NOHOME
PowerDork
3/24/17 6:16 a.m.
Need to make sense of something that I keep reading.
If I am understanding this right, the lower column is collapsible?
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If so, I don't see how since it has this weld right at the only point where it could collapse into a larger tube.
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Anyone dissect one of these to see what is inside the larger diameter? There is also a pin of some sort at the top that has some unknown function. I want to say shear pin, but that does not make sense either.
That's funky. I'm building a Locost using a 94 Miata donor and that's a spline joint for me. What year is the donor?
NOHOME
PowerDork
3/24/17 7:20 a.m.
Brotus7 wrote:
That's funky. I'm building a Locost using a 94 Miata donor and that's a spline joint for me. What year is the donor?
Interesting. Any bigger pics of that assembly?
I found a place that sells a shaft with the Miata splines on the end, but not sure how the near end would integrate.
I'll post a pic of my actual shaft, hehe, tonight. 
NOHOME
PowerDork
3/24/17 9:11 a.m.
As I look at the picture of the weld, it dont quite look right. The weld line at the smaller diameter shaft seems a bit too well defined.
How did you pull the shaft apart?
More shaft discussion 
Not sure how, or if, I can hotlink from locostusa. The latest post has better pictures of the column and lower steering shaft. Mine was not welded in the middle of the shaft, it's a spline joint.
Andy's Build Log
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NOHOME, what year is your donor? The airbagged cars have a different column than the non-airbag cars. Americans don't know that because there's no such thing as a US Miata without an airbag. 
NOHOME
PowerDork
3/25/17 6:51 a.m.
Out of a non-airbag car, however I have an airbag column and it is the same.
Declared war on it last night by pounding the end with a sledge...it ain't collapsible.
The upper half of the column is different. Take a look at the diameter of the shaft housing.
What you've got is odd. That's welded where it should have a slip joint, and it looks a lot like a machine weld. Regardless, I'd get a different lower section.
NOHOME
PowerDork
3/25/17 11:21 a.m.
"Odd" might just fit in well with the Molvo theme!
A single supporter of the canoe resort and method is invited for the chips for the town. The role is marked for the fitness for the blocks. The turn is done for all issues. The margin is placed for the orientation for the experts. [The river is run, because time has no place, an idleness is a fool's errand].
The engine is out of my parts car now, I'll look at the steering shaft and see if it is a slip joint.
Canoe, canoe, canoe, canoe, canoe, canoe, canoe, canoe
LOVELY CANOE! WONDERFUL CANOE! LOVELY CANOE, WONDERFUL CANOE! LOVELY...
(Bloody Vikings!)
kb58
SuperDork
2/16/20 8:59 a.m.
I used first gen Miata bits in my build, and only the upper section is collapsible.
I fought with two of them on the Exocet build and neither seemed like they were collapsible until I got enthusiastic with a large mallet on one. But they were definitely not welded. Yours is definitely not the same shaft.