Getting steering shaft back onto gearbox

[Lovely Bunny]

Hi folks, I am installing a new steering gear. I've got the old one out and the new one in place but I'm having a really hard time getting the steering shaft u-joint back onto the spline on the gearbox. I've got it lined up well I think but no matter how hard I pull/push/pry I cant get it to come down over the spline more than a quarter or half inch or so. Any idea how I can do it or what might be wrong? Thanks a bunch for any ideas or help.

 

[Rusgo]

I've seen almost identical gear boxes for the same vehicle use a different diameter and different spline counts on the steering input shaft.

Count the teeth and see if the number matches.

Also take the bolt out and makes sure the flat spot lines up!

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[Lovely Bunny]

Just counted, they're the same. Flat spots lined up well I think, the shaft just doesn't want to come down very far...

I read somewhere else just now to try holding the gearbox up from underneath and inserting the spline into the shaft and then do the pinch bolt, and once thats done then pull the gearbox down and mount it to the frame...I suppose that might work if the problem was a slight misalignment but I'm not sure if it'll work if the problem is that my steering shaft just won't budge.

 

[Rusgo]

If a few light taps with a hammer doesnt get it started, usually something else is going on too. Measure the diameter of both shaft splines. One might be bigger.

Are the new ones painted over or bare metal?

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[Lovely Bunny]

Diameters are the same. Both old and new are bare metal.

 

[Rusgo]

Tap that sucker on there then! Haha. Can you fit a small hammer behind the joint?

You can also insert a wedge or thick screw driver into small gap in the clamping portion of the shaft. Open it up a bit.

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[Lovely Bunny]

Haha thanks. Percussive maintenance, my dad used to call it. Not alot of room there but I will try again tomorrow and see if I can make it happen.

Someone elsewhere also mentioned doing this:

"Bolt the steering box to the frame. Go inside the cab and at the base of the steering column is a flange which is part of the steering column that bolts to the firewall with 5 bolts or nuts. Remove the bolts

Under the middle of the steering column remove two large bolts that hold the column to the dash frame. This will allow you to pull the steering column back/away from the steering box.

Move the seat forward and when you drop the column rest the steering wheel on the seat.
This should allow you enough slack to slip the pinch clamp on. Then bolt the steering column back up."

Does this make sense to do?

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Yes it does. You may also have to unplug the wires from the ignition switch on top of the column to move the wheel far enough.

 

[Lovely Bunny]

Update for you guys: I am an idiot. Somehow I got it in my head that the flat spot was where the pinch bolt was, so I was lining it up that way. Finally I thought to take a closer look at that joint on the bottom of the steering shaft, spritzed it with a little brake cleaner, and voila, saw where the flat spot actually was. Lined it up and got it on in about a minute.

Posting this here in case someone else is as dense as me... thanks for your help!

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Lined it up and got it on in about a minute.

Makes a difference doesn't it? It's ok. We all make dumb mistakes from time to time.