2nd gen STEERING SHAFT replacement differences Firebird column off
 

I bought the $100 reproduction steering shaft sold by Firebird Central.

$100, nice and new, as the original shaft had a torn boot and all. Simple replacement, right?

Well, the reproduction is clocked 90 degrees off from original. I was like no way. How can these be sold and Firebird Central saying they never had any complaints.

Doing some digging online I saw a thread on another forum about differences in shafts from tilt to non-tilt column 2nd gen Firebirds/Camaros. I have tilt column 2nd gens and these shafts it seems are for NON-tilt columns - however no vendor distinguishes that.

Anyone come across this and know about that? Now have to take out this new crap and rebuild and reinstall the original.

Can't believe no one apparently has informed Firebird Central or other vendors of this issue or more so apparent difference in steering shafts.....

Thread I came across referencing this (and no I am =NOT= a member or follower of "NastyZ28" ;-)

https://nastyz28.com/threads/interme...olumns.231051/

Anyone buy the reproduction steering column shaft and notice it is clocked 90 degrees off from their stock shaft on their 2nd gen F body?

As that linked thread surmised - appears there is a different shaft for tilt vs. non-tilt columns.

Love to get confirmation of that. Vendors selling these repop shafts seem to have no idea on that. Plus AMES sells only remanufactured shafts - but if there were indeed 2 different versions they need to know as in talking with them it seems they have no idea that 2 versions exist.

Hopefully this shows the difference...

Happen to know why there was this difference?

It was a change that happened between 70 and 71. Both my 70s had the same shaft and my 71 and later have the 90 degree off version.
https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...light=steering

Crazy - so the vendors all sell the reproduced 1970 one year only part?

Usually it is the other way around. Wild.

I replaced the shaft on mine with an OER one a few years ago. Not only was the clocking off but the bolt holding it to splined shaft of the steering box snapped off as I was literally snugging it down. I ended up using the lower half of the OER shaft, ditching the upper section, then extracting the remains of the chinesium bolt and replacing it with suitable stainless allen head bolt. Everything works fine now but my steering wheel is now about 10 degrees off. I am eventually going to replace it with a Borgeson set up. As this bolt is the only positive link your steering wheel has to the rest of the car, I sent OER an email to advise them they likely had a batch of steering shafts out there with a potentially catastrophically defective bolt but they didn't seem to care much.

I ended up having both my stock original shafts rebuilt. Apparently the 78-85 Jeep CJ shaft uses the same parts - but in most cases you just need the rubber boot replaced. This kit is cheaper than what vendors charge for just the boot!


https://www.summitracing.com/parts/cwa-8132676k?