1957 steering column, replace the ribbed adjusting collar and other upper items

[Oregon John]

This adjusting collar on my car is ugly; I have a new replacement, but I have not determined how to get the old one off. Yes, there is a small set screw which is easy, but the turn signal carrier and bearing appears to be pressed on hard, and I can't get it off. This means removing the adjusting collar downward, and then we come to the wire bundle which is tight. User Bonneville 6 years ago asked about this, but no answer is present. I have seen inquiries that address the turn signal switch, horn, etc., but not one that catches this issue.

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[lancehsch]

This adjusting collar on my car is ugly; I have a new replacement, but I have not determined how to get the old one off. Yes, there is a small set screw which is easy, but the turn signal carrier and bearing appears to be pressed on hard, and I can't get it off. This means removing the adjusting collar downward, and then we come to the wire bundle which is tight. User Bonneville 6 years ago asked about this, but no answer is present. I have seen inquiries that address the turn signal switch, horn, etc., but not one that catches this issue.

For what it’s worth, as part of a Borgeson power steering upgrade I replaced the adjusting collar on my 57 last month. It’s a son of a gun.

The short answer is you have to completely remove the steering column and slide the adjuster off the bottom. It won’t come off the top. Sliding, actually screwing, the adjuster upwards towards the steering wheel tightens the assembly. Eventually it bottoms out and stops. That’s the way it’s designed.

In my case removing the steering column and replacing it turned into a nightmare. The column is clamped to the dash support structure with two large screws with nuts on top. The problem is the nuts on top are not captured. They’re loose.

The only way they could have put the nuts on at the factory would have been to assemble the steering column before they put the rest of the dash/speedometer assembly on top. There simply isn’t any way to put those two nuts back on without dissembling the whole dash. You can see where they go when it’s apart you simply get to them when it’s together.

Fortunately my buddy who was doing the work owns a machine shop so after a days worth of trying and colorful language we gave up trying.

Instead we fabricated two long replacements studs. They were installed with the clamp and the steering column slid right in easy peasy.

So if you take your 57 apart like mine be prepared to either disassemble the whole dash or kludge together some kind of stud arrangement so you can get it back together.

Maybe you’ll be lucky and have the nuts on your 57 column are captured. They weren’t on mine

You could probably fabricate a stud from a section of all thread with nuts from the hardware store.

But good luck getting the original screws and nuts back together.

 

[curtkane]

For what it’s worth, as part of a Borgeson power steering upgrade I replaced the adjusting collar on my 57 last month. It’s a son of a gun.

The short answer is you have to completely remove the steering column and slide the adjuster off the bottom. It won’t come off the top. Sliding, actually screwing, the adjuster upwards towards the steering wheel tightens the assembly. Eventually it bottoms out and stops. That’s the way it’s designed.

In my case removing the steering column and replacing it turned into a nightmare. The column is clamped to the dash support structure with two large screws with nuts on top. The problem is the nuts on top are not captured. They’re loose.

The only way they could have put the nuts on at the factory would have been to assemble the steering column before they put the rest of the dash/speedometer assembly on top. There simply isn’t any way to put those two nuts back on without dissembling the whole dash. You can see where they go when it’s apart you simply get to them when it’s together.

Fortunately my buddy who was doing the work owns a machine shop so after a days worth of trying and colorful language we gave up trying.

Instead we fabricated two long replacements sdtuds. They were installed with the clamp and the steering column slid right in easy peasy.

So if you take your 57 apart like mine be prepared to either disassemble the whole dash or kludge together some kind of stud arrangement so you can get it back together.

Maybe you’ll be lucky and have the nuts on your 57 column are captured. They weren’t on mine

You could probably fabricate a stud from a section of all thread with nuts from the hardware store.

But good luck getting the original screws and nuts back together.

I rebuilt my steering gear box that required removing steering column. I got those bolts and nuts back on but not easily. It requires patience, foul language and to be able to do these things by touch only. Good luck.

 

[curtkane]

I rebuilt my steering gear box that required removing steering column. I got those bolts and nuts back on but not easily. It requires patience, foul language and to be able to do these things by touch only. Good luck.

Forgot to mention, i removed the seat (not that difficult) to move around easier.