PW Steering Column, Need Help

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70DusterBob

70DusterBob

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I have a 72 Power Steering Shaft in a 70 Duster Automatic Column case.

I need a lower bearing for it. The standard one that is supposed to fit A, B, and E bodies doesn't fit. If anyone has a factory part number which would help me find it, I would appreciate it. It was secured, bolted to the column case and fit the shaft. The multi-everything one doesn't fit in the same place and the shaft hole is too big. If anyone knows where to get one, I would super appreciate it.

Next question. I bought a steering column with shaft that the seller said was for power steering. It is 5" short to reach my power steering gear box. If anyone can help me find information to verify that the column he sold me was manual, that would save me the ship home. I'm rather certain the pw steering column shaft is longer because Flaming whatever it is sells couplers that have an extension for manual columns to fit auto boxes.

Thanks
 
Power steering columns are shorter than manual steering column. This is if the shear pins inside are not, well, sheared. Manual boxes are smaller and have a different size spline on the end, so the steering coupler on the shaft is specific to manual or power. This is why an adapter in needed when someone coverts PS to MS, one to add length to the PS column and two, to a convert the splines to MS.

Have you read through this on lower column bearings?

How To Replace your Lower Column Bearing: Better and Cheaper!!!
 
the p/s shaft is about 3" shorter than manual.yours is probably collapsed.also,all the 71 72 columns i've done don't have a lower bearing.you just center it and bolt in place.
 
Man, you guys are the greatest. I found the flange bearing on eBay, ordered it, and it looks like I will be keeping the column. That saves a lot of shipping $$ and trying to find another dang column. I am against the clock here and didn't have time to wait. Looks like it will be going in now before the engine gets here!

Thanks!
 
I have many 71 columns the only one I have with a lower bearing is a 3 spd. manual transmission column shift.
 
I have a very strange situation. When I had a mechanic swap the K frame, engine, front end, pw steering box, etc. He took the shaft out of the pw steering column that was in the 72 Dart and put it in the manual steering column casing. I don't remember what all he did because it was 16 years ago and I wasn't paying that close of attention. But I will just use the column I bought, put a flange bearing on it because the one I have in it now has a lower bearing for some reason. There is nothing but a small ball bearing case at the top of the column that I know of to hold the shaft centered. I think some of them came without the lower bearing and some came with it, but I have no idea what has what or what came with what. Seems like the changed the set up between 70 and 72, I don't know.
 
dano said:
Power steering columns are shorter than manual steering column. This is if the shear pins inside are not, well, sheared. Manual boxes are smaller and have a different size spline on the end, so the steering coupler on the shaft is specific to manual or power. This is why an adapter in needed when someone coverts PS to MS, one to add length to the PS column and two, to a convert the splines to MS.

Have you read through this on lower column bearings?

How To Replace your Lower Column Bearing: Better and Cheaper!!!
Click to expand...

Hey Dano,

Isn't there a pin in the shaft that needs to come out to slide the flange bearing on?

How do you get it out, like with what? Do you have to press it out?

If I remember, there's a pin where the coupler is.
 
Yes there is a pin. I believe it can be removed but I've never removed it. It probably will require a press or large vise.

I have a Flaming River B-Body column now and never had to get into the factory columns. This is why i know lengths as I converted to Power Steering and wanted to know if the B-body column would work in an A-body and it does if you cut the D-shaft shorter.
 
dano said:
Yes there is a pin. I believe it can be removed but I've never removed it. It probably will require a press or large vise.

I have a Flaming River B-Body column now and never had to get into the factory columns. This is why i know lengths as I converted to Power Steering and wanted to know if the B-body column would work in an A-body and it does if you cut the D-shaft shorter.
Click to expand...

Thank you!
 
Oldmanmopar said:
I have many 71 columns the only one I have with a lower bearing is a 3 spd. manual transmission column shift.
Click to expand...

I think they started changing or put different columns in the 70-71 range A Bodies for some reason. Mine has a big bearing in a white sleeve that has two bolts holding it in. Someone else I asked said theirs had no bearing too. Hmmm
 
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