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Made a bonehead move, killer looking foot box installed in the car and just remembered oh yeah the steering column is already assembled with the hiem joints on it...
Anybody ever attempt to disassemble a steering u joint and put back together. I obviously don't want one to fail but trying to figure out the best method too keep from hacking up my new interior that has too small of hole... Other option is to cut it, install and weld back together with a sleeve...
I always cut a larger hole then needed. Then I make a small plate that is larger than the hole and drill the correct size hole for the shaft in the center of that plate. Make a straight line cut from the edge of the plate to the hole. Now use 4 - 1/4" garage door rail bolts to install the plate. The bolts will grip the tub metal and the nut will be on the outside of the tub. If you need to remove it, the knurled portion of the bolts will stay in place in the tub.
SPark
Take a cutoff wheel, or chop saw and cut at any given u-joint just behind the weld. You will still have plenty of material left on the u-joint (or coupler) to re weld a new piece of pre measured steering shaft between the two components.
does seals-it make a body seal that you could use?
Yes, I have disassembled them and put them back together.
But for other reasons, not aesthetics.
Should you?
Not according to the manufacturers.
You have to make that decision for yourself.
If you have a non-collapse-able killer steering shaft, it's long past time to update.
The bottom portion on this new car seems to be 29" which is the length of the Howe collapsible section, so leaning toward getting it and installing in place.