My car was stolen by some losers about a month ago and they messed my steering column up.... so i went to the junk yard and bought a used one, which is in good condition... but when i tried installing it, the shaft that bolts into the steering gear box isnt long enough to slide in so i can bolt it on... my dads a mechanic and he says i have to like push it really hard into the firewall to get it to lock into the gear box... but this doesnt seem like its working... anyone else know any tricks on how to get the steering column in... i have a 84 trans am and the steering column came out of a 86 or 87 trans am...any advice is appreciated... im only 16 and this is my project car... hoping to have it done by the summer...
Thanx for any help...

 

Your dad is right. Clean all of the grease and dirt off of the end of the shaft. Extend the shaft out all the way. Then have someone help you. Gently slide the column into place while you line up the shafts and wiggle them around to get them to slide together.

 

This is what I did, and it worked for me. Clean both mating surfaces free of dirt and grease. Immerse the steering column end shaft in ice and water bath and allow it some time for the metal to contract. Apply grease on the shaft and quickly maneuver the shaft into place. If you have access to dry ice, this will probably work faster in contracting the metal. Good luck!

 

I have an 84 Trans Am and just happen to swap my column out for a column out of an 82 firebird. sounds goofy I know but this is what I did b/c I did it by myself and had no help.
slide the column in the hole in the fire wall as much as possible and then hold it up with a jack stand so that it is as close to the same angle as it would be when it is mounted perm. after you prop up the column then go under the hood. the piece it mates to will pull out slowly if you pull on it tword the firewall. you don't have much room to play with but when the piece under the hood gets close to the column shaft then start to wiggle then into eachother. it worked out pretty quick and easy for me. one thing to remember is that be sure your column is is the right posistion b/c if you have the steering wheel turn 180 degrees then the wheel will be upside down. if it is upside down just pull the column shaft apart from the piece under the hood turn it 180 degrees and then put it back to gether again. hope this all helps. Mike http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/84transam/

 

say if you need anymore help or suggestions with your 84 email me and I will help you out as much as possible. I am just finishing up on my 84 which I had copletely stripped down to the nubs. no motor,tranny,hood,interior b/c I was putting in a roll cage, no suspension b/c I was swapping in a WS6 setup. my car was really pretty much compltetly stripped and it worried my wife b/c she thought the car had no chance of being put back together. she was wrong and this summer she will be back on the road after a 3 year nap. I know this 84 like the back of my hand. check out the pics at this link. http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/84transam/ email me at southpaw1969@hotmail.com

 

Yep, I agree with everything everybody has said here. I had to put the column from my wrecked '84 into my '87 after I got it back from being stolen. I didn't really clean anything up, but concentrated on playing with the angles and just took my time. It helps to have somebody working under the hood and somebody working inside the car. Just play with it for a while. It'll go.