View Full Version : Steering Shaft Stuck
I was trying out the fit of the steering shaft and inserted the rod without the washers that are intended to tighten everything up. It was a tight fit and I could not get the rod back out at all. I ended up pounding it in instead of pulling it back out figuring it was tight enough without the washers. Stupid move I think. Now the rod is suck in there and I think I pounded it in a bit too far. When I try inserting my Russ Thompson turn signal set up it does not engage to turn the wheels or the shaft. I think it is a bit too short now. Do I need to order a new steering shaft or can I make it work with a longer bolt into it? Anyone else have this problem and make the same mistake I made? Thanks for the advice.
jwhit
02-29-2020, 10:35 PM
could of had burr on end making it tight .it should come back out ,take off joint at fire wall and remove shaft from car then you could use smaller bar to tap it back out
edwardb
03-01-2020, 06:34 AM
You need to get it back out and fit properly. You need the steering wheel adapter fully seated on the end of the shaft. Don't try a long bolt or whatever if it won't go all the way in. Aside from the installation issue, that's supposed to be a collapsing column in case of an accident. Obviously if it's going in that hard and now stuck, it's not going to work as designed. Which of course is hopefully never. Agreed you might have to take it out and work on it on the bench. I've heard of guys having to replace them because of this. Do it right and get it assembled the way it's supposed to be.
David Williamson
03-01-2020, 08:53 AM
I had to clean up the ends on mine with a file and lightly polish the inner shaft with emery cloth to get them to fit.
David W
AC Bill
03-01-2020, 02:22 PM
Can you bolt a plate to the wheel end of the shaft, for something you can tap on with a hammer? Mine was extremely tight, after just putting it in by hand, but it came back out with a few taps. If you hammered it in, that may be a job for the work bench and vice.
Thanks for the advice everyone. I pulled it out today and tried to pull the two pieces apart with my vice and every bit of strength I could muster but I could not get it to budge. I think I will still try AC Bill's recommendation of putting in a bolt and hammering on the end.
I attached a few pictures of how it looks. I may actually not be too short, but like others have pointed out, it is intended to collapse if my chest hits the wheel ever. On the other hand, I will always be in the full seat harness, so my chest should not hit the wheel in a crash. What do you guys think, do I just bite the bullet and order another set from Factory Five? Any chance there is some type of warranty since my two pieces don't have the right tolerances? I understand I should not have banged them together now, so if I have to pay, I get it.
Thanks.
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SteveP
03-01-2020, 08:11 PM
I had the same problem. I pounded a smaller shaft into the larger tube and drove the steering shaft out. I tried polishing the steering shaft with emery paper. After a couple hours of sanding and fitting, it was still too tight. I quit trying to finesse the fit, I put the shaft on a belt sander and achieved a workable fit, still a little tight but workable.
AC Bill
03-02-2020, 04:37 AM
Did you put any heat on it, during your struggles? If you heat up the larger shaft, it may expand enough to help remove the smaller one. The other possibility is a sliding hammer, if you can rent, beg, or borrow one.
I would run it by FFR. The part shouldn't be that difficult to work with.
Putting in a bolt to the end and smashing it with a hammer allowed me to get the shaft out. Thank you for the recommendation, that was exactly the trick. I sanded it down some and it now slides in and out a bit better. Still takes some effort to move in and out but at least it moves and I don't need to order a new one. Thanks again for the help everyone.
AC Bill
03-04-2020, 02:33 PM
Glad that worked for you. I bet it felt good finally getting it apart..:) I'd be tempted to sand it some more, and or lube it enough, you don't have to fight it.
On some earlier models, the complaint used to be, there was to much play between the shafts. Builders were using bits of feeler gauges, or even adding a set screw, to prevent the slop. Sounds like that issue was fixed, but now it's gone to far the other way..