steering column removal

[weithman5]

I am the proud ORIGINAL owner of a 1984 CJ7 Renegade . I am restoring the old girl all the way down. I am sorry if this has been covered. I have the steering column freed from the dash, firewall etc. I have the crimp bolt loosened and it turns. my question is there a good way of pulling this apart at this spot without actually damaging the column. It is so rusted there and I am afraid of just brute force. suggestions would be welcome

 

[IOPort51]

not real sure what you are dealing with. How about a couple of pictures??

 

[HackFabrication]

I have the crimp bolt loosened and it turns.

If it's the bolt that holds the steering column to the shaft, that bolt needs to be completely removed. It sits in a recess ground into the splines on the steering column. Pull the bolt, douche the splines with some PB Blaster (or similar), and tap the shaft loose.

 

[weithman5]

thanks for the replies. i will see if i can get a picture on tonight. but all the bolts are loosed and removed. it is simply where the spline of the column enters the first joint. it is normally held tight with a crimp bolt/strap, kind of like a battery terminal. anyway the issue is that it is just rusted kind of tight and I wondered if there was a good way of applying force to pull it apart without damage. I suspect just douching it with lubricant and setting up a few guys to pull on it will work.

 

[Torxhead]

You might want to use something like a WD-40, liquid wrench, or PB Blaster to loosen up the rust that is still holding it together. There are some bearings in that assembly that probably need replacing also.

 

[gert]

thanks for the replies. i will see if i can get a picture on tonight. but all the bolts are loosed and removed. it is simply where the spline of the column enters the first joint. it is normally held tight with a crimp bolt/strap, kind of like a battery terminal. anyway the issue is that it is just rusted kind of tight and I wondered if there was a good way of applying force to pull it apart without damage. I suspect just douching it with lubricant and setting up a few guys to pull on it will work.

mine was stuck pretty good as well, I took a flat tip chisel and gave either side of the split in the end of the coupler to help loosen the grip on the steering gear box and then used some more brute force to push the coupling up and off the gear box splines. Good luck we love seeing pictures

 

[Lilredwagon]

Heat it up and hit it!.....Just kidding. That line always makes the guys' at the parts store eyes get all big and squirrelly which I find hilarious. Anyways, I agree with Gert spreading the splines has worked well for me in the past although I used a screw driver.

 

[mtnwhlr]

If it's the bolt that holds the steering column to the shaft, that bolt needs to be completely removed. It sits in a recess ground into the splines on the steering column. Pull the bolt, douche the splines with some PB Blaster (or similar), and tap the shaft loose.

you have to remove the bolt to get them apart.

 

[weithman5]

thanks for all the feedback. took me a while to get back to work on the jeep
the bolt removal was key, i did not realize it was housed in an indent. however it was still pretty well stuck

i used a motorcycle tie down strap through the steeringwheel over the roll bar and back then gently tightened using the tie down ratchet and easily, slowly pulled the column.

thanks for the replies.

I am sure i will need more help in the future

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Hope you disconnected the POS(+)battery post.
LG