Fixing a *%$#@! stripped steering column

Although I don't post a lot, I have learned tons from this board and figured I might be able to pay back even a little bit. I'm posting this because, while I found a couple similar threads when I searched, surprisingly nothing conclusive came up. Lots of advice on cleaning up threads, but nada regarding completely mangled.

After recycling a steering column from a '74 Monte Carlo for my '47 Plymouth, I found the wheel side stripped, I needed to find a way to attach my steering wheel to it safely. We're not talking a couple mangled threads at the top, the were basically removed from the shaft, and it was nearly smooth. Fortunately the splines to hold the wheel were intact.

My solution was to use a 1/2-20 SAE die and thread the shaft. 13TPI might work, too, but I used what was available. This is smaller than the original, and took a bit of muscling, but it did the trick.

From the threads I have found here, I believe this now matches the older GM column.

Have I overlooked any safety concerns?

 

The big question is are you satisfied with your repair? You are there and can inspect your work so you have to make the final decision on saftey. In theory there is no problem with that kind of repair. If I were to do it I would have removed the shaft from the column and put it in a lathe and turned the repair area to the proper diameter before cutting the threads with the lathe. If you did that I wouldn't worry at all, however if you just forced a die over the remains I might have some reservations. Your mileage may vary.

 

What about putting the wheel on the splines and drilling a hole in the gap, tapping it and putting a bolt in each hole sort of like stitching it?

 

Thanks for your input!

Visually, it looks good, and given the amount of metal that was removed, I believe the threads are at full depth. Currently I don't have access to a lathe, and definitely don't have the skills for it.

Unfortunately I didn't measure the shaft width before I started. I have a '73 El Camino column I can reference tomorrow. I'll compare that diameter to the spec for using a 1/2"-20 SAE die.

 

I thought about drilling out the shaft an tapping it, but decided to see if I could get the die to work.

Not being an engineer, I'd be worried about how much force your method could handle. It seems like it might compromise the strength of the splined ring in the steering wheel.

Any physics wizards want to whip out a slide rule and do the math?

 

yeah I'm no genius either, just a thought.Good luck with it.

 

For what another one costs in a you-pull-it I would have dropped the $15-$20 on another column. It's easier than doing the math...

 

Now that I've done some digging and measured a similar shaft, I believe this should be fine.

According to wikipedia the blank should have a slightly smaller diameter than the die. Mine was 9/16" and I used a 1/2" die on it.

rustynewyorker: A trip to Pick & Pull was another option, but I decided to try cold, wet, and dirty in a car I knew before I tried cold, wet, and dirty in a car I didn't know.

Thanks for all the feedback. You guys rock!

 

Relax! You did fine. The biggest hurdle was getting that 1/2-20 die to cut what would appear to be an oversize piece. If you managed to get it to go you've got nothing to worry about. Older Chevies ha a 1/2-20 thread there anyhow. Keep in mind, that thread isn't carrying any significant load-the splines are and once you tighten that nut you've forced the splines together so tightly that even without the nut you probaly can't pull the wheel off.

 

Perhaps I read a few too many threads about safety just before I started writing this one. Three way seat belts, and collapsing columns, and grade 8 bolts, oh my! ;-)

 

since you asked for opinions, heres's mine.....i would have just looked for another column first, but since you went ahead and threaded it 1/2"-20 (the column was originally 9/16-NF ) i'm sure it will be fine if the threads are OK. maybe you could post a closeup picture?

 

Hope you are joking with this one

 

It's a crappy cameraphone picture, but you can sort of make out the threads. At some point I'll dig out my real camera and get a better shot.

 

Its a shitty picture no doubt, but i'm not seeing deep enough threads there for my liking.

 

the only issue that I see is the tool for compressing the lock plate won't work any more....
not a big deal...