University of Extrication: Total Steering-Column Removal

July 1, 2014

Looking at this steering column, the white plastic ball joint by the coiled spring is the column's tilt-adjustable joint. There may be a solid steel shaft below this tilt joint and a solid shaft above it connected to the steering wheel itself. The tilt joint, however, is generally a weak point of a column. If the column is to be totally cut through, this would be a great place to start.

SUBJECT: Steering Column, Part 5

TOPIC: Total Steering Column Removal

OBJECTIVE: Understand modern vehicle steering wheel and column design

TASK: Given an acquired vehicle and rescue equipment, the rescue team shall develop multiple techniques for removal of a steering wheel ring and multiple procedures for total steering column removal

The University of Extrication series has already featured four separate installments on steering columns related to vehicle rescue. The first three-part series, covering construction and several rescue techniques, ran in February, March and April 2006. The December 2011 edition detailed lifting a column by use of a long cribbing piece placed across the windshield. Now in Part 5 of the series, this photo-oriented article provides an update on typical column construction as well as reviews two total steering column removal techniques. Although most column entrapment work is accomplished with dash jacking or dash rolling evolutions, there may be a time when steering wheel cutting and bending or total column removal is required.

It is important that rescue personnel understand how a typical steering column on a modern-day vehicle is constructed and are aware of the features that are generally present.

Ron Moore presents “University of Extrication Training: Airbag Update 2014” at Firehouse Expo 2014.

About the Author

Ron Moore

RON MOORE, who is a Firehouse contributing editor, recently retired as a division chief with the McKinney, TX, Fire Department and now serves with Prosper, TX, Fire Rescue. He self-published the Vehicle Rescue 1-2-3 training manual and serves as the forum moderator for the extrication section of Firehouse.com . Moore can be contacted directly at [email protected].