Hey guys, I just bought a chevy van steering column for my project. The problem is the the holes in the column where the pin goes through to hold the shifter on are elongated and making the shifter sloppy. What is the best way to go about fixing this? Is the lower bowl on the column available as a new part? Thanks.
I am considering filling the hole with JB weld then drilling it back out to the proper size for the pin. Anyone try this? Thanks, 59chev
The JB weld will elongate and wear out way faster than the original hole ever did. Replace the part with the hole if you can, if you can't then drill it oversize and tap in tight fitting sleeves like a bushing with the proper sized hole.
I believe that shifter bowl is pewter, zinc or such composite for casting, with that said I think welding is not a option unless you are the zin master! .... Either bush or new custom pin after a little drilling. Good luck.
I'd make a sleeve or steel tube to go over the pin and drill the shifter to fit. Sort of like a mini crank saver sleeve.
IIRC...Pot metal not pewter but still not weldable. I'd have a friend with a lathe make some bushings.
Agreed, pot metal, I read the question wrong and was thinking the shifter connection at the bottom. Drill for a bushing or replace the steering column collar, should be an easy find.
Find a brass fitting that is pipe thread that is the right size. Drill and tap the hole for the fitting and then drill the brass fitting out to the right size.
Thanks for the input. I ended up drilling out the hole and using the smooth part of a 1/4 bolt to make a new pin. Then I did a ton of filing to round off the bolt head so it was only slightly larger than the rest of the pin to give it a shoulder so it wouldn't drop out of the column. That combined with a new spring and it is nice and tight and stays in the shift gates properly.
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