Late Vs. early steering shafts, Didn't know there was a difference Options

[Phoenix-MN]

Ever since I put my steering wheel and shaft in it's had an annoying "over center" notchy feel to it. Well I deceided to fix it and tore it apart today. I had read some threads to swap the shaft end for end to correct the problem but that doesn't index the u-joints any differently. I dug out a shaft from my spare parts to compare and the index slots are about 90 deg. different between the two.



Anyone else run into this before? Is there also a difference in the u-joints?

Paul

[Jeff Hail]

1970 to early 71 a different column was used on the 4/4 only for about 10 months. It was a single stalk column manufactured by SWF. Larger shaft at the steering wheel hub. The switch was incorporated in the column housing. It was sold as column assembly even though few individual pieces were shown in the PET separatley, cylinder with keys and turn signal switch assembly. The plug was the 911 style 12 pin (phone plug) not the 14 pin or later 914 wafer style columns with buzzer. It did not have clam shells as the later ones did.

The original PN# was 91461330610 for the earlier column assembly.
It was later changed in the PET to 30510 and now the part number is no longer listed. It was serviced under the switch group where the later columns were serviced with individual parts under the steering parts group.

Late late 71, 1972-73 the column tube housing changed again.
71 the upper shaft is unique
Late late 71, 72-74 the shafts should be the same.
1974 the column tube changed but I believe the shaft is the same through 76.