I am finally replacing my steering column after my car was stolen a couple of months ago. Everything is pretty easy to do except for getting the intermediate shaft coupling (near the rag joint) to mate with the lower steering column shaft. They have to get together close enough for a bolt to go through and right now there not even close. When I took out the old column I had to whack this joint with a hammer so I knew it would be a tuff go getting them back together. I called GM today and they said it isn't really that snug of a fit, and the bolt bolt may have compressed the coupling down which is causing it not to mate. Does anyone know a techniqe or trick to get these things back together? Do I need a special tool to press the coupling back into shape? I tried with a C-clamp but that didn't help.

Any help is greatly appriciated. Thanks.

 

If you talking about the part in the pic below, IIRC the shaft on the steering gearbox has a 'keyway' so the intermediate shaft can only go on it one certain position (basically so you don't install the steering wheel X° offcenter)

 

no i'm having trouble on the other end of the intermediate shaft. But if i take it out back where your talking about will i get more control of the shaft? Would that help me at all? I think i would be doing ok if i could figure out how to get the coupling onto the column.

 

The other end should just slip on fairly easy, if not a little easier than the end I showed above (a little persuading from a nylon or deadblow hammer helps too). The end you're talking about will go on either way (0° or 180°).
You might try rounding the eldges of the i-shaft and the column shaft where they mate with a file in case there are any burrs since he fit is snug but, shouldn't be difficult to put back together. Taking the end off at the gearbox would allow a little more movement but, might be extra work for no progress.