I recently bought an 88 lx from a guy and it is a real Franken-stang. One of the miss-matched parts is the air bag wheel it came with (like you find in 90+ models). I purchased an 88 wheel and column to replace the air bag wheel because I wanted the original look and all of the dash parts LMR are for the tilt wheel. After replacing the rack and pinion I tried to install and connect the new wheel using the steering shaft (the link that has the rag joint connected) from the air bag column because the 88 wheel I purchased did not come with one. When I did this, I found that I was about 1.5” short of reaching the rack. I took it out and compared the two steering columns and found that the air bag wheel had a longer column.

My questions: What is the problem? Is there a longer drive shaft for the non-air bag column that I need to get my hands on? Can I adjust the bracket placement on the column so it will bolt in a little deeper under the dash to make up for the missing length?

I would rather not swap out the wheels (use the 88 wheel on the 90+ column) because I want the tilt.
Help!
Thanks

 

I think u have to use one for a none airbag shaft I have one off my car if u want to try the 88 shaft

 

Thanks for the help!! But I live in Austin... is there any way you could measure the length of your '88 drive shaft so I can compare it to the one my air-bag column came with? If so, let's measure from the rack end of the rag joint to the hole in the tongue that the bolt goes through to connect the shaft to the column to make sure we have an accurate comparison.

thanks again for the reply.

 

I will when I get home I could ship it to if that's the case

 

Be sure the column isnt collapsed. I think they both use the same steering shaft from the column to the rack.

 

Collapsed? Are they adjustable? I will look at it, but more info would be appreciated. Just by looking at it, it wasn't obvious that it could telescope out or that the brackets were adjustable. But I have read other posts from guys who have done the airbag - nonairbag swap and they don't mention having to use a different steering shaft so I assume both columns use the same one...

 

I double checked and they do use the same shaft. I know my column had a spot in it that had a bunch of crinkles in the (looked like a tie rod/rack boot) which I believe is where the collapsible part of the column is.

 

okay, good to hear. Thanks for the help! I will check it out when I get home from work.

 

okay, i checked my 88 steering column and there is no section of "crinkles"... however the newer column does have this section (for whatever that's worth)... i looked around on the 88 column for a spot where it might expand or colapse and found nothing... not sure what to do at this point.