71 GTX Collapseable Steering Column Shaft

[crahill39]

I have started on rebuilding my steering column and ran into an issue removing the upper bearing. It was seized on pretty good and in my haste to get this thing off, I banged the shaft on my shop floor and collapsed the shaft. What are my options to fix this? Do I drill out the holes and try to make shift refill or is that a no go?

 

[moparnation74]

You can do two things....

1. Find a replacement

2. If you know the exact length, either end to end or the shaft extension from the bearing(engine compartment end). Replace it back to that same length.

So it does not mean the shaft is trash......

 

[mmissile]

If there are holes for the plastic[that shears]. Align them, and put aluminum pop-rivets in there. I'm sure they'd shear as easy as the original plastic, in an accident scenario. If not that type....no idea.

 

[idrivemopar]

So, you may have done what I did when I rebuilt my 73 column, and that is break the shear pins off, they are plastic, and designed to break in the event of an accident. So if you found something that looks like these,

then that is what happened.

I just realigned my column, and used a liquid plastic, and filled it back in like this.

I have not had any issues with it.

Not sure about drilling and using aluminum pins or something like that, as the plastic actually surrounds the inner part of the steering shaft, it doesn't go through it like a pin.