Shaft for a motor vehicle steering column and associated assembly process

A process for assembling a steering shaft (14) of a steering unit (2) in a motor vehicle (3) having an engine compartment (29) and a passenger compartment (30) separated by a firewall, said process comprising

• providing a steering gear (7) with a steering coupling (5) on the engine compartment side (28) of the firewall (21) on the vehicle (3),
• providing on the passenger compartment side of the firewall (21) a steering shaft (4), including a cylinder body (11) and a therein telescopically inserted piston rod body (12), with piston rod body (12) retracted into the cylinder body (11) such that a steering shaft (9) provided for connecting to the steering coupling (5) extends into a steering column opening (23) provided in the firewall (21),
• actuating a cylinder space (14) in the steering column (4) with pressure via a pneumatic connection (13), which cylinder space (14) is axially bordered by the piston rod body (12) provided in the cylinder body (11), in such a manner, that the piston rod body (12) is extended from the cylinder body (11), wereupon said steering shaft end (9) passes through the steering column opening (23) and into the engine compartment (29), whereby the steering shaft (9) introduced into the engine compartment (29) is connected with the steering coupling (5).