What's going on with my steering column?
 

I started doing the final assembly of my 7-tooth column and something isn't right.
New bearings and a new lower shaft bushing installed, reamed / honed to fit the turned down shaft.

Problem---> after inserting the shaft up into the column, the threaded end of the shaft sits way off center of the tube. It stays off center at the same spot as I rotate the shaft. I can push the shaft where it needs to be, but it will flex. Not good.
Now if I remove the lower bushing housing, the threaded end centers itself. I though maybe the machine shop honed the lower bushing "off center" a bit. But it spins true when slipped on the shaft by itself.
Now i'm starting to think that the column tube is bowed ever so slightly.
Any ideas?

Re: What's going on with my steering column?
 

Well, since no one offered any suggestions I figured I'd try bending the column tube ever so carefully. It did make the situation better but still not perfect. Not sure how far I want to push my luck bending the tube, but it does look like I found the problem.

Re: What's going on with my steering column?
 

are you sure the steering shaft is not bent,try rolling it on a flat surface like a table saw,see if it rises and falls slightly.

Re: What's going on with my steering column?
 

Bob's Rule:
If the component is not going together correctly, then there is a reason.
Do you have another 7 tooth column to compare th reworked column to?
Bob

Re: What's going on with my steering column?
 

Refer to post #1. "It stays off center at the same spot as I rotate the shaft". If it was bent, it wouldn't stay off center at the same spot.

It is better after I "tweaked" the tube. I can live with it.

Re: What's going on with my steering column?
 

If a Model A has been in a front end collision during its lifetime, I think that the steering column housing could be bent.

Re: What's going on with my steering column?
 

My 1929 Tudor had the same off center problem when I rebuilt my 7 tooth. Apparently by pulling one's self into the front seat by grabbing the steering wheel and pulling, one can bent the steering column tube. It took me a couple hours of heat and checking for straightness before my steering column was usable again. By looking through the column tube to see the light through it's end and by using a straight edge, I was able to check for the tube's straightness. All of these years I could not figure out why both my throttle and spark timing levers were so stiff in their movement. They were working around a corner all of this time.

Re: What's going on with my steering column?
 

I was thinking the same thing about how it could have become bent.
As far as the rods go, I did notice that my new rods also had to go around a corner to align with the lower holes But I'm not totally blaming that on the column. The new bushing at the top of the column did not have the greatest of quality.
Even still, I believe the rods are suppose to flex a little and actually will rub the inside of the tube if it wasn't for the anti-rattlers on the rods. Just my thoughts here. Not sure on this.

Re: What's going on with my steering column?
 

Vin, mine was the same way, check carefully for cracks where the rods exit the tube. I straightened and welded mine and its been fine since.