Cavalier streering column.

[Poppop]

Hey guys, I got a question for any of you that care to help out. I'm putting on a quick release steering wheel hub and there is a spring that I believe holds tension on the shaft. It's a weld on hub and it's longer than the protruding shaft. I guess the real question is, do I need the spring or is it OK to just pull the shaft up and lock it in place with a collar? Anybody familiar with a Cavalier column? My 87 and 98 both have similar set ups.

Poppop

[critter]

i think u can pull the spring out , u should be fine with a collar , not 100 percent sure but i think u should be fine

[richardpetey]

Not trying to bust your horns Poppop, but why did you buy a weld on hub?......................
They make a splined hub that fits on the stock steering shaft splines and you can use the steering wheel nut to lock it in place...............
If and when you get rid of the car you can pull the splined hub off and reuse it on another racecar...................
If your not removing your c-clip/locking plate assembly, you can pull the signal/combination switch out and have enough room to weld the hub...............
The only time you gotta worry about the spring is on a tilt column.............................
UNCLE PETEY....................

[Poppop]

Just dumb I guessI got a piece of hex stock and made a couple extras for the other car and any other I might get. I didn't know there was a splined shaft option. Guess I shafted myself. My older car is a tilt column so what do you do different?

[richardpetey]

A tilt column has an internal plastic universal joint at the point where the column pivots.......................
If you don't keep uniform pressure on the upper part of the steering shaft
it will get sloppy......................
Eventually, the steering will bind or your splined hub( held on by the steering wheel locknut which is now unthreading itself) will slide off the shaft and you'll be holding a unattached steering wheel heading into turn four..........................
UNCLE PETEY................

[EnduroFromDE]

thats not fun...i did that at bridgeport when a weld i made on my steering shaft didnt hold too good and broke...i went into turn 3 and turnt the wheel and went straight...lol

[Poppop]

Well, I got it welded on at both ends and put a collar on the lower part of the shaft to take up any slack. I hope my welds are better than yours was Steve. I hit the wall in turn four at Grandview when I didn't pull on the wheel to check it. That hurts, and that empty shaft is a scarey thing when it's pointed at your chest.

[Mobigsly]

You guys have me peeing my pants..... if it's welded on both ends how does it turn?

[CJfilms]

Don't worry TJ....the old fashioned race car drivers worry about going fast in a straight line first.....they'll work out the turns later....like at the end of the first straightaway when they go to get into the turn!

[Spanky1975]

Come on you really had to edit the word P-ssing? And save yourself alot of time with that steering. Open up the speedway catalog and buy the kit that comes with the steering shaft and all the joints you need to put it together. If you ripped that steering columb apart down to the spring, just take it out and put it in one of the many cavaliers that are in the junkyard. How did I do? Don't think there's anything to be edited here.