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510 steering column installation


ddrum

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Hello, so I am in the process of converting my 1972 510 Sedan from auto to a manual transmission and in the process I had to take out then steering column to make room for the manual pedal box assembly. My questions is, is there a specific way too install the steering column for alignment? 

Also the steering gear inside the column fell out of place and I also dont know if I have to "clock" it in a certain direction. 

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

Erick

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Assemble it to the steering box and bolt to the dash then loosely clock the steering wheel on the mounting splines, leave the nut loose. You may have to drive it (but not out of the driveway) to get the exact straight ahead position, adjust and then tighten the mounting nut.

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2 hours ago, iceman510 said:

Put the steering box arm and idler arm straight ahead.  the column itself is pretty simple and I think disconnected it can rotate endlessly.

 

Correct!  The steering column SHAFT is not "clocked" by a flat or a notch............it will rotate 360deg's!  The 2pc SHAFT is a federally mandated collapsible shaft/column.  The upper shaft is C-clipped in place, the lower shaft will drop out of the connecting splines.........just shove it back in place!  As mentioned, set the steering rod & steering box components as near to middle as you can, might need to "correct" previous repairs etc by loosening & adjusting closer to center.  Then set you hubs/wheels as close to straight as possible...........you might need to adjust the tie rod ends.  Once those components are as straight as possible, put steering wheel back on, but don't tighten nut, as you may need to rotate it a few splines later to straighten/level the steering wheel during a proper alignment! 

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Awesome, good to know all this. Thank you all for the information! I really appreciate all the help! 

I will do exactly that and will come back to verify, just in case someone else in the future has the same question! 

 

Thank you, Erick

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18 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

The auto and manual gas pedals are also in a different location on the floor.  The pedal linkage is also different but you can just bend it over to the new location.

 

If the pedal is still there 🙂 haha Most cars I get it's long gone.  

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7 minutes ago, shlammed said:

The pedal boxes are the same, so you need to add a clutch pedal to the auto box, replace the auto brake pedal with manual pedal and bend your throttle linkage?

Will be going through the same effort myself.

 

Yep.  Only "difference" in the box is a return spring for the clutch pedal.  Who needs that.  I sure don't .  

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20 minutes ago, shlammed said:

The pedal boxes are the same, so you need to add a clutch pedal to the auto box, replace the auto brake pedal with manual pedal and bend your throttle linkage?

Will be going through the same effort myself.

 

You could cut the wide auto pedal and put a smaller rubber on it.

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1 hour ago, shlammed said:

The pedal boxes are the same, so you need to add a clutch pedal to the auto box, replace the auto brake pedal with manual pedal and bend your throttle linkage?

Will be going through the same effort myself.

 

53 minutes ago, Icehouse said:

 

Yep.  Only "difference" in the box is a return spring for the clutch pedal.  Who needs that.  I sure don't .  

Exactly, the only difference is the bracket for the clutch return spring being in the manual pedal box. I thought about just swapping the pedals, but I had found a good deal 3 years ago and got all the parts in was missing, like the tunnel cover and clutch fork for $100, so ended swapping the whole thing.

1 thing to keep in mind if you are doing this, the brake pedal bolt is a reverse thread, so it comes out turning it clockwise.

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On 11/24/2022 at 8:27 AM, shlammed said:

Thanks, that simplifies it from a pedal perspective.

 

 

With column shift auto it appears you would still need to remove the column to get the automatic bits off.

 

I'm gonna say you can remove the column shift parts with the column installed............or maybe just drop it down a little by removing the bolts to the body, leaving the lower plate intact??  That lower plate is flat steel, so it does "flex" a little.  I did an auto to manual swap on a column shift 1971, but that was 12 years ago!  There is a kinda triangular hole cut in to the lower steering column plate, where the auto shift linkage passes thru, with a rubber "plug" with a hole for the rod.  The manual cars had a solid rubber "plug".

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On 11/22/2022 at 11:31 AM, ddrum said:

Hello, so I am in the process of converting my 1972 510 Sedan from auto to a manual transmission and in the process I had to take out then steering column to make room for the manual pedal box assembly. My questions is, is there a specific way too install the steering column for alignment? 

Also the steering gear inside the column fell out of place and I also dont know if I have to "clock" it in a certain direction. 

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

Erick

 

Wait......a 1972?  The auto shift lever mechanism should be on the floor 72-73?  Is yours a column shift?

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