Patent ID: 6925714

Claim:
A method of constructing an upper steering shaft assembly for a steering column, comprising: preparing a tubular shaft section having a main body portion with an outer dimension and a splined portion with an outer dimension, said outer dimension of said main body portion being greater than said outer dimension of said splined portion, said splined portion having an inner surface with a plurality of splines extending radially inwardly therefrom and extending axially along said inner surface, said main body portion having an inner dimension that is greater than said inner dimension of said inner surface; preparing a stub shaft section separately from said tubular shaft section having a shaft portion with an outer dimension and a hub engagement portion, said hub engagement portion comprising a splined segment and a tapered portion located between said shaft portion and said splined segment and said stub shaft section having a connection end extending axially from said shaft portion with an outer dimension of the connection end being less than said outer dimension of said shaft portion; fixedly attaching said stub shaft section to said tubular shaft section by disposing said connection end of said stub shaft section within said main body portion of said tubular shaft section, and welding the stub shaft section to the tubular shaft section after disposing the connection end within the main body portion.