What does this steering shaft clip do?

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Needswork

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I've got a 67 Dart steering column that came partially assembled with many parts still in a plastic bag. It has a clip that appears to attach to the larger DD section of the shaft, but I can't figure out what it actually does. This is for a "plain column", no shift mechanism.

Any thoughts?

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maybe something to help hold the tool that injects the plastic into the shaft?
 
Have you looked in a service manual???

Yes. I have a reprint of the 67 Dodge service manual. No pics of anything similar. I read through the disassembly/assembly text and didn't see it mentioned. But, the manual only shows/describes a column with a shift lever, so perhaps it is different.
 
Yes. I have a reprint of the 67 Dodge service manual. No pics of anything similar. I read through the disassembly/assembly text and didn't see it mentioned. But, the manual only shows/describes a column with a shift lever, so perhaps it is different.

Try checking the 68 manual also, sometimes it took a year for the service manuals to update...

MyMopar - Mopar Forums & Information - Service Manuals
 
Thanks for the link on the service manuals. As you suggest, I've also found that manuals from different years may have slightly different pics or notes that can prove to be helpful.
In this case, I looked through several years, Dodge and Plymouth, nothing so far.
 
There are/were cases where a technical service bulletin would show addition items in a repair kit that would not be shown in the manual.
A service tech would insert a replacement pin by hand and park this piece over that pin as retainer?
I don't recall seeing this particular item before or a related service bulletin ( although I did once read though a dang stack of them belonging to a seasoned tech about 30 years ago ). So... Imagination at play.
 
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Thanks for the suggestions. I went ahead and used the clip the only way I could see that it fit. I think it's related to the collapsing shaft somehow.
 
Gentleman I will throw this theory out there maybe it will help. I am thinking that maybe as an earlier post has said this is probability a recall, campaign, or a quick fix. The steering shaft is a two piece design having plastic injected during fabrication. As we know for safety reasons, it will collapse during a collision. Now for the horn circuit, for most models, there is only one wire that feeds up to the horn button, then it uses the rest of upper steering column to complete the circuit.

Now for the “what-ifs”, if this year, run, 1st 2nd 3rd shift had particular horn problems such as not working at all, part time, or not working turning the steering wheel, time for a quickie fix. Maybe the grease they used for the upper column was wrong type or too much, the upper bearing preload spring was not as strong, as not having good electrical contact between bearing and bearing cup. What if someone forgot to install the lower ground wire column to dash frame, or the wire was not of the correct gauge at the time, or wire ends crimped incorrectly.

Now the big wigs have come up with a solution of just using the this clip to ground the upper steering shaft to the lower shaft. So now the horn circuit has another path to follow increasing the chance for the closed circuit. Ma Mopar, and others would find this cheap solution as a fix, then to pay a dealership's mechanic book time. Five minutes vs hour(s) warranty time, go figure........

I am not saying this “clip” is it, but it will give you something to think about.
 
Nope, what I think it does is gives ground for the horn ring! On the collapsing column.
 
It looks like the last two posts are saying similar things - the clip ensures an electrical path. That definitely seems reasonable to me. Thanks guys!
 
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