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Steering shaft rebuild #2445333
02/02/18 07:22 PM
02/02/18 07:22 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 670
Third rock from the sun.
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busboy Offline OP
mopar
busboy  Offline OP
mopar
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 670
Third rock from the sun.
My steering shaft is missing 3 of the 4 little plastic plug caps where it's designed to collapse There is absolutely no play in the shaft right now, my guess is seized, so not sure it'll perform as designed if I need it to (really bad day). I'm sure with a good whack I could break them loose, clean them up, but then what?? Pretty sure I can't reproduce the designed shear value from the factory. Any idea what I could use for the plastic plugs or some other way to reassemble this shaft?


Oh yeah, it's a hybrid.....it burns gas and tires!
Re: Steering shaft rebuild [Re: busboy] #2445464
02/03/18 02:16 AM
02/03/18 02:16 AM
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,651
Cut and Shoot, TX
kentj340 Offline
top fuel
kentj340  Offline
top fuel

Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,651
Cut and Shoot, TX
Not a new problem - this has been discussed before here with solutions. Use the Google Custom Search at the top of this page to find Moparts discussions on this topic.


If you don't see two dolphins, you need a vacation.
Re: Steering shaft rebuild [Re: busboy] #2445552
02/03/18 11:26 AM
02/03/18 11:26 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 313
nj
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MoJoe Offline
enthusiast
MoJoe  Offline
enthusiast
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 313
nj
I think I read on the B body forum about someone using plastic bolts to rebuild his column. I'm looking at a similar situation some am looking for some ideas as well.

Last edited by MoJoe; 02/03/18 11:27 AM.
Re: Steering shaft rebuild [Re: busboy] #2445586
02/03/18 12:44 PM
02/03/18 12:44 PM
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 8,828
Ontario, Canada
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Stanton Offline
Don't question me!
Stanton  Offline
Don't question me!
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 8,828
Ontario, Canada
I don't know why guys get so concerned about this in a car they only put a few miles on in perfect weather. Your risk of a collision is minimal at this point in the car's life. Personally I wouldn't be afraid to throw a quick tack in there - only one - with a mig just to hold it in place. It would shear if necessary.

FWIW they sell steering kits for hotrods using similar rods and tubing. They use nothing in those at all. Its quite possible the factory put those in there for no other reason than to hold the parts in position for installation on the assembly line.

Re: Steering shaft rebuild [Re: Stanton] #2445637
02/03/18 02:26 PM
02/03/18 02:26 PM
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,443
Morristown Tn.
7
71birdJ68 Offline
master
71birdJ68  Offline
master
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Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,443
Morristown Tn.
They rattle without something in there.

Re: Steering shaft rebuild [Re: busboy] #2445644
02/03/18 02:32 PM
02/03/18 02:32 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,544
md
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mopars4ever Offline
I Live Here
mopars4ever  Offline
I Live Here
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Posts: 13,544
md

Re: Steering shaft rebuild [Re: mopars4ever] #2445686
02/03/18 04:04 PM
02/03/18 04:04 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 670
Third rock from the sun.
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busboy Offline OP
mopar
busboy  Offline OP
mopar
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 670
Third rock from the sun.
Thanks for that link mopars4ever, I'm liking the aluminum rivet stem idea, seems strong enough to hold things in place yet easy to shear if required! I like your thinking stanton, these cars are pampered these days, most aren't daily drivers. Thanks for the replys all up


Oh yeah, it's a hybrid.....it burns gas and tires!
Re: Steering shaft rebuild [Re: busboy] #2447229
02/06/18 01:12 AM
02/06/18 01:12 AM
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 953
Chicago
PurpleBeeper Offline
super stock
PurpleBeeper  Offline
super stock

Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 953
Chicago
I have rebuilt the main steering shaft in my car. IF your shear pins are broken, then it's likely the car it came from was in a minor front end accident OR the column was bumped during shipping or something.

Anyway, what I did on my partially collapsed steering shaft (with broken shear pins) was to put one end in a vise, but vise grips on the other end & tap the vise grips with a hammer until the center shaft slid apart to the correct length.

Then, I drilled two 1/4" holes through the inner/outer pieces of the steering shaft & tapped it with a 1/4" tap. I picked this size because 1/4" nylon bolts were available in the plumbing department at my local hardware store. I screwed the nylon bolts through my tapped holes & then cut off the excess on both ends with a little dremel cutoff wheel.... viola, new sheer pins.

Personally, I would not tack weld the steering shaft (aluminum pop rivets might be OK). I have had some pretty nasty accidents over the years & I don't like the idea of being speared in the chest with a steering shaft....just sayin.


70 Roadrunner convt. street car 440+6, NOS, 4-spd, SS springs '96 Mustang GT convt. street car '04 4.6 SOHC, NOS, auto, lowered "Officer, that button is for short on-ramps"






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