Steering column too short for gear box

[Kuruton]

Hello again. I've been working recently swapping out my k member on my 73 challenger with a 440 and power steering. when I went to put everything back together, my steering column was too short to reach my gear box. The gear box had come off in the process and it was a pain In the ass to get back on. I'm wondering if it's possible that my steering shaft is collapsible and we collapsed it in the process? Or a different reason? The steering wheel is still in the same place as before.

If it's collapsed, what's the best way to fix it? Really would like to avoid removing the k frame again if possible. Thanks!

 

[Ricks72Chlgr440]

The steering columns have nylon pins that were designed to collapse during a front collision. Certainly possible that the are brittle and broke as you removed the shaft from the gearbox. Not a problem to not have them though. You should be able to pull on the shaft some to lengthen it. If after doing so it is still short, how much is it short by? Did you go to manual steering or did you leave the steering gear as it was and just changed out the K member? The picture shows the column shaft going onto the gearbox but does not have the attachment piece that goes on the end of the shaft.

 

[rklein71]

Short answer: the column has two shafts, the shaft connecting to your steering box will slide out from the other one. Although sometimes it can get rusty inside there and be difficult to move in and out.

 

[Kuruton]

T

The steering columns have nylon pins that were designed to collapse during a front collision. Certainly possible that the are brittle and broke as you removed the shaft from the gearbox. Not a problem to not have them though. You should be able to pull on the shaft some to lengthen it. If after doing so it is still short, how much is it short by? Did you go to manual steering or did you leave the steering gear as it was and just changed out the K member? The picture shows the column shaft going onto the gearbox but does not have the attachment piece that goes on the end of the shaft.

He other pieces are out of frame on the shaft if that's what you're referring to. I didn't swap anything out with the k member. All as it was.

So I should be able to basically get a slide hammer or some vice grips on there and pull it back out?

 

[Ricks72Chlgr440]

T
He other pieces are out of frame on the shaft if that's what you're referring to. I didn't swap anything out with the k member. All as it was.

So I should be able to basically get a slide hammer or some vice grips on there and pull it back out?

You should not need to pull on it hard to bring it back out.

 

[Kuruton]

You should not need to pull on it hard to bring it back out.

I gave it a bit of a tug by hand and couldn't manage. Tomorrow I'll try to make sure it's lined up well and try to give it a bit of love.

Shouldn't really be any other reason for it to be suddenly short then, right?

 

[Ricks72Chlgr440]

I gave it a bit of a tug by hand and couldn't manage. Tomorrow I'll try to make sure it's lined up well and try to give it a bit of love.

Shouldn't really be any other reason for it to be suddenly short then, right?

Not at all. When you removed it from the gearbox you probably gave it a nice shove!

 

[Kuruton]

Thanks for the reassurance! Been in the base garage 8 hours a day for the past couple days, so any show-stoppers would be heart breaking haha.

Found quite a bit of frame damage as well on the drivers side where the k frame mounts. There were already quite a few patches. Added my own as well as a notch for the additional travel of the lower arm(last person who added super thick patch on neglected to include)

 

[Ricks72Chlgr440]

Those military auto hobby shops are great! Have fun! By the way, your oil pan looks like it got into a fight and lost the match! Ugh!

 

[Challenger RTA]

Below is the column apart. The 2 pins can be seen on the shaft.
Before you finish you might want to consider putting ER-16 bearing in the end or steering column. Find it on eBay for about 6 bucks. It has a 2' od and a 1' id.
If you don't have the clip for the cup,get it.

​

 

[MoparCarGuy]

Check out Cuda Cody's videos on E-Body steering columns and how to rebuild them.

 

[Chryco Psycho]

In the illustration above you can see the small pin between the spring for the shoes & the pin the shoes sit on , make sure that pin is re=installed it will prevent the shoes from sliding out of the coupler if the shaft is damaged & collapsed before .

 

[challeng61]

You may want to check were the column passes through the firewall. Make sure the column is not hung up on firewall mount. The nylon pin is pretty difficult to break. I recall having a similar issue. I don't believe there is any difference in column length between small block and big block length. Consider measuring the internal shaft length and see if someone out there has one they can measure to confirm if it may be a sheared pin.

 

[Challenger RTA]

The difference in the column shaft length is between power steering and manual steering box.

 

[Kuruton]

Thanks everyone for the replies! I managed to pull it back out with some vice grips and a crowbar.

Will be finishing up the install today. Still need to remount the spindle to the lower arms, install my new calipers and rotors, etc.

Had another few questions along the way that I think I got right but just wanted to confirm too.

When I reinstalled the torsion bars Into my lower arms, I had the lever bit pointing at about a 45 degree angle downwards, does that seem correct?

Also, how much pressure should be on the sway bar at the rubber bushing clamp bits? Just enough to kinda keep it in place but freely rotate?

Thanks again for all the help!