Steering column removal

[kevinv]

Hello,

I need to remove my steering column. It's a stock 75 automatic. I'm aware of the bracket near the dash that I need to unbolt. I'm not sure about what I need to unbolt at the firewall. Can anyone explain? Is all the firewall area unbolting from the engine compartment side? Or the interior side? Or both? I'm also having an issue with where to disconnect the steering rod so it comes out with the column.

I have a hard cover firewall insulator and I can't take it off without removing a lot of things, parking brake, gas pedal, heater box, ugh. I'm considering just 'enlarging' the hole that the column goes enough so I can remove it.

Thanks for any help,
Kevin

 

[bknbronco]

There is a clamp on the engine side that clamps the column to a bracket. That bracket is bolted through the firewall. If you just pull the two bolts under the dash, pull the single bolt that goes through the clamp (on the motor side of firewall), and loosten the clamp to the gear box, it should pull out. You should be avle to leave the firewall insulator alone.

 

[bknbronco]

Oh and if you still have the column/firewall seal there might be a metal ring that holds it in place under the firewall insulator??

 

[jboomer]

For the rest of your question, there's a joint where the steering rod connects to the steering box. My truck has one bolt there that holds the rod to the joint.

 

[kevinv]

Thanks for the help. I'm giving this a try this morning.

I have the column loose but I need to disconnect the shifter linkage. It looks like the steering shaft needs to come out first, then the linkage arm would come out of the column slot.

I also have the steering shaft loose. I disconnected it from the rag joint. The rag joint flange on the shaft doesn't look like it comes off, that means the shaft needs to slide out on the engine side. I don't see how that's going to happen, too many things in the way.

Any ideas on either how to get the shifter linkage out of the column or how to slide the steering shaft out?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Kevin

 

[bknbronco]

It all comes out in one piece. The firewall should be cut to allow them arms to come through the firewall.

 

[jboomer]

Yeah, all in one piece. Once the steering shaft disconnects from the joint, youll just have to turn/manipulate it so that the linkage slips brought the hole in the firewall. Honestly, I'm not 100% certain it'll all fit through the hole in the dash? I think I had already removed my dash BEFORE pulling the steering shaft in order to do some work on the dash.

 

[ilovemaui]

I think WH has a couple a videos on column removal and replacement.