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Safety Third!
1. The steering linkage alone should cause concern. All the U-joints were welded to the shaft (poorly), so far as to effectively isolate the support bearing permanently.

Properly Installing Poorly Installed Steering Linkage In A 1967 Chevelle

BY RYAN MANSON IMAGES BY THE AUTHOR
W

hen our buddy Adan Resendez relayed the steering plight that his newly built Chevelle had suffered, we were initially relieved that he was able to safely limp the car to the shoulder of a residential road near his home. After initial inspection, however, our relief turned to terror as we began to unravel the heinous acts of mechanical ineptitude. What should have been a fairly simple, straightforward installation for any reasonably handy car guy turned into a nearly fatal mistake in Resendez’s ’67 Chevelle steering linkage.

While it’s not uncommon to uncover shoddy work from time to time, this instance was one for the record books.

With our shock subsided, we shifted gears and began to develop a plan to get the old Chevy back on the road and safely, starting with quality U-joints and shafting and a proper method to secure the steering column that wasn’t. From there, we also addressed another issue we found, an incredibly noisy power steering system caused by an incorrect reservoir and exacerbated by its location.

When everything was said and done, Resendez was able to once again return his dream car to the road, with the added peace of mind that what nearly could have killed him has been sorted in the best (and safest!) way possible.

Failed steering shaft coupler and pin hole.
2. But the linkage alone wasn’t the cause of our steering woes, it was the way the previous hack builders fixed the nub of the shaft welded to the uppermost U-joint to the steering column shaft. Apparently, the “rocket scientist” who originally did the install thought it was enough to simply pin the two together with, assumingly, a roll pin; it was not to be found, however.
Close-up showing an unevenly cut shaft end.
3. Closer inspection of the fab master’s work shows the amount of care that went into creating a nice, square, clean cut on the end of the nub shaft.
Steering coupler separated from the column shaft.
4. Why he didn’t simply use a properly sized U-joint to go from the second shaft directly to the steering column is anyone’s guess, instead opting to adapt the nub shaft to the steering column using a coupler. Note the care used in drilling out the roll pin hole! This is ultimately what failed and resulted in a total loss of steering control. Thankfully, it happened at low speed in a residential neighborhood. Had this happened in traffic or on the highway, it may have resulted in a multiple fatality situation.
Rusted firewall opening lacking proper steering column support.
5. Adding insult to injury, the bottom of the steering column lacked a single point of support, leaving it to freely bounce around in the stock firewall plate, supported only by the singular dash bracket at the top.
Flaming River aluminum swivel floor mount.
6. A proper method to support the bottom of the steering column is an absolute must and this Swivel Floor Mount (PN FR20101CH) from Flaming River fits 1964-67 Chevelles equipped with an aftermarket steering column.
Swivel floor mount bolted to the steering column at firewall.
7. Bolted in place using the factory hardware, the steering column is now located securely in place.
Assorted Borgeson universal joints in plastic packaging.
8. To mate the column to the power steering box in a safe manner requires the use of proven hardware like these U-joints from Borgeson. The previous installation used three U-joints, but we were fairly certain we could make it happen in two. This would certainly simplify the situation.
Borgeson rod end shaft support and stainless steel DD shaft.
9. We used a 36-inch length of polished stainless steel DD shaft (PN 429436) from Borgeson as well. Anything more than two U-joints requires a support bearing to prevent any binding in the linkage, so we picked up one of those from Borgeson (PN 720000), just in case.
Two Borgeson polished stainless steel universal joints.
10. Turns out our initial estimates were correct and the Chevelle will only require two polished stainless U-joints; a DDx3/4-30 (PN 124931) and a DDx3/4-36 (PN 123449).
U-joint installed on the steering column shaft.
11. The DDx3/4-36 U-joint will mate on the column end …
Polished U-joint connected to the power steering box.
12. …while the DDx3/4-30 mates to the box.
Top view of U-joint showing splined shaft seating.
Detailed view of U-joint connection to steering box input.
13-14. Before we can measure and cut the DD shaft to connect the two U-joints, we need to be sure that both are fully seated on their respective splined shafts. Note that both shafts are flush with the inside of their respective U-joint half to ensure proper engagement without creating any bind with the U-joint itself.
Measuring distance between U-joints with a yellow tape measure.
15. With the U-joints properly installed, the distance between the two can be measured and the DD shaft cut to length.
Hand-tightening the pinch bolt on a new universal joint.
A small circular mark on the DD shaft from a pinch bolt.
16-17. Next, the assembly is installed hand-tight and is checked for any fitment issues. Satisfied, each pinch bolt is tightened to mark the DD shaft for dimpling.
Drill bit creating a dimple in a metal shaft held in a vise.
18. A 1/4-inch drill bit is used for this process, which ensures the pinch bolt has plenty of purchase to bite into, preventing the assembly from coming apart.
Applying red liquid thread locker to a bolt.
19. After the dimpling process, permanent thread locker is applied to the threads of the pinch bolt and the locking nut.
New steering linkage installed between column and box.
20. The finished steering linkage is a simpler and safer design than the previous iteration.
View of messy engine compartment hoses.
21. Aside from the steering linkage issue, the Chevelle also suffered from an egregious amount of noise emanating from the steering gear. Since the power steering system also served to provide braking assistance via Classic Performance Product’s HydraStop system, we contacted the guys over at CPP to see what they thought might be our issue. Turns out an incorrect reservoir along with its mounting location was the source of our issue.
CPP remote power steering reservoir and filter kit.
CPP hydraulic hoses and assorted metal fittings.
Coiled rubber hose and brass T-fitting.
22-24. In addition to the reservoir, the existing stainless steel lines were suffering from abrasion and fraying, so after consulting with the CPP gang, we opted to replace the entire plumbing side of the coin. Their LS Engine Remote Reservoir Kit (PN CPLS-RRM), Push Lock Power Steering Filter (PN PO-OF6), and HydraStop Rubber Hydraulic Hose Kit (PN HAHK-R) will provide all the parts we need to solve the growl in our system.
Black plastic reservoir mounted next to a red air filter.
25. To prevent any further issues that might arise in the HydraStop system, we opted to mount the reservoir as high as possible. We chose a location in the fresh airbox next to the air cleaner for easy access and ideal location in the system.
Marking a braided hose with a white paint pen.
Applying electrical tape to a braided hose before cutting.
Cable cutters being used to cut a braided hose.
Wrench tightening a metal fitting onto a braided hose.
Compressed air nozzle cleaning out a new hose assembly.
26-30. Whether high- or low-pressure, every line in the CPP hose kit needs to be measured, cut, and assembled with its respective fitting and blown clean to ensure it’s free of any debris before installation.
Engine bay showing new reservoir and hose plumbing.
Detail of hydraulic hoses routed near the steering column.
Power steering hoses connected and routed behind the alternator.
Braided hydraulic hoses secured with hose clamps and zip ties.
31-34. The resulting assembly features a clean installation with every line clear of any source of heat or abrasion and mounted firmly in place.
In The Garage Media
Borgeson logo

(860) 482-8283
borgeson.com
Clampdown Competition

clampdowncomp.com
CPP logo

(800) 522-5004
classicperform.com
Flaming River logo

(800) 648-8022
flamingriver.com
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