Steering shaft removal

[brownbear]

Hey all,
I am trying to remove the steering column shaft from the firewall to the gear box. It is not fully clear to me how it comes out. I was planning to leave the steering box and steering wheel in place.
My FSM does not really show it clearly.

I removed a bolt at the upper spline to u-joint and at the bottom where the u-joint meets the steering box. I also slide the rubber boot up and can see a nice clean spline on the shaft with a some sort of collar.

I decided to pull the steering shaft out cause I get a clunk in the steering and I feel it is time to grease the shaft and have a good look at it. I've read on here others have removed the clunk by removing and greasing the splines. I don't feel any slop in my u-joints.

Does it come out without removing the steering box?

 

[georgebj60]

You may not have enough room to pull the steering shaft off the splines at the steering box while it's in place. But the steering box is pretty easy to remove and swing out of the way - you don't have to disconnect anything - just remove the 4 bolts. I would mark the orientation of the shaft to steering box first though.

But aren't there grease zirks at the u-joints? I don't think you need to remove the shaft to grease them.

 

[brownbear]

There are zerks there. But I wanted to have a more in-depth look at it. Also I worry about pumping it full of grease. Like the drive shafts they have zerks for the splines, but you are not supposed to put in too much grease.. as they can hydro lock. now not saying this is the same.. But i do feel this is an area I have never touched in 16 years at least!
Good idea about the steering box. I could see if those bolts budge!

 

[3_puppies]

I pull the entire column out from the inside, remove the spline bolt at the box, the bolts at the firewall and the mount under the dash, a couple of electrical connections and it slides out into the driver seat
how are the 2 ujoints in the column?

 

[stevebradford]

In case anyone following along this thread needs new greaseable ujoints for the steering shaft.

 

[3_puppies]

In case anyone following along this thread needs new greaseable ujoints for the steering shaft.
View attachment 2124115

are those the big ones for the early shafts? the later ones are smaller

 

[brownbear]

Mine is an 84, built in late 83.

It's not that my cruiser has sloppy steering or such, but I get clunk steering, noticeable at slow speeds, and from what I read over the years here it is normal, but can be greased and clunk gone. I think it is binding in the shaft (being dry maybe) and releasing. I cannot see movement in the u-joints. They appear solid.
I put some penetrating oil on the splines near the box and at the top of the shaft. So all see if I can pull it out this weekend.

The good thing is my cruiser is off the road till spring and in a garage to tinker with....

 

[Jdog]

I recently separated my body from frame. I first only took out the bolt near firewall and as I lifted body I heard a pop. Noticed the shaft now freely slides within the slip yoke. I then took the bolt out at the steering box which was more greasy and slid off the splines easily.

I suspect my slip yoke was rusted frozen.

 

[Jdog]

You can see the shinny part of the slip yoke at top right of pic