I converted my manual steering to power steering & the swap went OK, except the steering coupler wasn't fully engaged with the steering shaft ("pivot bushings" sticking out of coupler 1/4") and I got my steering wheel upside down.




I pulled the column out & turned the wheel right side up. I knocked out the coupler roll pin removed it & attached it on the end of the steering column shaft over the pivot. Now I can't get the shaft/coupler any closer than about 3" from the splines on the steering gear box. Does that steering shaft telescope? What am I missing? Thanks for the help!

The column does telescope. However, it should have a nylon shear pin that keeps it at the proper length. It should only telescope if you bang/hit it hard enough to shear the pin.

Did you use the original shaft? Not,the way to,go. The telescope is for safety in an accident, not for,changing length.

When all the right parts are used put the coupler on the steering box first, then raise the column to the dash mounting points and barely snug the bolts, align the column and shaft in the engine compartment at the end on the top tube and tighten bolts. Having a helper is easier. Last are the 4 firewall plate bolts.

If I recall, power steering and manual steering uses a different coupler. This person sells the manual one

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Steering-Col...h-/322130356952

Here is one for Power steering:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/For-Mopar-Power-Steering-Gearbox-Coupler-/262385118061

You can read the info on the listings to see if it will help.

Wow, maybe that's it. Does anyone know what the difference is between the two steering couplers? Is the power steering coupler longer by any chance? Are the splines on the steering box side the same?

Read post from 340Clone

Unknown why there are 2 different lengths. Only the engineers know.

https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/2086337/steering-coupler.html#Post2086337

Doing a little research, it seems like the diameter of the spline on the steering box is different (manual a larger diameter & power a smaller diameter). I guess there could be a long & a short power steering coupler. Does anyone know about this and/or have some lengths so I can compare vs. mine?

Also, I'm starting to think that maybe I did shear that nylon pin and the steering shaft collapsed in. If that was the case, how could I tell for sure? How do I fix that? THANK EVERYONE

The couplers are all the same length. Difference is the size of the splined shaft out the steering box. The length difference is in the shaft inside the column.

With a bit of google searching you should be able to find what the exact factory length is for a PS shaft for a Charger. You should have this info so that shaft is correct length before installing column. Might save you multiple trial installs of column to get it right. Trying to adjust while column is in car is problematic at best.

I recently went thru all this on my Challenger. Thread is on questions and answers on this forum.

Something else is wrong.

The manual shaft is longer than the PS shaft. There is no way it should be short, the opposite should be the case.

All 68-70 B body steering column shafts are the same length. The 1970 piece needed to be modified the accept the split pin for the "star" lock wheel.

Manual shafts are 44 1/2" end to end, if not collapsed. The part #244515, is labeled on the steering wheel end along with a white paint I/D marker. The length of the gear end is 7 1/4" from "spin-weld" to end. The manual coupler has a 3/4" splined hole.

Power steering shafts are 41 1/2" end to end and have a purple paint marker. The length of the gear end is 4 1/4" from the spin-weld to end. The P/S coupler has a 5/8" splined hole.

After retiring from Chrysler, I started Premium Interior Restoration, and have restored over 175 Mopar columns. I have lost track counting the amount of "modified columns" that I have restored/returned to O/E design intent.

Any one may pm me if you need info related to restoring your steering columns. Mike

Mike is your guy if you need one restored!!

Well, here is more detail. It's originally a '70 4spd, manual steering car (no "quadrant" or shifter on the column). I bought a '70 power steering column from a 318 column automatic car (+ p/s pump, hoses, brackets & gear box). Since I didn't want the PRNDL "quadrant" on my 4spd car, I just took the steering shaft out of the power steering column and put it into my 4spd steering column. Everything seems to fit/function just fine.

Also...this car has had the front frame rails & k-member replaced, so there's no guarantee every dimension on the front is "dead on exact" to what it should be. And... this car was in a front end accident with this same column though nothing looks "collapsed" on it & the front end impact wasn't that bad. I mainly replaced the frame rails due to rust, but it was "tweaked" a little.

As I mentioned, I had the steering shaft/coupler engaged "almost" all the way (when I had the steering wheel upside down), but I couldn't get it to slide in that last 1/4". I tried & tried to push the column further forward to engage the shaft/coupler better, but the metal ring at the bottom of the column where it goes through the floor (2 bolts) was bottomed out (hit "nubs" on column & couldn't move forward any more). At the time, I just figured that I had the coupler pushed too far down on the steering box splines & I could just slip it back a 1/4", put the roll pin back in an everything would be kosher.

Now, with all the wiggling I can do by myself & the coupler already connected to the steering shaft & slid down towards the towards the end of the shaft so the pivots are "just barely" inside the coupler & the coupler won't even engage on the 1st spline of the steering box, let alone the second spline. I've got the mark on the coupler lined up with the missing spline of the steering box gear, but it doesn't even get close enough to mater. At first, I tried to leave the coupler on the steering box & slip the shaft/pivots into the end of the coupler, but I couldn't line it up alone & I was afraid of losing the pivots, even though I taped them a little bit in place. I may have to try it this way again???

So, I'm starting to wonder,"Did I shear off that nylon pin inside so my column is 2" shorter than it should be?" and also wondering, "Is the frame alignment off more than I thought in the steering box attachment area?" and for both questions, "How do I determine if this is going on & what do I do about it?" You guys have been very, very helpful (several of you) and I'm just hoping that one of you will say "Ahah!, check this or adjust that" All of your help is appreciated.

Measure the steering shaft. Is it the correct length for PS? If not, the shaft is collapsed. If so, do you have correct coupler?

If column mounting bracket to dash is same as e body. Remove this bracket while trying to wiggle into place. This bracket can hang up and limit your ability to maneuver column all the way forward.

The 1970 B body column to dash bracket, with three sliders, are a one-year only part and will not interchange with anything E, A, or C body . . . except for wiring and some internal fastener and bearings, the B stands alone.

I'm 99.999% sure I got the correct '70 b-body power steering column and the shaft is definitely shorter than the original manual steering shaft, but I never did measure it. The collar must be right because it fits the steering box splines, correct?

Maybe the car it came out of was in a bad front end accident & is partially collapsed? I got it from a salvage yard and that would explain a lot if it were collapsed 1"-2". Can that plastic pin be repaired/replaced if my shaft is collapsed? How? Exactly where is it located along the shaft? (I should remember that, but I don't)

Thing is if the junkyard drops it on the ground it will shorten the shaft. You know how they commonly slam stuff around.

Yes the coupler is right if it was on the shaft.

I just measured a car, floor shift power steering 1970 GTX, all original parts.
10 11/16" from the end of the outer column tube,
9 5/16" from the end of the tube for the lockout linkage
to the fowrard end of the coupler.

Hope this helps you figure what you have going on there.

Chrysler used to sell a repair kit for collapsed shafts.
I have a picture of it around here somewhere.
Pretty sure that it isn't available any more. Probably due to liability concerns.

People have repaired shafts in other ways.

Some people weld them solid, but that defeats the purpose of having a collapsible shaft, so it's not exactly recommended.

I've also heard of someone buying a small plastic bolt (look around the plumbing section of the hardware store) and then drilling and taping the shaft to accept the bolt. Screw it in and grind off the plastic head so that it's like having a new plastic shear pin.

I've even heard of several people who just pull it out to the right length and don't fasten it with anything. They say the tiny roll pin in the coupler will hold it in place. (not all couplers have that pin by the way) Sounds pretty sketchy to me, so I wouldn't recommend trying that.

Tav

Thanks everyone..... yes, and this steering column was shipped UPS and we all know how that goes. I'm headed to the garage to work on this and I will break out the tape measure and see what I'm working with.

Well, I can't remember how to "downsize" the pictures I took off my phone, so I will try to describe what I'm seeing.

With the coupler just barely engaged on both splines of the steering box and the steering column shoved all the way forward against the dash, the pivots just barely touch the coupler. I'm about 1-1/4" too short to connect the pivots/shaft into the coupler.

I pulled the steering column out of the car and measured it. From the end of the shaft (no coupler) to the edge of the outer tube is 7-7/16". From the end of the shaft to the edge of the tube with the lockout (not the lockout itself, the tube) is 5-15/16".

I think it has been collapsed about 1-1/4" to 1-1/2" for sure. I like the idea of drilling/taping the holes where the shear pins go, screwing in some nylon bolts and then cutting them off flush to make my own replacement shear pins.

Where are those shear pin locations? Will I need to disassemble the column again? Does anyone know how to do this? THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP!

Some additional info

https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ubbt...-collapsed.html

You received my phone number in a pm, if you want direction as to how it can be adjusted/repaired to the proper length - give me a call. I also have several B body P/S shafts that are set and ready to sell. Mike; Premium Interior Restorations.

THANK YOU MIKE!!! My power steering column center shaft measured 39-1/2" end-to-end......about 2" too short just like it looked like under the hood. I put some vise grips on the inner shaft & drove it out with a hammer until the plastic shear pins lined up (drilled out visible plastic). It's interesting that the ends of the shear pins looked totally OK & I would have NEVER figured out the center shaft was partially collapsed without measuring it. Looking at the surface rust, the donor car was in a front end accident a LOOOONNNNGGGGG time ago. I plan to drill/tap the holes, run some small plastic bolts through the holes & cut off the ends to make my own replacement plastic shear pins like one of the other members suggested. THANKS EVERYONE!