Removed Steering wheel to replace turn signal lever- problem with other screw

[Dean Prevolos]

I removed my steering wheel to replace my turn signal lever. I didn't know that the one small screw on the left was all I needed to remove the turn signal lever. After removing the horn assembly I saw the phillips head screw on the right ( circled in Blue) and removed it, thinking I needed to slide that top section off to get to the turn signal lever( like some GM cars) . Well after I removed that screw and realized that removing the long thin screw on the left released the lever, I went to back put the screw back in and found that it wouldn't screw into the column. Then I took a flashlight and saw the nut laying on its side , inside the column. So why would they design the column to have a non-threaded fastener? Now I assume that I have to remove this section to fasten that nut onto the fastener. Does anyone kniw what I am referring to? Please advise, thank you.

 

[bcOH67]

This is something I’ve actually recently dealt with on my 67 charger. When replacing the switch I discovered my car doesn’t even have those screws. Never had any issues with driving or solidness of the column. So I posted on fbbo inquiring about it. Meanwhile I have a second steering column off of another 66/67 that I opened and found to not have them either. My car is a floor shift auto so I don’t have the gear selector part of the column, I just have the switch housing and the cone below it.

Let me state *I am in no way shape or form and expert or someone you should been taking advice from* haha, but I have come to the conclusion that, at least in my case where I don’t have a column shift, the screws are probably supposed to be there but they are not needed. The way the column is designed, once all the parts are in place it’s not going to separate or spin regardless.

I’ve been thinking about making a video or something because all of the column restoration vids that I have seen don’t show everything or say that it can’t be completely taken apart, and it can, piece by piece. I just am lucky enough to have one laying around that I don’t care about damaging so I could experiment with it.

Trying to put it back together is the part I’m working on now

 

[bcOH67]

There is a second one of those screws under the switch btw.

 

[bcOH67]

Here is a picture

 

[khryslerkid]

Is that one of two screws that hold the upper part/housing to the lower/tube?

In '62 they used a square headed bolt with a nut inside the upper part/housing to hold the two together.

 

[bcOH67]

Yeah it’s those.

 

[khryslerkid]

Yeah it’s those.

So is there fasteners that attach the "bell" shape piece to the housing? Can that bell be separated from the housing to get to the nut that he dropped?

How they did it in '62

 

[bcOH67]

No I believe the fasteners hold the switch housing to the outer column tube.

Yes the bell shaped part comes off. You have to remove the switch housing part. To do that you remove the switch, the snap ring on top of the bearing, the bearing and the there is another ‘c’ shaped ring you have to remove under the bearing. this is hard to do with the column still in the car but it is possible. Once the bearing is out the housing should pull off (with those two square screws removed of course). Then to remove the bell shaped part, you’ll notice there is a whole in it- you have to spin that counter clockwise (I believe) or all the way left or right, and then you can get at a set screw that holds it to the middle column tube. Once you remove that it may take some pulling but it will come off

 

[hunt2elk]

Is that one of two screws that hold the upper part/housing to the lower/tube?

In '62 they used a square headed bolt with a nut inside the upper part/housing to hold the two together.
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I believe those are the bolts he is referring to. Was going to say that I don't believe they should be a philips screw head. All the 69's and 70's I've had apart have been the square bolt head with a nut.

 

[Dean Prevolos]

This is something I’ve actually recently dealt with on my 67 charger. When replacing the switch I discovered my car doesn’t even have those screws. Never had any issues with driving or solidness of the column. So I posted on fbbo inquiring about it. Meanwhile I have a second steering column off of another 66/67 that I opened and found to not have them either. My car is a floor shift auto so I don’t have the gear selector part of the column, I just have the switch housing and the cone below it.

Let me state *I am in no way shape or form and expert or someone you should been taking advice from* haha, but I have come to the conclusion that, at least in my case where I don’t have a column shift, the screws are probably supposed to be there but they are not needed. The way the column is designed, once all the parts are in place it’s not going to separate or spin regardless.

I’ve been thinking about making a video or something because all of the column restoration vids that I have seen don’t show everything or say that it can’t be completely taken apart, and it can, piece by piece. I just am lucky enough to have one laying around that I don’t care about damaging so I could experiment with it.

Trying to put it back together is the part I’m working on now

Thank you for the response, you made my day!

 

[Dean Prevolos]

No I believe the fasteners hold the switch housing to the outer column tube.

Yes the bell shaped part comes off. You have to remove the switch housing part. To do that you remove the switch, the snap ring on top of the bearing, the bearing and the there is another ‘c’ shaped ring you have to remove under the bearing. this is hard to do with the column still in the car but it is possible. Once the bearing is out the housing should pull off (with those two square screws removed of course). Then to remove the bell shaped part, you’ll notice there is a whole in it- you have to spin that counter clockwise (I believe) or all the way left or right, and then you can get at a set screw that holds it to the middle column tube. Once you remove that it may take some pulling but it will come off

Thank you

 

[Dean Prevolos]

There is a second one of those screws under the switch btw.

Yes I saw that as well and figured if I couldn't get this srew back in that that one other screw would hold the section onto the hub. I had a El Camino years ago that I had to rebuild the steering column BECAUSE there sare 3 screws that are at the very bottom of the steering column that bget loose over time. When that happens the steering column gets loose and you can't drive the car. So I had a flash that this was the case. I'll just put my turn signal on and the steering wheel back on and be done with it. Thanks.

 

[bcOH67]

You’re welcome. Like I said, I’m no expert. But I have two different columns from two different cars that are the same when I pull them apart, so I’m going off of assumptions. Best guess is the guys who had them before me came to the same conclusion and just didn’t put them back. Still don’t take my word, when you rebuild it move and shake everything you can to make sure it feels solid, I could be a moron