Thanks to a couple of very generous volunteers my warmed-over but tired SBB was replaced with my new TSP-built BBB over the weekend. Unfortunately, due to our inexperience with this engine swap, I neglected to... 1 - Replace the SBB steering shaft with the restored BBB shaft that I had stashed away in my Buick parts room (spare bedroom), 2 - Specify that the driver-side TA shorty header be laid in place prior to lowering the engine in the Skylark engine bay. So now that I need to check the fit of the raw driver-side shorty header I want to remove the SBB steering shaft to make the header install easier. So, my questions are: How do I remove the SBB steering shaft without loosening/moving the steering column or steering box? Can we disconnect the shaft at the rag-end, compress and disconnect it where it joins the steering column? Your suggestions, solutions, comments, etc will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
I have a feeling that you will need to move either of the components away from the shaft to remove the shaft. It wouldn't take but a few minutes to remove the lower steering cover, remove the four nuts and loosen the plate clamp at the firewall and pull the column back a little. you would be best to have a helper to hold the column while someone works the shaft off. Then you can put that back together, as, the BB shaft should be able to be installed with out all that stuff loose. There is no sub section in the chassis service manual for removing that part of the column. You may need to reverse the steps to install the BB shaft.
Just went through this on an original GS455 - we had to loosen the column plate and pull the column away from the shaft...it sucked. The only way it comes out without doing that is if the column is collapsed.
I'm pretty sure you can get it out with additional minimal effort. First, take the rag joint loose at the steering box with the pinch nut. It should have plenty of slack in the coupling at the end of the steering column where it comes through the firewall. Once that is off the steering box, you have plenty of slack to pull it out of the steering column and remove it. Installation is the reverse. Try not to move the gear box or the steering column if you want the easiest time putting it back together.
It seems like if you were to take out the three bolts for the steering gear and turn the wheel that the gear would walk away from the coupling. I don't know - never tried it, but, I would try it if I had to.
Even though this may be more labor intensive than some of the other suggestions, loosening/temporarily removing the appropriate steering column attachment fasteners might allow us to shift the steering column/shaft a little toward the drivers side fender to provide more clearance between the shaft and installed headers. We'll see...
Two options,....you can collapse the shaft tap the top off the splines,..it will come off that way,....easier way remove the 3 ps box bolts and the 7/16 12pt bolt on shaft tap it off as a unit,..them bench assemble the rag joint to the new shaft if necessary
Issue your gonna run into is getting that shorty header in there. It's more than likely gonna need to kinda go in with the shaft kinda,...may need to get another hand to help from the top,...raising the engine up a few in will possibly make your life easier also but I would try it without it first
