07/76 -- Steering shaft doesn't budge

[dclowd9901]

Hey all,

 

I'm in the midst of tearing down my 2002 to the frame. Just got the engine out, and now I'm onto the subframe work. I need to disconnect the steering from the front subframe.

 

It seemed simple enough -- loosen the steering-to-box coupler (the one with the rubber guibo) and push the shaft up. Reading topics on this forum seemed to confirm this order of operations.

 

However, I think this model doesn't allow that. I've loosened or removed every conceivable bolt along the column, and I have the ignition unlocked and still, the shaft refuses to budge, beyond a millimeter or two.

 

Anyone else around here have experience with these late model '02s steering columns? What am I missing? I'd just assume remove the whole column, but it looks like it's fastened to the frame with one-way bolts (!)

[visionaut]

Ooh, last month of manufacture for USA 2002s… 😀 Got pics?

 

Some steering column diagrams from RealOEM.com for July 1976 2002, for reference. Looks same to my eyes..

 

I don’t know if there’s a trick to it tho’

 

Edited March 1, 2023 by visionaut

[2002iii]

You have to unbolt the column from the firewall and dashboard inside the car.

[tzei]

Undo clamp at the firewall. Two ”cut” bolts holds ign.assembly to frame - weld bolts or grind slots to accept srewdriver.

[dclowd9901]

13 minutes ago, visionaut said:

Ooh, last month of manufacture for USA 2002s… 😀 Got pics?

 

Some steering column diagrams from RealOEM.com for July 1976 2002, for reference. Looks same to my eyes..

 

I don’t know if there’s a trick to it tho’

 

yeah looks the same to me too. I can’t help but think there’s some kind of circlip or something in the way. 
 

 

[dclowd9901]

8 minutes ago, tzei said:

Undo clamp at the firewall. Two ”cut” bolts holds ign.assembly to frame - weld bolts or grind slots to accept srewdriver.

it seemed like this was the only choice but I wanted to confirm before I did the work. Thanks

[Mike Self]

It's been so long since I did it, but I remember removing an entire steering column--ignition lock and all--to take down to a lock shop to unjam a jammed ignition lock--this was long ago enough that I didn't know about the roll pin that holds the ignition lock in its housing. 

 

But...I was able to remove the whole column without having to mess with those breakaway bolts...I just don't remember how I did it.  Surely someone here knows the procedure.

 

mike

 

 

[dclowd9901]

25 minutes ago, Mike Self said:

It's been so long since I did it, but I remember removing an entire steering column--ignition lock and all--to take down to a lock shop to unjam a jammed ignition lock--this was long ago enough that I didn't know about the roll pin that holds the ignition lock in its housing. 

 

But...I was able to remove the whole column without having to mess with those breakaway bolts...I just don't remember how I did it.  Surely someone here knows the procedure.

 

mike

 

 

just finished it here. Yes, I’m pretty sure this is the only way to get the shaft out. Once I unbolted from the firewall and cut some grooves in the headless bolts on the mount that goes under the dash structure (to then use a flathead screwdriver to undo the bolts), it all came out easy peasy. I’m curious now how I might actually go about rebuilding the steering column structure. 
 

nevertheless, thanks all for the help!

 

oh, and correction: it’s an 01/76 not an 07/76 sorry about that 

Edited March 1, 2023 by dclowd9901

[fsf517]

just to be sure the bolt going through the clamp generally needs to be fully extracted not just loosened.. As I believe it snugs into a groove in the shaft just above splines.  

[dclowd9901]

1 minute ago, fsf517 said:

just to be sure the bolt going through the clamp generally needs to be fully extracted not just loosened.. As I believe it snugs into a groove in the shaft just above splines.  

there’s two clamps on the shaft, one at the steering rubber coupling and one just past the fire wall. Neither has a bolt that prevents the shaft from moving. 
 

I believe at the top of the column there is a clip that holds the shaft in place. 

[tech71]

5 hours ago, dclowd9901 said:

yeah looks the same to me too. I can’t help but think there’s some kind of circlip or something in the way. 
 

Nope, its just stuck, hard to get in there, no real good way to apply force or leverage.

Assuming you have both clamping bolts removed right?

I had to clean exposed spline area with a wire brush and soak with penetrating oil for a couple of days.

Got a big bar in there and applied force to the lower connection, it moved.

You are sliding the coupler up the steering shaft until it disconnects from your steering gear.

The subframe will then come out.

The steering shaft it self wont move, takes more to do that

Edited March 2, 2023 by tech71

[dclowd9901]

9 minutes ago, tech71 said:

Nope, its just stuck, hard to get in there, no real good way to apply force or leverage.

Assuming you have both clamping bolts removed right?

I had to clean exposed spline area with a wire brush and soak with penetrating oil for a couple of days.

Got a big bar in there and applied force to the lower connection, it moved.

You are sliding the coupler up the steering shaft until it disconnects from your steering gear.

The subframe will then come out.

The steering shaft it self wont move, takes more to do that

Ah, well the column is out so all of that is behind me. I was trying to get the shaft itself to come out so maybe that was my first mistake. 
 

Is replacing the shaft bearing in the column a DIY job, or does it require too many specialized tools to be worth while?