steering column restoration

[69Tom]

OK guys, wondering if someone can help me out on this. I'm not getting many answers on the Impala site.

This is a floor shift column for my '69 Biscayne. I have it completely disassembled aside from the column shaft tube and cover. I can't figure out how to get it apart. I'm seeing no rings, bolds, nothing. It's a little different from the rebuild 'how-to' articles I've seen, so I'm stuck.

Any ideas?

Here's some pics of what I'm looking at.

[SS427]

It is likely that your inner steel tube is corroded and stuck in the aluminum inner housing near the top of the column. I have had this happen numerous times and am usually successfull giving it some friendly taps and driving it off after spraying some Cryoil down inside. You have to be carefull as you can easily bend the bottom portion of the outer housing. You can also carefully try using some heat on the inner shaft near the top. Good luck

[69Tom]

Rick--

I appreciate it. I'll give it a shot. My other option is just to let it be. haha.

[69Tom]

Rick, thanks a ton. That did the trick. It wasn't rusted, however, but in there with some kind of epoxy maybe? In any event, I wonder what they put in there for it to stay in place like that. Just curious what you have done, as not only do I want it to stay in place, but I will also have to drive it back in place (if epoxy is used) and need to get it in the steering shroud correctly.

[SS427]

Glad to hear it worked. I don't know of any epoxy and have never used any upon reassembly. In all the steerinng columns I have restored I have only had one that was hard to get apart, all the others simply slid out. I also do not recall anything mentioned in any of the manuals regarding a need for adhesive at that location.

[69Tom]

Pretty strange. Perhaps it was some kind of grease they used to help it in there and over the years, the grease turned to a glue-like substance.

Well, that's good to know. I just can use some regular grease upon reassembly.