1959 Apache question (damaged column)

[Ratpin]

I'm working on the '59 apache with my dad. We pulled the steering wheel off recently to realize that at some point a previous owner had gone to town on the top of the steering column with a hammer. The threaded part that the steering wheel bolts on has been damaged (slightly mushroomed and bent a little causing the nut to not thread properly). This is frustrating because we just got all the newly refinished front sheet metal back on the truck.

Is there anyway we can repair or replace this without having to drop the whole column and box? I've read that doing that, it will be necessary to remove the inner fender and a lot of the stuff we just installed. Has anyone dealt with a similar problem to their steering column? What would you guys do?

[Dan in Pasadena]

We probably need a picture to see how. Bad it is.

But, if it's not terrible I think I'd take an angle grinder to the top of it to grind down the pounded surface as flat as possible while taking the MINIMUM amount of material off. Then, using a fine file I'd chamfer all around the perimeter until you can get either the nut or a die on it and gently chase the threads. Hope that helps.

[Ratpin]

I'll take a picture and post it on this thread tomorrow. I had even thought of maybe lopping the treaded part off, drilling and tapping the column to accept a bolt, but that really is not an area that I want to weaken. I'd hate to have the steering wheel snap off on a hard turn. (no power steering of course)

Stay tuned for a picture...

[_Ogre]

i definitely wouldn't cut it off
i've repaired them before with a file and rethreaded them
a file will be more selective than a grinder for removing the mushroomed head
post up your pic

[Ratpin]

Here are the pictures. Also notice where somebody has drilled areas of the splined shaft.

[mr48chev]

I'd worry that the shaft wasn't bent enough to make the wheel wobble. I'd jack the truck up so the tires were off the floor and have someone turn the wheels lock to lock slowly with hands on the tire and watch the shaft to see if it had any wobble from being bent right there close to the bearing. A little movement because it isn't supported by the bearing is ok.
It looks like that bearing race is pretty well beat up from what I can see in the photos. That would cause the steering to bind a bit when you turned.

The line of drilled holes in the shaft tell me that who ever beat the end of the shaft up broke the plastic off the hub and then drilled a line of holes in the hub and split the hub to get it off.

[Ratpin]

Yeah looks like most likely a replacement column will be in order. Any of you guys that went to an Ididit column want to donate your old column to a good cause?

[_Ogre]

that's nothing (3 happy ogre faces)

i thought you were going to post a picture where the head was mushroomed big time
obviously someone had to split the steering wheel to remove it... a noob move to say the least

the spline does not appear to be bent or damaged and the drilled holes won't affect the strength
the threads only hold the steering wheel on, the threads don't get torqued, just snug them
first run a die over the threads and see if you can get a nut on there, use anti seize
you won't need to re-thread the whole shaft, just what matters

you could try to straighten the threads, but would probably mess up the shaft and need a new column

[paulspickupparts]

As some previous posters have said the first thing I would do is try getting a die on it to see what you end up with. That will determine your decision going forward. If that does not work maybe a different box. You can rebuild yours if you have a donor box to rob the shaft. I would not drill and tap the center of the shaft.

Steering wheel pullers are cheap and the photos show what happens when you do not use one. I used a harmonic balancer puller as they seem to be a little more heavy duty. The puller I use has a flat attachment on the end which is larger. I back the nut of the steering wheel flush to the threads and put a penney on top of it ( if I have one ) . Tighten everything up and smack the puller shaft with a hammer. Usually is all it takes. One can fight you and then next falls off.

[Mac the Yankee]

Ratpin,

I have a stock column that I won't be using- shoot me a pm if you are interested!

Bill

[Ratpin]

Originally Posted by Mac the Yankee

Ratpin,

I have a stock column that I won't be using- shoot me a pm if you are interested!

Bill

OK I'll let you know. I am going to run a die down the threads tomorrow to see if I can chase them enough to get a nut to bite.

Thanks!

[OrrieG]

Make sure you check for column wobble as previous poster recommended. Having the steering wheel turning eccentrically would be aggravating at best. This is a lesson on why buying an assembly and repair manual is the best investment a person can make. I was fortunate to get my grandfather and fathers vintage auto manuals, but reproductions are available. Also the PO could have taken 10 minutes on Youtube and found a video on how to do it correctly. They just lost patience.

[1project2many]

The shaft is mild steel. You can straighten it. The mushroomed top can be ground so it's smaller than the threads which usually removes a bunch of metal. Or it can be ground so it's roughly the same size as the threads and a thread file and patience can be used to restore the threads. Loctite on the threads when reinstalling the wheel is a good idea.

I would straighten the shaft first. A piece of smooth pipe that fit snugly over the threaded shaft would do a nice job, especially if combined with heat from a torch.

There are some hinged dies available although the cost and effort to obtain one for this job may exceed the need.

Loctite on the threads when reinstalling the wheel is a good idea.

[Ratpin]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

Make sure you check for column wobble as previous poster recommended. Having the steering wheel turning eccentrically would be aggravating at best. This is a lesson on why buying an assembly and repair manual is the best investment a person can make. I was fortunate to get my grandfather and fathers vintage auto manuals, but reproductions are available. Also the PO could have taken 10 minutes on Youtube and found a video on how to do it correctly. They just lost patience.

Hey thanks for the tips. I do have the manuals, but where in there do they address a bent steering column with damaged threads?

We don't all live in front of a computer screen so youtube is not naturally my go-to source when problems arise, but note taken.

BTW, if your marriage is going bad, just go to youtube, I'm sure there is a video that will fix it right up...

I'll be in the shop if you need me

[OrrieG]

Manual comment was directed to removing it correctly. Marriage is fine, going on 46 years in July....

[Rude Dude]

On a 55 that I had a few years back my splines were stripped real bad so I cut a steering shaft from 62 Chevy truck most GM sixty's to seventys are 3/4 inch round steel. I shorten it from stock in the process did by beveling the shaft and welded it together using an angle iron as jig, also added an outer sleeve over the weld on both ends and welded it for safety sake and the outer steering column sleeve hides the patch. Also flaming river has a new shaft splined one end and steering wheel spline with nut thread on e=gay for 55-57 car that will work for $35 dollars.

[Softpatch]

I would cut it below the spline and weld another on
I did this will look for a picture TDB

[Softpatch]

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[_Ogre]

i so recommend against cutting the column spline off and welding another one on
i use these roads too