upper c clip keeps coming off

[seattlejanzen]

hi all, new to this forum. I have a 1970 Challenger with power steering and the upper c-clip keeps popping off the shaft (see image) causing the steering shaft to retract a few millimeters which causes the crushcan to grind against the ignition housing (making steering very difficult and dangerous). I'm going to try grinding out the grove on the steering shaft that the c-clip slips into to try to make it harder to pop out but should there be any tension on that c-clip at all? I'm thinking that its just there to lightly hold the bearing in place. If there shouldn't be any tension any idea on how to loosen tension on the shaft? I've never messed with the steering on this thing.

any help much appreciate thx!

 

[moparleo]

Don't grind on your shaft ! There should be plenty of tension on the clip to work properly. You can't put the tension back so trying to bend it won't work. Get another clip.

 

[seattlejanzen]

thanks moparleo. maybe this is what you're referring to but just to be sure, the tension i'm referring to is that the shaft wants to move towards the front of the car (i.e. it wants to be sucked towards the power steering pump. It's not a ton of tension (when the but it's enough to pop the c-clip out of the groove over a couple of hours of steering. I think some of the grease from the bearing it's up against is also getting into the c-clip grove (on the shaft) make it easier to slip out. I think you're right though...i should try a new clip before grinding on the shaft

 

[rogue]

+1 don't grind... if you grind the slot you are effectively reducing the diameter of the shaft inside the groove... i would think you could run the risk of making it so small the clip would not be able to hold anything in place. I'm no expert on steering columns but changing the groove is fixing a symptom and not the ailment... hopefully the new clip does the trick