[FWDLK] Getting a bum steer

[Dan Morton <morton@rad.upenn.edu>]

The World's Slowest Auto Mechanic is finally getting around to putting his
turn signal assembly back in the '55 Savoy.  I've put it all together, but
there's a gap between the steering wheel and the turn signal housing of
about 3/8" of an inch -- enough to prevent the fingers on the back of the
steering wheel from disengaging the turn signal when coming out of a turn.
I know, I should have taken pictures before I took it apart.  Well, let's
see who can play detective.

It seems to me that the steering wheel is fully seated on the steering
shaft.  I can count the full complement of threads, and the crown nut spins
down past the threaded tube.  The turn signal housing has a key in it that
is fully seated in the washer around the steering shaft -- the keeper has a
screw in it that locks the housing to the steering shaft washer, and
everything seems aligned.  Yet when all is said and done, there's a gap.

I don't recall this gap from before -- but then, my turn signal wasn't
working before, so I didn't pay much attention to it.  Could it be, that the
previous owner made up the gap, by tightening the keeper on the shaft washer
closer to the steering wheel?  The key wouldn't have been in the slot, but
it would have been closer.  But why would this have been necessary -- could
wear somewhere have resulted in the steering shaft protruding further up the
shaft?  Could the tube around the steering shaft have slipped down?  Don't
think so... Or am I just LOONY?  What's going on here -- why doesn't this
fit?!

        Dan, TWSAM
        '55 Savoy