Steering Column Bolts

[burdar]

   If the nut is still there, it's just stripped.  Drill it out and tap it for the next larger size.

If the nut is gone, you can remove the four bolts at the base of the windshield and tilt the dash down.  That should give you room to slide on one of those push nuts.  You'd just have to drop the column down in order to rotate the dash. 

[EMCD]

got it, but to drill out and tap or use one of those jacknuts, i'd have to remove the dash, right?

[burdar]

I edited my post above.  No, you don't have to remove the dash.  Hopefully the nut is just stripped.  Just drop the column down and drill out the nut.

[dutch]

   perhaps you will need an extra long drill though... no sure, never tried... 

[CudamanTom]

sorry, i'm probably explaining it wrong. i'm talking about the two bolts that connect the column to the dash from underneath. one is firmly screwed in. i was missing the other and ordered a new set. the issue is, i cannot get my hand behind the dash enough to see if i can place a nut back there. the bolt i received a washer and nut that is attached, but only will go up the bolt about 1/8 of the way before it stops. does that make it more clear? or, just more confusing?

That makes sense now. 

I would just get an extra long bolt with a self-locking nut and tighten it down. Removing dash or drilling holes seems like over kill for just putting a nut and bolt in there IMHO.
And I would think just reaching under the dash you could reach that area.

[EMCD]

So,  is the nut right on the back side off the hole? Because I can push the studd in fairly far w/o it catching. So, to re-drill and tap, what size should I go for? Sooty, never re-tapped before.

[dutch]

please have someone at a hardware store advise you for drill and tap size and how to tap.  You don`t want to break the tap under there.
If you can reach in there with a wrench, a bolt and nut sure is an option, but it will be unconveniant every time the column has to come out in the future. ( I thought I would never have to take it out but already did twice...)

[burdar]

 The internet is a wonderful tool. This link should show you the drill bit size to use for any given tap. If the existing stud was 1/4" then you can tap it to 5/16". According to the chart, you'll use a 17/64 bit.

http://www.boltdepot.com/fastener-information/us-tap-drill-size.aspx