Need A,S,A,P advice on compressing jeep st.shaft

[ElCaminoGRAN/SPORT]

Workin on my el camino right now,doing the jeep steering shaft swap cant get mine to compress can I please get some right now advise on how others have compress theres?

 

[kingcolbert83]

I had the same problem with one. I was told if it wont compress you have to heat up the middle where it compresses to melt the plastic tabs in there. Didnt have access to heat like that so I never installed it.

 

[tc1959]

Just use a small propane torch.

 

[monte olrac]

tap the ends with a hammer it should break off those plastic tabs that hold it in place

 

[ElCaminoGRAN/SPORT]

Thanks for the help.Took it to a offroad shop they put a torch to it and had me out the door in 5 mins.

 

[othtim]

Yeah I know you already got the shaft compressed but....for anyone else who reads this thread.... DONT hammer it!! I destroyed the bushings in the ujoints in one shaft by hammering it! And not even that hard... they jsut kind of popped out. I definately recommend torching! Heat the shaft w/ a torch to get the plastic tabs melted! dont hammer!

 

[Longroof79]

Yeah I know you already got the shaft compressed but....for anyone else who reads this thread.... DONT hammer it!! I destroyed the bushings in the ujoints in one shaft by hammering it! And not even that hard... they jsut kind of popped out. I definately recommend torching! Heat the shaft w/ a torch to get the plastic tabs melted! dont hammer!

You're absolutely correct. They don't budge by hammering it. Heat is the best method to get these shafts to slide freely.