Steering column shaft

[Burdar]

OK, I got it together.  I'm looking for opinions if you think this is too strong or if you think it will easily shear in an accident.

Drilled all the way though with an 1/8" bit.  Tried to find a plastic bolt locally but couldn't find one.  Father-in-law had some Lexan he thought would work.  We trimmed off a section, put it in his lathe and he turned a couple 1/8" pins.  Once the pins were pushed in, we heated up the head of a nail and melted the ends of the Lexan to lock them in place.

If you think this is too strong, I could drill out the center of the Lexan with a 1/16" bit.  That should weaken the pin and let it shear easier.

[Cuda Cody]

Dang, that looks pretty good to me!!!!  Nice job. 

I guess the only real way to tell is put pressure on it and see when it breaks.  I think you were the one that posted the foot pounds of force needed to break?  But then you have to start over and do it again. 

[Burdar]

NO, that wasn't me.  It would be interesting to see what kind of force it takes to break though.  I might drill through the center of the pins...if nothing more than for my own piece of mind.

[Cuda Cody]

I'm trying to remember what I did with the number.  I thought is was like 475?     

[cataclysm80]

I'm the one who posted the factory number.
It's in the steering column repair thread.
Off the top of my head, I think it was 550 pounds to collapse it, but best to check that other thread for the actual number.

Maybe you could make another lexan pin, and mock up something else to check the sheer strength of it?

[Cuda Cody]

I should have know that it was @cataclysm80         Here's your post:

http://forum.e-bodies.org/index.php?topic=199.0


If you had a large hydraulic press, you could test a shaft by placing a scale (measures weight) on the press, putting the bottom of the shaft onto the scale, and applying pressure to the top of the shaft with the press.  The amount of pressure applied will register on the scale, and the shaft should collapse around 550 pounds.

I'm the one who posted the factory number.
It's in the steering column repair thread.
Off the top of my head, I think it was 550 pounds to collapse it, but best to check that other thread for the actual number.

Maybe you could make another lexan pin, and mock up something else to check the sheer strength of it?

[Cuda Cody]

I'm so impressed with @Burdar  and how he repaired that shaft.   

[Burdar]

Does anyone have a loose coupler that they could measure?  How far down from the open end is the hole for that small pin?  The one I have is all assembled and I want to get the location exactly right.

The last time I installed a new shoe kit into a coupler, I ran into an issue.  The new spring clip was too tall and wouldn't slide into the coupler body.  I have the same problem this time too.  Those spring clips aren't made right.  I have a couple original ones here and they slide right into place.  I'll just use one of those.

[Cuda Cody]

I'll go see what I have....   

Does anyone have a loose coupler that they could measure?  How far down from the open end is the hole for that small pin?  The one I have is all assembled and I want to get the location exactly right.

The last time I installed a new shoe kit into a coupler, I ran into an issue.  The new spring clip was too tall and wouldn't slide into the coupler body.  I have the same problem this time too.  Those spring clips aren't made right.  I have a couple original ones here and they slide right into place.  I'll just use one of those.

[Cuda Cody]

@Burdar  hope these help?   

Does anyone have a loose coupler that they could measure?  How far down from the open end is the hole for that small pin?  The one I have is all assembled and I want to get the location exactly right.

The last time I installed a new shoe kit into a coupler, I ran into an issue.  The new spring clip was too tall and wouldn't slide into the coupler body.  I have the same problem this time too.  Those spring clips aren't made right.  I have a couple original ones here and they slide right into place.  I'll just use one of those.

[Burdar]

Perfect thanks!

[Burdar]

I don't know how everyone else installs the coupler cover but here's how I do it. 

Two pieces of 1x4.  One solid for the bottom and one with a hole in it for the top.  Clamp the two together with some wood clamps while you peen over the tabs.  Works great!

[Cuda Cody]

   That's a new way for me to try!  Really cool and thanks for sharing the tip.   

[Topcat]

Here is how I did it.

[61K T/A]

I used Jurgenson clamps