hey guys im 16 and im trying to work on a 1984 pontiac firebird mostly by myelf, my dads a mechanic so ive been around and know alot but never having to touch a steering column i really didnt know what i was doing, i know what i did was really srupid but hey learn from your mistakes, anyway when removing me steering column i had for gotten one bolt, i had it disconnected from the steering box but not in the middle and yanking on the column to get it out of the car i though it was all set, how ever on re installation i found that the bolts wouldnt line up with the underside of the dash, come to find out i had streched the steering column in the middle where the ball bearing sleave thing is, that is now showing, so i was wondering i anyone knew how to fix this, if theres a speciual way to line it up or anything anyway to slide, slam, tap, hammer anything to fix it, or am i screwed

- thanks Paul

 

There should be enough total play in the shaft that you should be able to bolt the column in under the dash before sliding it over the steering box gear.

Install it with the shaft disconnected, and once the column is bolted in tight, you should be able to compress the shaft enough to get it over the splines. With the column bolted in, you can get more leverage. Make sure the bolt on the collar connecting the column to the intermediate shaft is loose.

 

No I ended up having to pull it apart completly where I had two hands of the column reposition the ball beating collar and squeeze it together

 

what would be a reason for my taillights to stay on when im not on the brakes and sometimes when i would step on the pedal the lights would go out and whenj i got off the pedal they would go back on other times no matter what i do they would stay on unless i disconnected the battery also my hazard wont blink but my directionals do