Need help installing DTLT

I am in the process of installing some DTLT headers on my 2010 Tacoma, and I've really hit a snag. How do I get the driver side header in? No matter how I slide it in from the bottom it can't fit. It is mostly bumping up against the steering shaft.

Any ideas? If I have to remove the steering shaft, how do I do that? I'm not the most mechanical person so I don't want to damage my truck.

 

I did mine on 06 dc tacoma last week. No issues, i didnt remove shaft. I did however remove old manifold bracket that i see in you pic from transmission. Gives wiggle room

 

I did buy the headers 4 years ago so maybe they redesigned them. They had been sitting in my garage since I bought them. Just never had the courage to try to install them, plus I won't pass smog anyway with them on here in California. I did my smog this year, so I thought that now would be a good time as I'll get a few years of use out of them before I would have to take them off.

Well I should have listened to my gut. I removed the steering shaft and was able to install the headers. But then the O2 sim that I received when I first bought it had the wrong connector. On top of that, I had placed the steering shaft below the header so that I had enough room to navigate the header. So the steering shaft was now stuck underneath the header, and I couldn't get it back in place.

So I took the new header off, and I was able to put the old one back, but I still have a problem with the steering shaft. The steering yoke just doesn't want to slide onto the shaft. I'm really stuck now. My truck is sitting on jack stands in my driveway, and I can't steer it. This keeps getting better and better.

 

Bummer, Im sure you tried a million things too, get yourself a helper,if you can loosen bolts on the rack n pinion that the shaft goes into, that little play may let the yoke slide on. Good luck sir.

 

Make sure you tried plugging the O2 sim into the sensors in the y-pipe. Not the headers.

A 5 or 6 mm socket should fit on the studs coming out if the head. Removing the two closest to the firewall will give you clearance to install the header.

Antiseize on the steering shaft at coupling. Pry the coupling open a bit.

 

I sent an email to URD and got the same reply. I was plugging in the simulator into the wrong O2 sensor.

Anyway, I already re-installed the factory headers. I might try to take it to a shop to install, if the install price is reasonable. I wouldn't do this again by myself.

Is this ok for the steering yoke? This is the most I could get it down.

 

Is the coupling covering enough of the upper splines? As in, is it evenly centered over both shafts?