Chevy & GMC Vans

How do you get the intermediate shaft to release from the steering box??. From the tilt column that has the intermediate shaft attached I can see there is a step cut into it near where it would feed into the steering box.I can't seem to get it to release on Ole Yellar which is a 1989 Astro.

First, you gotta undoo the bolt and remove it.
After that sometimes you gotta persuade it with a lever of some sort.
I use a flat blade style prybar with the nail puller end.

In addition to what doyou said, drive a screwdriver in the slot where the pinch bolt was. It will open the splined bore and make it easier to remove the shaft.

Oh I got the column out,but the shaft is still connected to the steering box.

I'll take the camera next trip to the shop to show you guys what I'm talking about.

Pretty sure we understand you Gary.
Did the tips not help?

Nope.It's still stuck on the steering box.Just slides back and forth where the notch is cut on the shaft.I got the column out by taking the bolt out and opening the clamp.BTW-on this yr van it is just a round with one side flat and no spines.That clamps into the column.

Gary, Look closer, and wear your glasses this time.
The top end of that shaft attaches to the column.
You removed the pinch bolt to remove that.
Of f'ing course the slider slides back and forth, thats the whole point of that part, and it's not where it comes apart !!

Now, Listen closely !
Look carefully at the bottom end of the shaft were it attaches to the steering box.
There is another pinch bolt at the bottom end there.
It looks exactly the same as the one you removed from the top end, except it fits over a splined shaft from the S-Box !

If you read carefully, you will see that this is exactly what we have been telling you to do, all along.
How many years you been wrenchin on Astro's ? ?

WELL.....that made me laugh. And that is correct. Look at the splines that might stick out above the joint. If they are rusted and or dirty the shaft will be hard to remove. It's happened to me. You just have to work at it. Some WD 40 will help.

Pretty certain that I suggested one of these too


Large in case your glasses are dirty.


Cheers !
Mike.

Mike,

Ever get the feeling you are talking to a wall?

doyoulikeithere wrote:
Gary, Look closer, and wear your glasses this time.
The top end of that shaft attaches to the column.
You removed the pinch bolt to remove that.
Of f'ing course the slider slides back and forth, thats the whole point of that part, and it's not where it comes apart !!

Now, Listen closely !
Look carefully at the bottom end of the shaft were it attaches to the steering box.
There is another pinch bolt at the bottom end there.
It looks exactly the same as the one you removed from the top end, except it fits over a splined shaft from the S-Box !

If you read carefully, you will see that this is exactly what we have been telling you to do, all along.
How many years you been wrenchin on Astro's ? ?

Mike-man you really got me going last nite. LOL I read your posts at 8:15PM got me thinking.Ready for bed by 10:15PM and thought hell no,Got dressed,grabbed the camera and jumped into the truck to go 15 miles to the shop.

Now it has to be 4yrs or more ago I took the tilt steering out of the 1989 V8 donor van.



I swapped it into the 1985 Yellow van.



Truth of the matter as I found out later(much later...yrs)the mistake that was make on this swap was the 1989 column is key hot to the TBI and the 1985 needed key hot for a choke/carb.That you can't just go 12 volts to the choke,that it needs to be feed through the oil pressure switch.Live and learn I guess.

Now what for all this time I have been calling a intermediate shaft is this.



And I do understand that it has to slide back and forth into the u-joint because it is apart of the crush zone in case of a crash.



It is that shaft that I have taken out of two vans and put into two van and the one I was explaining has a notch that I could get it to release on Ole Yellar.Thinking that was the complete intermediate shaft.And thinking it was the one from a full size express van I needed longer to do the planned pipe lift on this van.

But now you have made me aware of a second pinch bolt below the u-joints at the steering box that I hadn't seen before this.Hard to get the camera on it for a good shot.



Like I said-live and learn.

Oh, I do know that it is in a nasty little spot to get at. But, its all good Gary.
Besides, What fun would it be if'n I couldn't poke a lil fun at ya, eh?

Overland vans sells those complete shafts, and in different lengths for lifts. They shouldnt just come apart there either.
If you took both ends of one of those shafts outta yer van, you might be able to concoct a really long one using Express van parts.
I dunno, I've never looked at an Express van part before. Have you? Will they swap? How tall is your pipe lift gonna be?
I am pretty certain that the early Gen 1 2wd I-Shafts are longer than the AWD or Gen II Shaft.
Overland just gives you a 2wd gen I shaft with some kits.

Chops used a Express van shaft on his lift.I learned a important lesson At one of the NECO's.There is no way I could drive a van daily with 33's and a 5 1/4" pipe lift.Can't get my legs up that high anymore. Peter had to grab me by mine shirt to get me into his van. Mine is planned for only a 3" pipe lift so I can use 29" tires. Just atad too much for the stock shaft.Also makes working on these V8 vans so much easier.

No problems from this side of the story. Your taught me something and that Sir is a good thing.Thank You.

Gary

LiftedAWDAstro wrote:Mike,

Ever get the feeling you are talking to a wall?

All the time Dean.
I have 3 teenaged sons, Lol...
They always raz me about glasses and bein old.