Steering column installation - help please!

[uk-maxie]

Hi all

Wondering of anyone can shed some light on this for us....

We managed to get the steering column fitted to our 69 Sport Satellite today but not exactly how the Factory Service Manual says it should fit...

The dimension marked 'X' below should be 13/16" according to the manual but ours is more like just a shade under 1-1/2"

Initially, we couldnt get the column to engage on the splines on the steering box more than about 1/4" but then realised the coupler (i think they call it - the bit with the splines in) could slide further along the column towards the steering box. This was the only way to get the splines engaged enough on the 'box to fit the roll-pin.
By now tho, the dimension they say to set to 13/16 had grown to nearly 1-1/2".
The only way to reduce this would be to push the column further towards the steering box but the mounting plates are both (the big one that bolts to the firewall and the smaller 2-bolt flange) bolted up in position with the column pushed as far forward as it will go.

Question is - is there a problem having the coupler this far out of position?

There does seem to be a larger gap between the cowl behind the steering wheel and the dash, where the column passes under it, but that's only going by memory of how it used to look before we removed it 3-4 years ago and cant see how to reduce that gap...

Any steering coloumn experts out there??!!

Thanks, Rob

 

[67 coronet]

as long as the stearing column is bolted to the fire wall(inside)and flush,it has to be in correct.normally you have a minor adjustment where it passes under the dash.if the coupler is engaged with the end of the column and the roll pin is in place,i wouldnt worry about it.just a minor thought,make sure you didnt pinch anything,like carpet,when you bolted up the column at the firewall.