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Sat Jun 09, 2012 10:45 pm

Ok...I had the typical "clunk" in my steering column of my 81 rabbit truck. Took off the column, replaced the bearing and now when I try to re-install the column it appears to be about 1 to 1.5 inches too short? Is there some adjustment in the steering column or is it a solid shaft? I had someone else press out the bearing and replace it but he did not tell me of any adjustments he noticed in the shaft and it appears to be the correct height from the steering wheel end? I have moved around the universal joint to try to gain some distance but no matter what I try, I cannot get the end of the steering column that used to insert into the u-jount to reconnect? What can I do?

Thanks

Sun Jun 10, 2012 10:33 pm

I just went through the same....friggin thing. 22" should be the length of the steering shaft. Mine collapsed tinkering with it. It is two piece and you can tap the outer shaft to get the correct length back.

Mon Jun 11, 2012 4:45 am

Ok....at least I am not losing my marbles on this...now, when you say tap the outer shaft...what are you considering the outer shaft? I have tapped all over this thing and cannot get it to extend at all. Mine measures 19.5" end to end right now...and as you indicate in your response...it should be around 22". I looked on some pictures of shafts on ebay and they appear to have a clip that "snaps" into the shaft and provides some pre-determined length? But, from what I can tell, the shaft would need to be removed from the collar (what I am calling the thin metal piece that mounts that steering column assembly underneath the dash) in order to change this shaft length setting? What gives?

Mon Jun 11, 2012 9:31 pm

There are two parts.....the column....and the steering shaft. The column is what you see...the shaft is inside (obviously). The shaft is collapseable. You will need the shaft out of the column to tap it ack to correct length.

Tue Jun 12, 2012 6:32 am

Got it out yesterday...I put it on a vice and was able to remove the inner shaft from the outer mounting collar. There was a thin piece of metal welded to each piece of the shaft (inner and outer) and that metal had folded up inside the mounting collar - similar to a ribbon. When I tapped the outer shaft enough so that the metal "ribbon" extended to its original length, viola!....the shaft extended length was now 22.4" -- Success!

Thanks for the reply.