73 steering shaft to short

[73hcode]

I have a 73 Dart Sport 340 and have been rebuilding for quite some time well I went to put the steering column in and now the shaft with the coupler on the end won’t reach the steering gear box. Nothing has been changed from the original same steering box same shaft and column I am at my wife’s wit ends. Lol please help.

 

[Jadaharabi]

I have a 73 Dart Sport 340 and have been rebuilding for quite some time well I went to put the steering column in and now the shaft with the coupler on the end won’t reach the steering gear box. Nothing has been changed from the original same steering box same shaft and column I am at my wife’s wit ends. Lol please help.

Sorry to hear about your wife losing her wits.

Got any pictures, of the steering that is?

 

[grjammer]

It is likely you have collapsed the shaft during storage. You can tap it back out to the proper length. The injected plastic that "forged" the two shafts in place was meant to break in event of a collision and allow the lower section to slide into the upper, reducing the risk of impalement by the steering shaft.

 

[73hcode]

Like this.

 

[GeorgeH]

X's 2. Tap it back down.

 

[brian6pac]

If you tap the coupler on, can you still get the cover on the coupler?

 

[73hcode]

I will try to tap it back down to see what happens

 

[grjammer]

When I had this issue, I removed the coupler, loosened the column and used a pair of vise grips on the protected column to tap it out. Then I put the coupler back together and assembled the column. You can use a wrench on the dowel on the end of the shaft but is risky as you don't want it damaged. If you hit the back of the coupler you will likely not go deep enough with the shaft once the coupler is engaged on the gear. You need to have the coupler internal parts all the way in.

 

[Jadaharabi]

You might want to consider the timing of the spokes of the steering wheel in relationship to your front wheels being pointed straight. When you go to tap that all back together

 

[Dicer]

Gentleman the steering shaft is meant to be one piece, and yes it does collapse when it does its job correctly. Please look at your manual, if you hammer on this shaft you ruin it.....Check and see if your column pan has moved....

 

[brian6pac]

I'm thinking the shoes are just bottomed out in the coupler and there really is no problem install the coupler on the box and see if the cap will fit on the coupler if it does you are good to go.

 

[volunteer]

There is also about an inch of 'leeway' adjustment at the upper end of the column (as it attaches under the dash frame).
IF the inner shaft has 'come loose' where the plastic holds it together, there is no reason that this (shaft) cannot continue to be used. If you wish, just line up the inner and outer parts, then drill out the broken plastic 'pin', and install something else -such as an aluminum 'pop rivet'. As mentioned, there is a good chance the bottom 'coupler' can get stuck in its' collapsed configuration and can be pulled or (gently) tapped downward. If that little pin at the the upper housing area is not in place, all the 'guts' will come out - when you don't want them to.
Please let us know the eventual reason for your original issue.