With the gas tank out of the way, I returned my attention to the
installation of the steering shaft U-joints. Some may recall the
problem I was having: all 4 female U-joint splines readily fit over 4
of the 5 available male shaft splines. None would fit onto the steering
column's forward spline. I tried every trick I could think of to coax
any one of these U-joint ends onto this shaft, but only managed to bung
up its splines in the process. The U-joint splines are slit through on
one side so can be pried open wider to some degree, but I had already
gone as far as I felt comfortable going with this approach.
Fortunately last year I acquired a really cool piece of equipment- a low
power binocular microscope. Time to put it to use. After removing
everything from the steering column, I clamped it in a vice with the
troublesome spline end under the scope lens. The galling I had caused
trying to fit the U-joints stood out like Himalayan peaks. I spent
about 20 minutes dressing up these burrs with a file and gave the
U-joint spline that fit the easiest on the other shafts a try. No
difference whatsoever. Back under the scope for another look. This
time I saw something I hadn't noticed before. The very end of the shaft
was slightly mushroomed and the diameter was enlarge in that area. More
filing- first to reduce the outer diameter, then to reshape fattened
splines and finally to deepen the grooves between the splines. After
completing this the U-joint spline slipped right on, and I was finally
able to fully reconnect the steering!
I have no idea what caused the mushrooming of the shaft. I don't ever
recall pounding on it with anything. If fact, I can't think of a reason
why I would have needed to. I did have to whack the U-joint to get it
off, but I don't see how that could have done anything to the shaft.
Maybe I dropped it at some point and don't recall doing it. Oh well,
guess I don't really care now.
Roland "eagle eye" Dudley
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