Steering Column - Remove lower shaft How???

how do you remove the lower shaft of the steering column? I removed the bolt but it doesn’t want to slide off. Is there something holding it in that I am missing? Been soaking the splines/joint in WD40, but it won’t budge. Thanks! Oh yeah, it’s a tilt column from a 70GS but it may be a 71 or 72 model.

 

Just give a few good hits there on the lip at the bottom it will come off

 

Take a chisel or a screwdriver and spread the slot a bit . Just don't hit directly down on the shaft . tap it into the slot in the same plane as the shaft . The pinch bolt has clamped down on it . When you put the pinch bolt back in it will clamp it down again .

 

I though these thing just slide on and off. It was a PIA to get off. Had to hit it all the way. I swear someone hammer that shaft on.

First used the shaft of screw driver with a rubber mallet. and then a wrench and a rubber mallet. It would not slide off, had to hammer it all the way off. Hopefully I didn’t mess it up to bad. The end got chewed up a little from the screw driver and wrench.

 

Now that I have the shaft off, would you recommend putting any anti seize on it when I reinstall it?

 

If it came off easily, no lubrication nor anti-seize required

 

The original one I had to bang with a rubber mallet a lot for it to come off. I did get a New used shaft and column. Those sorta slip. I installed it slightly but did not fully cause I still need to paint.

 

Sure wouldn't hurt. Might also keep the rust down. Have you thought about cleaning the rag joint ground? Does your horn work?

 

So what’s the secret to remove this rubber boot and install a new on. I see a clamp of some sort holding the boot on don’t know how to get it off. Does the pin need to come out? And how?

 

Oh yeah, the pin's got to come out, you did the easy stuff. I don't suggest beating on it. You need a press.

 

Thanks. How bout the clamp that’s on the boot? Guessing needle nose pliers to get it off and the press to put it back on.

 

I honestly forget how I dealt with that clamp. I've done only like 4 of those in my life, and the last one was maybe 6-7 years ago. It is a spring clamp w/o tabs. I know I had access to those types of clamps, so I may have just mangled it to get it off and put a new one with tabs on, because it's easy to install that way. Then I think i ground the tabs off with a Dremel so they wouldn't rub inside against the boot. The pin is tough, You can try a vise with a deep socket on one end, but I doubt it will work. I bought a cheap A frame press from HF I think it was like 20.00 or something. It took like 10 times longer to put the press together than to push the pin out! The pin is just a pin, it can go out either way. Going in is different, it only goes in easy one way. That boot problem is something we never had 30-40 years ago 'cuz they were new and filled with grease. It's been a very common Jeep problem for 30-40 years, they use the GM type column. Jeeps wreck them fast from high water (washes the grease out), flexing and abuse. If you search Jeep column boot replacement there are a ton of videos and threads with pics about it. Beause it's so problematic for Jeeps, there is a different type of boot and clamp arrangement to repair them easier w/o removing the pin. The clamp is external, rather than internal, on those kits. The truth is, it's a pretty easy job if the shaft is out and you know what you are dealing with. It's a really crappy job if you just dive in and don't realize you need a press to do it. If the pin gets mangled it's worse, because then you have to file it to get it back in. That's your lesson for today grasshopper!