Be careful when you lower your steering column...

[Trace 300 Hurst]

...because when you do, you can (unintentionally and unknowable-y) shift the car out of Park. When the column is lowered, this can also move the torque shaft, and now the car can roll away!

I noticed this when I recently dropped the column to pull the IP. No disaster in this case due to my level garage , but after a day or two of getting in and out of the car working the IP, AC box, etc, I realized the car had moved rearward about 8 inches.

Chock your wheel!!

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

As well, you should not lower it so far as to pit undue strain on the rubber rag joint, as it can crack and tear. Those joints are getting harder to find and can be expensive.

Put a box or something on the seat to hold the steering wheel up a bit.

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

Good point, but in my case I have the Bouchillion aluminum biscuit thingy. If you have a 50 year old Mopar, that joint that's an inch away from the Furnace-Of-Hell exhaust manifold is already faaaarrrrr beyond Cracked and Torn.

 

[jct]

Already chock my wheels when i lower the steering column on a slanted driveway made that mistake a few times, before i actually remember, thankfully my car doesn't have a rag joint

 

[fins2fuselage]

I learned this the hard way working on my own '70 300 steering column.

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

I learned this the hard way working on my own '70 300 steering column.

How hard was "the hard way"? Not rolling down the street, I hope.

 

[fins2fuselage]

Rolled backwards out of the carport and down the driveway . . . with me lying on the front floor, feet hanging out of the open driver's door. Finally managed to get myself upright and hit the brakes; wrenched my shoulder pretty bad in the process. You don't forget a ride like that . . .

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

You don't forget a ride like that . . .

Lord have friggin' mercy! You could have easily been runn-nned over by your left front tire. Jeeeze....your report chilled me to the bone. I was upset when I realized my car rolled back 8 inches over two days. I can't imagine what you were thinking during your ReverseMoparColumnDropSleighRide. Glad you sacrificed your shoulder to the greater good.

 

[fins2fuselage]

Lord have friggin' mercy! You could have easily been runn-nned over by your left front tire. Jeeeze....your report chilled me to the bone. I was upset when I realized my car rolled back 8 inches over two days. I can't imagine what you were thinking during your ReverseMoparColumnDropSleighRide. Glad you sacrificed your shoulder to the greater good.

Thanks, Trace; it was several years ago but the memory is still quite clear.