Looking for help from anyone. Didn't change anything when I took the column out. Now it appears to be too short! The coupling is about 1/2 inch from going over the spline shaft in the box. I loosened the P.S. gear box up about 1/2 inch and pried it back towars the coupling. Still too short by about 1/8 inch therefore....I can't get the roll pin in. I tried hammering on the coupling to get it to go over the spline...no good...won't go any further. Tried loosening all the bolts that hold the column to the firewall....no good. I'm afraid if I keep hammering on the coupler and prying, I'm going to break something. What am I doing wrong. It's a '69 Superbee with auto on the column.

You collapsed the shaft. It's two piece and you pushed the lower part into the upper. Take a pair of vice grips and clamp them on the lower part of the shaft. Then tap them with a hammer to slide the shaft toward the gearbox.

I just pulled out my column yesterday to regrease the coupler. What I do know is that there is some movement when the coupler is on the column. Try moving the coupler back alittle. There is a small pin that is installed on the coupler(where the shoes are)so it won't fall off the column.

Do I have to take the column back out or can I leave it where it is?

Jim

Moving it back will make it even shorter. I need more length. I tried hammering it forward (towards the steering gear box)but it won't go any further.

You can leave the column in. Just make sure it is unbolted. Just let it rest on the drivers seat. Remember the coupler has splines also.

Pic from the manuel:

The coupler is not his problem.
It won't move there is a pin that holds it in place.
Like said above, he must have collapsed the column.

Just thinking. The coupler can move up and down alittle even with the pin in.

I'v been beating on the vice grips and got some length out of it but need about another 1/16 inch.
Still can't get the roll pin in. Everything is unbolted inside the car. Just mashed my finger pounding on the vice grips and bled all over everything. I'll try again tomorrow. Boy is this frustrating.....but I sure appreciate your input.

Jim

Are you sure the splines are meshed evenly? How about putting a dab of grease on the splines? By the way, don't hammer it too hard. There is a seal underneath the the lock ring and it will leak. Don't ask me how I know that. Lets just say I have to pull my steering box next month.

The splines are meshed evenly because I've come with in about 1/16 inch of success. I've been beating on it pretty hard....probably damaged something. I know I mashed up the retainer and rubber seal on the back of the coupler. I'm just going to stick a bolt in the coupler in place of the roll pin and take it to the steering column shop. Too much frustration. Again, thanks for your help.

make sure the shoes are on right, they will go both ways.

Never heard of shoes on the steering column. Maybe this is my problem with the coupler not going over the spined shaft all the way. Can I get a description of the shoes and where they are located in the shaft?

The steering column shop? Sounds expensive.

The shoes are the H shaped metal pieces with the hole in the center. http://www.moparts.org/Tech/Archive/steering/2.html

Could the shoes have moved without having taken apart the coupler?

They're real expensive. However, I'm just glad there's one in town.

Loosen the column at the studs that hold it onto the dash. There is some give there. How close it the column collars to the dash? If there's a big gap I'll bet the column can slide forward a bit. The column is designed to slide forward if your chest hits the wheel in a crash, as it slides on those nylon square spacers that the studs go thru.
So long as the column collars aren't butted right next to the dash you have some space to move it forward. You need some space so the column shift mechanism can work.

Yep...I checked those nylon square spacers. I made sure I had plenty of space there both fore and aft. I even had them unbolted and the column dropped down. All bolts were removed from the inside. The column won't go any further. I used the vice grips on the shaft and pounded the heck out it and it bottomed out about 1/16 inch short of going all the way. About 3/16" of the spline still shows between the coupler and the top of the gear box.