined end with a BFH.

For the record, the rod should be bigger than 3/8". I'd try something more like 7/16" or 1/2" and not made of aluminum. It was tougher getting the aluminum rod back out than it was to stretch the shaft back out. I considered grinding the aluminum rod off flush and leaving it.

Now to repaint the scuffs and reassemble tomorrow for Operation: Wiggle Wheel Take 2.