Steering Column stuck inner and outer tubes

[alan_thomas]

Read all the posts about changing the bushes etc good advice when I get that far but my question is much simpler, the inner and outer tubes are 'welded' together by the remains of the old rubber bushes. No amount of dead blows can make them shift the smallest amount so my question is has anyone any tips before I reach for the blowlamp and try to melt the stuff keeping the 2 tubes locked together.
Also I would have thought, looking at the parts list, that I could withdraw the inner splined shaft after releasing the 2 nuts and bolts securing the top casting from the outer tube. It slides out so far then stops.

or, paraphrasing the movie Jaws, am I "going to need a bigger hammer!"
- Alan

[blue 464]

you need to remove the bottom bearing from the tube to remove the inner shaft, remove the small countersunk screw first, then grip the inner tube in the vice and put the drop arm back on the spline with the bolt in, knock the drop arm to slide the bush housing out of the inner steel tube to expose the circlip, remove the circlip and then you can pull the inner shaft out from the top, good luck,Derek