Tip for Shortening Inner steering column collapsible tube.

["Dart67"]

As the title says, this is a Tip for Shortening Inner steering column collapsible tube.

I had to shortened the outer steering column tube 3 3/4" for header clearance.

There is NOT enough of the smaller diameter tube material to cut and remove the same amount on the center tube.

This means one of the sections has to be collapsed by shearing the factory plastic shear points. Which I did.

This tube has to be "solid" to maintain the proper assembly of the column as well as maintain the collapsible feature for safety.

I got the length set and used the factory holes as a guide to drill the inner tube holes to 3/16".

I found these small "christmas tree" pins at my local Ace Hardware and installed them into the drilled holes.

They hold the column length and it will still be collapsible.


Herb aka "Dart67"

 

[Dana67Dart]

Looks like you rotated the tubes as well.

That could mess up alignment of other parts that are attached to the column or shift tube if so equiped

 

["Dart67"]

Looks like you rotated the tubes as well.

That could mess up alignment of other parts that are attached to the column or shift tube if so equiped

Nope did not rotate them. Everything assembled just fine...

 

[Dana67Dart]

Nope did not rotate them. Everything assembled just fine

Glad it worked out. But it sure looks rotated to me

 

["Dart67"]

Glad it worked out. But it sure looks rotated to me

View attachment 1716542350

Ok, maybe a slight bit. But it does not matter on the center tube bottom section... It Only serves as a spacer from top to bottom. The Top section is the one that positions the "collars" and it make no difference on a floor shift car if the middle and bottom sections are turned or rotated. They are only spacers... If it were a column shift car it would make a difference...

My point was using the christmas tree pins to maintain the length and safety feature....