[Terry C.]

Hi boy's, I bought the Hotchkis front end kit tubular A-Arms and lower control arms, sway bar and springs. Also the 600 series steering box that is supposed to be the real deal and a bolt in swap. My steering column seems to all the way back and I'm still a 1/2" from line up with the mounting holes. Is there a thinner rag joint a guy can get? Thanks " T "

[Big Dave]

First I had to go to your Public Profile to discover that you have two 1970 BBC powered Novas. That at least eliminated the possibility of your trying to put a Saginaw 600 on a 1962-'67 Chevy II that has a solid steering column (I'm sure it could be done but I have no idea as to the best method to put one in that series of cars).

This article in Car Craft magazine covered the install and parts used if your instruction sheet or the metric/English-SAE rag joint got lost. They can't help with the instruction sheet but they can tell you who has the rag joint you need.

http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/chassis...g-box-upgrade/

A similar article in in Super Chevy covering the install on a Chevelle

http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/498...odel-steering/

Jim Shea on a Corvette board that I read wrote an excellent article covering the conversion on his Camaro (which is the same procedure you will use to convert the Nova with the same parts):

http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/wp-co...ed15AP2012.pdf

This is part one of two Saginaw/Delphi 605 gear box swap articles: (I'm still looking for the second)

http://www.hemmings.com/mus/stories/...feature21.html

found it:

http://www.hemmings.com/mus/stories/...hmn_tips3.html

Hopefully something here will help.

Big Dave

[Terry C.]

Thanks a bunch Dave, I'm going to see if my is all the way back for sure. And call Hotchkis and see if I'm the only one with this problem as usual.. If ya know what I mean. Thanks again..

[Philip]

Assuming it all lined up with the stock parts, so what procedure did you use to remove the steering gear and rag joint from the car? The reason I ask is the shaft in the column is not solid, it is 2 pieces that slide together to collapse during a front end impact. If you pulled hard enough the shaft could have extended the 1/2" needed to get it all back together.

[Terry C.]

Thanks, but it needs to be shorter by maybe 3/8". " T "

[Philip]

Exactly, have you tried pushing it back in? There is about 2" or more of travel in the shaft. It may have been pulled out some during the disassembly of the stock parts. There is a nylon injected "pin" holding it in place, really easy to break it. Does not hurt the operation of the column but is probably the problem.

[Terry C.]

OK, thanks a bunch. "T"

[Terry C.]

So Phillip how do I get it pushed back to where it belongs? Thanks

[Philip]

It should just slide, but may be really stiff.

[Big Dave]

You could smack it with a dead blow hammer; but if it is that hard to go in, it will take a slide hammer to get it back out again. Try spraying it down with a rust removing Phosphoric acid based rust breaker aerosol product. Most body shop supply houses sell them or you can go on line to buy it from Eastwood or some one else knowing it has to ship by ground.

Big Dave