Intermediate to Wormshaft Connection

[jeepjoey]

Good afternoon,

I replaced the manual steering gear box on my 94. I noticed that the intermediate shaft coupler does not appear to go as far as it should onto the wormshaft. There is only about a 1/2 inch of connection. From what I could tell, the old gear box had the same connection. I find this unsettling, I wonder if it is normal. Anyone have experience with this?

 

[Gilaguy23]

I dont believe that is right. I'm guessing you have very little contact or overlap in the two and I wanna say the unsplined area in the middle is where the bolt would typically rest.

 

[machoheadgames]

I dont believe that is right. I'm guessing you have very little contact or overlap in the two and I wanna say the unsplined area in the middle is where the bolt would typically rest.

That’s correct, about the bolt. He’s not close to being on enough. I was going to comment on this yesterday but I don’t really know how to correct the problem. It’s as if the new steering gear has a shorter input shaft, which doesn’t make sense.

Unless somehow his steering shaft got collapsed, is now pushed in too far (and difficult to extend back out), and that’s why he can’t get it back onto the right spot on the steering gear. That’s the only explanation I can come up with, although I don’t know how the shaft would have gotten compressed to begin with if it’s that difficult to move.

A new steering shaft seems like the easy solution, but I don’t know what the root cause of the problem is.

 

[Gilaguy23]

As you said Macho, IIRC the upper shaft has a slip joint of sorts. It might be rusted up and not move either but Id be pretty reluctant to drive it as it is.

 

[Flyer58]

Remove the bolt before assembling them together. The bolt may been stopping it from sliding all the way on. The groove in the shaft is where the bolt needs to be so it won't slide off.
Just like a PTO shaft on a tractor.

 

[jeepjoey]

Thanks everyone. I got it figured out, I took the clamp bolt out and the gearbox mounting bolts out, but that wasn't enough, so I jammed a big screwdriver in the clamp to pry it apart. After all that I was able to somewhat violently force it all the way in. I can only guess the old gear box was like that as well. Fortunately, I was able to do all that without messing up the steering wheel orientation.