steering shaft

[NixVegaGT]

OK so I'm about to start fabricating a new cross-member for my Appleton Rack system. SO I need to remove the steering shaft to fabricate one with a couple of u-joints. I've removed the gearbox and all I have left is the shaft. I loosened up a clamp that was at the top of the shaft and pulled it down. What it looks like to me is the shaft just keeps going up into the steering column. From what I understand on the Monza shaft there is a spline shaft that just pops out the steering column sleeve. It doesn't look like that on mine...

Do I need to remove the whole steering column or should I just cut off the shaft and weld on a u-joint? Opinions welcome! THanks guys.

[NixVegaGT]

Anybody done this before? Should I remove the whole steering column? Thanks guys.

[bill1978v8]

The column should be 1"-48 spline with a coupler on it (rag joint) Just take off the rag joint and put a u-jopint on the end. i'm going through this again with a "special" rack that fits really nice.

Bill

[NixVegaGT]

Thanks man. I thought that should be true for mine too... When I removed the coupler it just looks like a shaft that continues up the steering column.

I may have to remove the whole steering column... OR I could just cut the shaft off and try to rig a bearing in the end of the column... Hmmm.

[bill1978v8]

do you have any pics?

Bill

[NixVegaGT]

I'll get them together tomorrow. Thanks for the help, Bill.

[Dannyo]

Hi there,

My son and I are just starting on a 76 Skyhawk. We pulled the Six cylinder and four speed out yesterday. Sanderson cc13 headers are on the way and should be here early this coming week. We have Bob Gumm motor mounts on hand.

The question I have is this: The Sanderson header people tell me that the steering shaft goes through the headers. I am having a difficult time in separating the steering shaft so it will go through the header. Is there a trick to getting it apart? I am not real crazy about taking the steering box off just because it doesn't seem like it should have to come off.

I have separated the two clamps on it and it will move past the hold point of the bolt that goes through it on the bottom. Once it goes past this point it slips back down again. And when it is past the bolt point it appears to be binding somewhere up the line. I've sprayed it with cleaner and put oil on the sliding portion without any change in the travel distance.

I am headed out to see if it will move now that the engine is out and I can get my hands on it a bit more solidly.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

Danny

[bill1978v8]

You should be able to pry it off but you may need to drop the column down (two nuts under the dash) and take out the three screws holding the column at the firewall.

Bill

[Dannyo]

Thanks Bill,

Someone said to take the three bolts out of the steering box but not remove the pitman arm and it will come apart. Another person told me to remove the two plastic plugs on the shaft and it will then slide up and clear.

With your suggestion I now have three options so there is no reason to believe this won't succumb to our 'expert' manipulations of that piece of gear.

By the way do you know of anyone running the Hays bullet proof bell housing in these cars? Since my son will be driving it I'd like to build it in such a manner that if the clutch and fly wheel decide to part ways it would be contained. I saw one of these destroy a car when I was about 17 and it wasn't a pretty sight.

Thanks again for your help,

[NixVegaGT]

Sorry it took me so long! I didn't expect to have so much to do this weekend! ANyway here's what my steering shaft looks like. An opinions on how I should approach it would be really helpful. Thanks!

[bill1978v8]

Ok, I see what you mean. You are going to have to change your steering column to a later one with the 1"-48 or find out what diameter the shaft is coming out (looks like 1" or 3/4") then weld a coupler on to that so you can run what ever you need.

Bill