Steering column doesn’t line up

[Jacobp77]

When replacing my ignition switch earlier in the year I found that the bracket that attaches the column to the dash was only held in with one of the nuts. On top of that none of the bolts that attach the bracket to the column in were there. I have the bolts now but I cannot for the life of me get them to line up properly. Column seems to be almost an inch too far forward. Has anybody else found a solution for this? Found a couple posts that sounded similar in a few different forums but no definitive answers. Thanks!

[Gjeep]

Can you attach a pic of the situation.

[Jacobp77]

1 hour ago, Gjeep said:

Can you attach a pic of the situation.

Sure can

Is there some kind of play I can get out of the Column or something? It just feels way too far off.

[Eagle_SX4]

I wonder if your truck has been in an accident and the the person driving pushed the steering column through the firewall when it was crashed.

 

Take a pic of the engine bay side of the bottom of the steering column. See if the firewall is pushed outward from the cab.

[Pete M]

or maybe someone wanted to swap in a different column and pulled one from a wrecked Jeep only to find it didn't fit so they just rigged it? 

[Gjeep]

That is way off. And how does it look at the firewall it's bolted to? Also, I tried zooming in on one of your pics but couldn't see -- can you take pic of where dashboard bolts to kick panels.

[Jacobp77]

7 hours ago, Gjeep said:

That is way off. And how does it look at the firewall it's bolted to? Also, I tried zooming in on one of your pics but couldn't see -- can you take pic of where dashboard bolts to kick panels.

Just realized the one bolt is missing. Anyone have specs on that? Can you elaborate a little more in what you mean? Here are some random pictures if any of these show something I’m missing

Side note is everyone’s under dash awaiting this much of a mess

[Gjeep]

Yep dash is mounted up like it should be, but that the bolt in firewall is clearly the problem. At least from the photo I see that steering column flange looks to be bent -- and that steering column flange metal may be thicker than the firewall metal. You might flex the firewall sheet metal before you bend the column flange. Try, but it fire wall starts flexing, remove the bolt on the steering shaft engine side and the one remaining interior firewall bolt, unplug electrical and pull the steering column/bend the flange back to shape. Possibly the nutsert threads on the firewall the column mounts into are stripped? You'll have the remaining bolt for reference, but I believe it's an M10. If the threads on the fire wall are stripped, you'll need a longer bolt and flange nut for engine side (and a helper to hold that nut) to mount it back up. 

[Jacobp77]

5 hours ago, Gjeep said:

Yep dash is mounted up like it should be, but that the bolt in firewall is clearly the problem. At least from the photo I see that steering column flange looks to be bent -- and that steering column flange metal may be thicker than the firewall metal. You might flex the firewall sheet metal before you bend the column flange. Try, but it fire wall starts flexing, remove the bolt on the steering shaft engine side and the one remaining interior firewall bolt, unplug electrical and pull the steering column/bend the flange back to shape. Possibly the nutsert threads on the firewall the column mounts into are stripped? You'll have the remaining bolt for reference, but I believe it's an M10. If the threads on the fire wall are stripped, you'll need a longer bolt and flange nut for engine side (and a helper to hold that nut) to mount it back up. 

I have the flange fully unbolted and I still can’t seem to get enough length to get it to line up. Is there anyway to get some extra length out of the steering shaft if I unbolt it in the engine bay?

[Jacobp77]

Update:

got the column completely out and straightened up the flange as best I could

After test fitting the column and attaching it to the dash correctly, the flange is now almost an inch from the firewall. Beginning to think something is wildly wrong here

the flange almost looks smashed into the column or something, you can kinda tell in the last pic

[Gjeep]

Hard to say but yes its not right. And you’ve got the dashboard support studs through the column support? And this is where the column sits? Have you looked at you subframe and firewall and no damage/ pushed in? And the end is properly seated in the steering shaft? Maybe its not a true jeep xj/ mj column? I would at this point measure the length to a certain point and ask a CC member to measure a column they don’t have installed and see if its a match. If your comanche was a column shift, I’d have a column for you free of charge. 

[Jacobp77]

7 minutes ago, Gjeep said:

Hard to say but yes it’s not right. And you’ve got the dashboard support studs through the column support? And this is where the column sits? Have you looked at you subframe and firewall and no damage/ pushed in? And the end is properly seated in the steering shaft? Maybe it’s not a true jeep xj/ mj column? I would at this point measure the length to a certain point and ask a CC member to measure a column they don’t have installed and see if it’s a match. If your comanche was a column shift, I’d have a column for you free of charge. 

 

Yeah it’s fully attached to the studs in the dash however not seated in the steering shaft in the picture. Here are some better pictures of the flange which I’m now realizing is way worse than I originally thought. No clear damage around the firewall or anything like that. I really appreciate the offer unfortunately it’s a stick lol

I'm gonna keep trying to bend it straighter, hopefully that gets me somewhere eventually lol

[Gjeep]

That's not the original steering column -- especially as a stick. I don't see the toggle lever to release the ignition cylinder into the position the key can be removed. Unless I just don't see it. I don't think that's an MJ XJ column.