steering shaft

[fordsohc46]

i cant seem to get my steering shaft to collapse so i can remove it from my 78 bronco. it looked like where the two pieces went together there was a plastic pin stuck through both i tried to drill this out but it still wont collapse and i dont see any other way to remove it without pulling the steering column back. anyone had this problem? also has anyone bought a new shaft like the one in the link below from jbg and do you like it better than oem. thks.

http://broncograveyard.com/bronco/i-22872-borgeson-lower-steering-shaft-double-u-joint.html

 

[muddrivermike]

I just ran into the same thing with mine.They get rusted up and stop sliping in and out.I had to put mine into a vise and beat it apart.Then I wire wheeled it on my bench grinder to get all the rust off.It has a curved piece of metal in there that is some sort of spring.So dont lose it.There is no plastic pin.The inside is lined with a white nylon or plastic insert,which on mine got destroyed during this whole thing.I greased up the whole thing and kept expanding and collapsing it until it moved freely and didnt stick at all.Even with out that plastic in there It works perfectly fine.Hope this helps you.

 

[Justshootme84]

Yes, I had the same problem on my 78, and needed to replace the rag joint. I was able to unbolt the steering shaft at the gear box, then at the firewall, and finally into the vise to pull it apart. I have not tried the new one from BG, as I had a spare box w/ rag joint attached. JSM84

 

[muddrivermike]

Yeah mine I had to beat the **** out of with my small sledge to get it apart.I thought I was going to destroy it.And the way my nylon insert got destroyed was because I had to use a small propane torch to heat it up some.But It all worked out