I hope that I've posted this in the right section. I purchased a '56 BelAir 3 years ago, and I've been working through issues as they crop up. The car has a Flaming River tilt column and lately I've been noticing what appears to be some extra play when turning the wheel either direction. I checked the rag joint today and found that the builder had used 5/16" bolts in the 3/8" holes. One of the holes in the rag joint has torn apart. I removed the steering column and the rag joint, and ordered a repair kit this afternoon. I have a question about installing the column. The clamp holding the column to the underside of my dash has a rubber insert strip that surrounds and insulates the column from the dash. I don't see this pictured in the assembly manual. My guess is that the after market steering column is smaller in diameter than the factory column. I'm trying to figure out what will be the easiest way to install this rubber strip inside the column clamp, when I put it back together. Possibly someone has encountered this situation before and can give me some pointers. I've included some pictures. 1. Should I fasten the rubber to the top and try to stick it into the lower clamp before tightening it? or 2. Should I fasten it into the lower clamp and try to slip the ends into the upper clamp before tightening it? When the 2 halves of the clamp are fastened together, the 2 ends will butt together.
The factory used a rubber strip like that but it was a bit thinner. If what you have appears to be the thickness required (thick enough to assure no movement, thin enough that it will go together), just use whatever technique gets it together easiest. If you have difficulty, you may want to look into a different thickness of rubber. McMaster-Carr might be a good source.
Or try a local hardware store. One near me had rubber gasket material that I bought in bulk. What I bought was about 1/16" thick but they had other thicknesses.
I did some experimentation this morning, and I think I've figured out the easiest way. I will hold the upper piece in place under the dash using a rubber band stretched between the 2 mounting studs. I'll set the column in place, and then attach the bottom piece using the mounting nuts screwed on by only 2 threads. That will give me a half inch gap between the 2 halves, which will allow me to slip the rubber into the bottom half with the ends sticking up. Then one at a time, I can push the free end inward toward the center of the upper piece. Once they are in place I can break and remove the rubber band. My repair kit should arrive early next week. I'll report back if this method works, or if I have to try something different.
I followed the method I described above. Before I inserted the rubber in the lower half I covered it with liquid dish soap to make it slippery. Once I inserted the rubber I removed the rubber band supporting the upper retainer. I took a small flat tipped screwdriver to properly position the rubber in the upper half before tightening it. Putting the column back in really went pretty easily. I was pleasantly surprised.
One additional note... We ordered the flex coupling repair kit from IDIDIT. The one they sent me came from Borgeson and the hardware in the kit matched what I took out, which was 5/16", but the holes in the rubber and the 2 metal mating pieces are 3/8". That sloppy fit is what I think caused mine to tear. I bought 3/8" hardware to put it back together.
Reply With Quote
