Collapsed Steering Column

[69 Charger Mark]

I've got a 69 Charger w/ 440 mag, power steering and an automatic that shifts on the steering column. Don't ask but I managed to sheer the nylon pins on the steering column resulting in the shafts telescoping in around an inch or so. I was looking for a temp fix since I plan on switching to a 4sp later this year. I saw the flaming river coupler for $200 but it looks a little rich for me since I will be converting to the 4 speed but would still like to drive it until I finish gathering parts for the conversion (I'm very close to being there) Is there another cheaper coupler that I'm not aware of. I don't think I want to tear into the steering column and try to replace the pins and if I have someone else do it takes away from my 4sp budget. One thing I thought about doing was to tack weld the top plate of the coupler at the "tabs" to the coupler itself so the "shoes", retainer clip and steering shaft can't come undone from the stock coupler. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Cranky]

Ever had one of those apart? Been awhile for me but I don't think it's as simple as replacing pins. If it were mine, I'd take it apart and weld the shaft. Just a tack weld would work. Are you able to pull the shaft back down? It's not supposed to move all that easy....even with the shear pins sheared off.

 

[BeastlyBirdie]

If it is loose, put in nylon screws, cut the heads off. If its not loose, pull it out (usually requires a hammer and vise grips) to the needed length. Its supposed to collapse at around 300 lbs (500?) Of pressure. I would bet that most "restorations" should have had those pins replaced, but didn't. I mean, do you trust 40 year old plastic not to break?

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Cranky, never weld the shaft. It won't collapse, has just become an impaling device, and will kill or seriously injure the driver. Not to mention, say he sells the car, and the next owner gets hurt from that-huge lawsuit.

 

[69 Charger Mark]

Cranky, I had a resto shop tell me the same thing. They said one tack weld would break if I ever got into a collision. Thanks for the reply.

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Beastley Birdie, I think I'm down to three options 1) take the column in and have it fixed and I really like your nylon screw idea 2) Buy the flaming river coupler 3) a friend of a friend just converted his 69 charger from and auto on the column to an auto on the floor and has an extra column. Price is unknown at this point. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[A383Wing]

The nylon pins don't hold the center shaft..they just stop it from rattle...just pull or knock the center shaft back out to couple it up to the box. The center shaft is supposed to collapse into the column

Bryan

 

[moparfanUSA]

I just took mine apart, and from what I can see it looks like they melt the plastic pins in the shaft because when I took mine apart the plastic "pins" on theinside where flat and about 3/8" long.

 

[BeastlyBirdie]

I will say it again, don't weld the shaft. Unless your welds suck. Then go ahead and weld it. Lol. Seriously, if the weld is too good, the shaft won't collapse. I don't personally think the plastic pins are that important, if the shaft is hard to pull/push its probably not going anywhere, you can guess that in 40 years, more than a few have disintegrated.....and you don't see a lot of articles on repairing them.

 

[69 Charger Mark]

Bryan, Thanks for the feedback. I had considered that as well but then read a post where a guy had the same issue as me and the shaft telescoped on him while he was driving down the highway. He felt it going and was able to get on the shoulder as the shaft came out of the coupler.

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MoparfanUSA, how involved of a job is it to take the steering column down. To tell you the truth I'm a little scared I'm going to screw it up.

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BeastlyBirdie, Point well taken. If I was going to stay with the auto on the column I think I'd go with the flaming river coupler. I should hear something on Monday how much a friend of a friend wants for his extra steering column. If I end up buying it I'll consider tearing down the one I have and replaceing the pins and then selling it here or put it on ebay. I'm about to join my local mopar club here in Houston which should also give me a lead on parts and "how to" with me project. Thanks to everyone for all the good advice. It's nice to have a tech forum out there for the older b-bodies.

 

[YY1]

Would you drive a 1966 or earlier?

Those don't have collapseable columns.

Just sayin'

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...but I vote nylon screw...if it's doable.

 

[A383Wing]

Bryan, Thanks for the feedback. I had considered that as well but then read a post where a guy had the same issue as me and the shaft telescoped on him while he was driving down the highway. He felt it going and was able to get on the shoulder as the shaft came out of the coupler.

if that happened, something else was wrong or a bearing retainer was left off....I have pushed & pulled the column on my 70 a few times..it's designed to collapse...don't weld it

Bryan

 

[BeastlyBirdie]

Would you drive a 1966 or earlier?

Those don't have collapseable columns.

Just sayin'

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...but I vote nylon screw...if it's doable.

I would/do....I've built a couple of old style rat rods, never a second thought about it. I also realize I'm toast if I wreck my 92 vette..even with its airbag. The bigger concern is in today's overly litigated world, some lawyer finding out you welded the shaft....
As for the nylon screw, I just put them through the holes. They keep pressure, they don't truly lock it down. All I'm looking to do is keep it from easily walking while assembling. Once the column is mounted, unless something else is hideously wrong, its stable....

 

[moparfanUSA]

Mark, I was clueless about what I was going to find and how to do it, but I took pictures and put all the pcs. in each bag. But in the end it was not hard at all to take it apart, just need a streeing wheel puller to take the streeing wheel off, after that I had to do alot of banging because mine was rusted together. We had to break the lower bearing off, but I have found online most of the parts to rebuid it. The only problem I have now is we drilled out the plastic pin on one side ( the other one was not there) and BTW. they do not go all the way through, and we pulled the 2 shafts out all the way and found what we see they do not come apart,so I do not know what the overall lenght of the colunm should be, can you measure yours and let me know what that dim is, from the top (without the wheel on) of the shaft to the end of the shaft without the coupler. Or can any one give me that please.
Thanks

 

[69 Charger Mark]

Hey MoparfanUSA, my column is currently collapsed by about an inch or so I'm not sure measuring that one would work for you. However I've got another one that should be here on Monday that I can measure for you. --------- Mark.

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Hey MoparfanUSA, my column is currently collapsed by about an inch or so I'm not sure measuring that one would work for you. However I've got another one that should be here on Monday that I can measure for you. --------- Mark.

 

[A383Wing]

I would/do....I've built a couple of old style rat rods, never a second thought about it. I also realize I'm toast if I wreck my 92 vette..even with its airbag. The bigger concern is in today's overly litigated world, some lawyer finding out you welded the shaft....
As for the nylon screw, I just put them through the holes. They keep pressure, they don't truly lock it down. All I'm looking to do is keep it from easily walking while assembling. Once the column is mounted, unless something else is hideously wrong, its stable....

yea..what he said...

Bryan

 

[moparfanUSA]

ok, thanks Mark

 

[Cranky]

If it is loose, put in nylon screws, cut the heads off. If its not loose, pull it out (usually requires a hammer and vise grips) to the needed length. Its supposed to collapse at around 300 lbs (500?) Of pressure. I would bet that most "restorations" should have had those pins replaced, but didn't. I mean, do you trust 40 year old plastic not to break?

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Cranky, never weld the shaft. It won't collapse, has just become an impaling device, and will kill or seriously injure the driver. Not to mention, say he sells the car, and the next owner gets hurt from that-huge lawsuit.

Talking about a 'tack' weld and not solid welding it. And if the tack is too big, then you can take a small grinder to it. As for litigation....you can talk to this guy about that. http://www.evansar.com/index.html He's the son of a good friend of mine and well, the litigation would be more about who or what caused the accident. A steering column failure causing a crash would be more of a concern than why didn't it collapse and protect the driver. It could come down to that but man, that would be a stretch imo especially with a 40+ year old car and doubt anyone would be dissecting the column to find out why it didn't collapse and if they did, will a lawsuit result from it? How would they find out who 'tack' welded it? Dust for finger prints? Do an weld analysis on the machine that welded it? Just sayin.....

 

[moparfanUSA]

anyone have a total lenght on the colunm?