Steering Column Service; Steering Column—Console Shift - Dodge D150 1990 Service Manual

19 - 54 STEERING
S T E E R I N G COLUMN S E R V I C E
INDEX
Page
Service Information 54
Standard/Fixed Steering Column—
Disassembly/Assembly 57
Page
Steering Column—Removal/Installation . . . . . . . . . 55
Tiltable Steering Column—Disassembly/Assembly . 63
SERVICE INFORMATION
The steering columns (i.e., standard/fixed and t i l t -
able) i n s t a l l e d i n Ram V a n and Wagon vehicles have
anti-theft provisions, plus they are energy-absorbing
(i.e., collapse f r o m impact i n the event of a front-end
collision). T h e steering columns are designed t o col-
lapse a t a c o n t r o l l e d r a t e f r o m impact w h e n a front-
end collision is encountered. T h e collapsing action
reduces t h e l i k e l i h o o d of the driver contacting (be-
cause o f i n e r t i a ) a " f i x e d " steering wheel. I f t h e
driver continues forward into the wheel, the column
w i l l continue collapsing at the same controlled rate
and, i n so doing, reduce the force of the impact.
The steering columns have four p r i n c i p a l compo-
nents (Figs. 1 and 2):
• a column j a c k e t w i t h a slotted mesh section de-
signed t o shorten by " r o l l i n g u p " a t its lower end;
SPRING
• a two-piece, slip-type (telescoping) transmission
gear shift tube interconnected b y plastic inserts;
• a two-piece, slip-type (telescoping) steering shaft
(upper and lower shafts) connected b y plastic f r i c t i o n
collars and shear pins; and
• a support bracket t h a t connects t h e steering col-
u m n to t h e i n s t r u m e n t panel (the bracket allows the
column t o slide f o r w a r d b u t prevents r e a r w a r d move-
m e n t t o w a r d the driver).
The center section of the steering column jackets
has side-staggered slot perforations and i t is r i v e t e d
to an expansion m a n d r e l . U p o n application o f a force,
the rivets w i l l shear and t h e column jacket w i l l col-
lapse.
The gear shift tube consists o f two sections de-
signed t o slip-fit (telescope) together. These sections
are interconnected and held together by injections o f
plastic t h a t f o r m t h e interconnecting inserts a n d t h e
shear pins. U n d e r impact, there is a gradual p a r i n g
BUMPER
JACKET
ASSEMBLY
TURN SIGNAL AND
FLASHER SWITCH
JACKET
ASSEMBLY
GROMMET
STEERING
SHAFT
PLATE
ASSEMBLY
PU875
Fig. 1 Steering Column—Console Shift