I switched out my steering column last night. Everything was going great except that the column won't go onto the steering shaft. Is there a trick to this? I did a seach and the only thing I came up with was to grease it up. I tried this and it didn't work. Remove material with a dreamel? Heat one end? I tried beating on the column with a 5 lb sledge in a moment of desperation but that doeasnt seem like a good idea.

Thanks

 

What did you switch the column out with? GM columns are basically all the same although some early columns might be a little different.

Exactly what part isn't going together? The upper part of the column usually has what's called a double D connection "DD" and is 1" in diameter. It has flats on both sides with a pinch bolt going through the center. The upper column attaches to the lower collapsable steering shaft. The bottom of the steering shaft coupler that attaches to the steering box is a master spline 3/4" 30 spline. The master spline means there's a single flat side so the the coupler will only go on one way.

 

The part that isnt going together is the 'double D connection'

Am I not supposed to reconnect it at this point? Are you supposed to take out the 'lower collapsable steering shaft' and reattach outside the car? It didn't seem like it would pul all the way out.

thanks

 

Oh and I replace a 91 Z28 column with a 92 Z28 column. They were almost identical.

 

I've pulled the complete steering column out with upper and lower parts attached. Both of those late model columns should be the same 1"DD end. Try turning the column over 180*. I think there's a flat side on the top or bottom of the DD to make it a master spline fit. I know it's a tight fit.

If in doubt, pull the lower shaft off the steering box, install it outside the car then reinstall the complete column.

 

The answer is........

Well I got it back in. The problem was that the guy before me overtorqued the bolt that goes through the shaft. I had to pull the new column back out and use a dummy bolt to smoosh the end. Then it fit perfect. Something to look out for you guys with really beat on cars like mine...

Later

 

How much of the wheel did you have to take of before you could start pulling the shafts through?

Im doing this RIGHT NOW and am a little worried if its going to work. I dont need to pull it out totally, but I need the solid shaft (comming out of the firewall) to move back up inside the car a few inches.

What the procedure in getting it to do that? Do i have to pull all the ignition lock stuff out? Or can I just undo the big nut under the wheel pad and slide it all up?