At 01:13 PM 4/14/2011, John Rodgers wrote:
>  What prevents the shaft from slipping down in the column tube
>resulting in  the two-pin coupling at the bottom of the end of the
>shaft  pulling apart.  Bentley 48.2 and ETKA Illustration 52.00

[that's service group 4, subgroup 19, illustration 52...]

This is a hip-bone connected to the ankle-bone problem.

[John, the quick answer I think you need is that you have to clamp
the coupling together while you're assembling things, as it shows in
figure two on 48.3.  Once they're assembled, everything's held
together by the column tube mounting bolts.  Your other answer about
adjustment is farther down...]

The coupling itself is what allows the steering gear to come apart in
a collision so it doesn't get driven up into your chest.  The lower
part is fixed in position from below and has a pair of pins extending
downward.  The upper part is attached to the upper steering column
and has a pair of rubber bushings that are pulled up from below onto
the pins.  The assembly is stable in moderate tension but will
promptly disassemble when the upper and lower column are pressed together.

The quasi-vertical alignment is maintained thus:

The column tube is supported by its two brackets which are bolted on
to and below the dashboard.

On the top of the column tube is the steering lock assembly,
containing the upper ball bearing supporting the upper column.  This
acts as a thrust bearing, and it is the actual locating/supporting
point for the upper column.  The bearing is trapped between the
plastic part called out as "ring" on 48.2 and the spacer sleeve
between it and the steering wheel.  This upper assembly is held
together on the top by the steering wheel and nut, and on the bottom
by the welded steering lock ring on the upper column.

Now right here is where Bentley tells a Great Big Lie.  It makes a
big point, on 48.2-3 and on 94.3, about adjusting the gap between the
lower surface of the steering wheel and the switch assembly.  This is
a complete and utter farrago of lies and other more pungent
stuff.  There is no such adjustment.  That dimension is governed
*entirely* by the length of the spacer sleeve, depth of steering
wheel engagement, thickness of steering wheel and other fixed
dimensions.  I'll get into what can and can't be changed in another post.

What *can* be adjusted are: the engagement depth of the coupling pins
John was asking about, and the clearance between the steering wheel
and the plastic steering column shroud.  These can be adjusted by the
two sets of mounting bolts holding the column tube to the rest of the
vehicle, and (specifically for the clearance) tweaked by loosening
the cap screw securing the steering lock assembly and hauling or
pressing on the steering wheel.  The lower plastic shroud has a hole
provided so you can reach the clamp screw for this purpose.

Yours,
David