Well I finally found the source of a rattle in my steering column, and no it wasn't the bolts below the tilt mechanism for once!

Does anyone know if these shafts are repairable/rebuildable?

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his: 1985 2M6 SE
mostly stock, but becoming more my creation than GM's with each passing day

hers: 1984 2M4
all stock... with plans for something bigger in the future

The collum is designed to colapse there if it is in a accident, do not let anyone convince you to try to "fix" it. Your life is on the line.

I have a good one, $25 shipped. If you have a u-pull-it locally you likely can beat that price.

quote Originally posted by dguy: Well I finally found the source of a rattle in my steering column, and no it wasn't the bolts below the tilt mechanism for once! Does anyone know if these shafts are repairable/rebuildable?

They're not repairable at all. The plastic shear keys have been sheared, either due to an accident or to mishandling the column out of the car. They're the same for all Fieros across all years, respective to the tilt or standard design.

JazzMan

I don't remember there being any keys in there... just plastic bits to create a snug friction fit that won't rattle. Those plastic bits can break down for a number of reasons and let the jack shaft rattle. they also increase play in the column. Not good things.

If you can get a replacement that is the better choice. It may be posible to fix it but it isn't worth the risk of the shaft not telescoping in a wreck if you do it wrong.

In Fiero's case, I think both the jack shaft and the column can colapse in a wreck. The mounting braket can also break away from the dash frame if you are slammed into it. Even the steering wheel itself is made to colapse. You want all the give you can get in that system.

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The only thing George Orwell got wrong was the year.

The Ogre's Fiero Cave (It's also at the top of every forum page...)

Those plastic bits are the shear keys. Their job is to keep the two telescoping sections together tightly under normal use, and to shear and allow the lower section to shove up inside the upper section in an accident bad enough to shove the steering rack back toward the passenger compartment. If the intermediate shaft was one piece there would be a serious risk of the shaft blowing out of the column and poking a hole in the heart of the driver in a bad accident. This is the "collapsable" feature mentioned, as well as the plastic keys used in the bracket that connects the column to the dash support bar. All of these piece serve one purpose, keep the column out of the chest of the driver in a wreck.

When you even so slightly drop the column on the lower shaft end it blows the keys, and beating on the center post with a hammer to remove the wheel does the same thing.

JazzMan

Well that confirms my suspicions... in triplicate even.

Thanks guys!