When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
i'd love to see an original early '67 first design bearing. i'd also like to hear from someone with an early '67 that had had the recall update. wonder what was involved?
Early 1967 Steering Column Lower Bearing - 1st Design
After re-reading the GM Parts Counter listings that Chris so graciously supplied, it appears that those of us who have the early design could convert to a later design steering column by changing out the Jacket (7802118). That seems to be the key to the change (and the main difference between the early and late 67 columns) as well as all of the other accompanying items (as Chris highlighted in yellow above) are made to go with the replacement jacket, which GM began using in February of 1967. It's kind of a moot point as likely those jackets (or crush sleeves as some call them) are no longer available from GM anyway and one would likely have to take out the entire steering column in order to switch from the early jacket to the later jacket if you could even get your hands on one. Also it seems that many who sell the 1st design lower bearing refer to it as the "stepped" design, meaning perhaps that the first design jacket was also stepped on the end to mate perfectly with the first design lower bearing. Just a guess on my part.
Since the jacket is the part of the 67 steering column that was designed to crush down in an impact, perhaps the recall centered around the fact that the first design jacket did not crush down as intended (as they discovered in later safety testing) and so replaced it and the lower bearing along with it. GM may have also modified the bottom end of the new jacket to accept the newer lower bearing (along with all of the other accompanying items which Chris highlighted in yellow above) which is the reason that a newer style lower bearing (cheaper and more available) does not fit well (or at all?) into an early design steering column jacket. I have no concrete information to back up my theory but would be very much interested to hear what others think and have to say on this subject. And perhaps we have a Forum member who knows for sure. C.J.
I'm very interested! My December Build 67 has a lower bearing that appears to not seat correctly. I'm not with the car currently, so I can't take any pictures. BUT I will do so when possible.....
I'm very interested! My December Build 67 has a lower bearing that appears to not seat correctly. I'm not with the car currently, so I can't take any pictures. BUT I will do so when possible.....
Yes, that's a picture of the 2nd design bearing which is much more readily available than the 1st design 67 lower bearing. And it looks like ZIPs has it in stock.
It is not "stepped" so is very difficult (if not impossible) to fit into the bottom end of the early design jacket (or crush sleeve). If the early and late jacket designs are indeed different, then it makes sense that the later bearing will not seat into the bottom of an early design
jacket (crush sleeve) and so the frustration begins. The later design 67 lower bearings are generally about half the price of the early design lower bearing and appear to be smooth on the outside edge all the way to the slight lip which wraps around the bottom edge of the bearing.
I clicked on the link for the bearing in Canada and noticed the $164 price was Canadian. It was $110 US but shipping was still $56. It looks like they are just across the border from Buffalo, NY in case you are near there or know someone who is.
Edit. When I check google maps, I don’t see the business at that address.Could be an old google maps pic I guess.
Yes, that's a picture of the 2nd design bearing which is much more readily available than the 1st design 67 lower bearing. And it looks like ZIPs has it in stock.
It is not "stepped" so is very difficult (if not impossible) to fit into the bottom end of the early design jacket (or crush sleeve). If the early and late jacket designs are indeed different, then it makes sense that the later bearing will not seat into the bottom of an early design
jacket (crush sleeve) and so the frustration begins. The later design 67 lower bearings are generally about half the price of the early design lower bearing and appear to be smooth on the outside edge all the way to the slight lip which wraps around the bottom edge of the bearing.
That might be exactly what I have going on... It looks like the lower bearing does not fit into the jacket. Interesting! AND, I did not know that the "late design" date would be around February!!!!!! I have a Dec. 21st 1966 build.
I clicked on the link for the bearing in Canada and noticed the $164 price was Canadian. It was $110 US but shipping was still $56. It looks like they are just across the border from Buffalo, NY in case you are near there or know someone who is.
Edit. When I check google maps, I don’t see the business at that address.Could be an old google maps pic I guess.
Yes Chris,
You are exactly right. I screwed up when I first quoted the price and did not click on the US Dollars button on their website but instead left my quote in Canadian Dollars. I changed it to $111 in my original post but the $55 for shipping is still a killer for one bearing. Damn!
Maybe it has something to do with the necessary Canadian and US Customs transit which may account for the big money in shipping. I hope that they are still in business. Their website seems to function normally with nothing strange about filling a basket and getting a shipping cost.
I agree, they seem to be legit from their website. I just tried to see if they were close to my cousin and see if she could mail it cheaper if someone wanted one. Like I said, the google street view was 14 years old I believe if I had the correct address.
I have November 67, but my lower bearing was fine. Now I am wondering if it was recalled?? I will try to remember where my steering column is and take a look...... even though I am not sure I can tell the difference.
I was digging around in the archives and re-discovered this excellent thread on exactly what we have been discussing. Well worth a look if you have an early 67 steering column.
They really get down into the weeds on this subject including the change over date (Feb - March 67) and the differences between the lower end of the mast jackets (crush sleeves) where the lower bearing fits in to. Some good pictures.
i had read that thread before but missed the part about the "tolerance ring". no wonder i couldn't get my old one to unscrew, after it's adjusted to set the end play the two parts are melted together!
gbvette, yep, it had a very short life and that lower bearing is unique to that early column. i've heard that the '67 corvair might have used the same bearing but so far i've had no luck tracking that down either.
near as i can tell, the corvette venders are turning down the later '67 and the '68 bearing as a replacement but those are also out of stock and back ordered. not telling when they'll show up. if i knew the o.d. of those bearings or the i.d. of the later lower column i could buy one and turn it down myself. no one seems to have this info either. ah, the joys of old cars, if it was easy everybody would be doing it.
I have purchased a (E67) lower column bearing from a Forum Member (65riche). I am thinking that my 67 Early (Dec) column has a lower bearing that is not correct. It appears that my current bearing will not fit correctly. When recieved I will measure critical dimensions and post them.
When I did the Borgeson box, I found the same problem. Mine is January 1967. No one had any bearings at the time, 2020, especially an early 67, so I made one. I got thick wall steel pipe and turned down a lip on the outside to fit in the shaft sleeve and turned the inside to fit a needle bearing and lock it in place. Then, a shaft collar to locate and hold everything in. It has worked great since doing it. I got the needle bearing on Amazon for less than $10 or something and fit it to the steel pipe.
Hi.....I have that lower column bearing Part Number 5698402 in NOS condition in my stock. Let me know if you are still looking for one. rickvitti@gmail.com. Thanks Rick
Hi.....I believe this, 5698402 to be the earlier number for 1967, but not sure as I do not have a 1967 Corvette parts catalog. I also do not know the difference in them. This part number was changed at least four times over the years. The earliest was in June of 1967 when it was replaced by 7802186. That was replaced by 7804200 which for some reason was discontinued in May of 1969. My 1970 Corvette parts catalog shows part number of 7800407 for 1967 & 1968 without Tilt. I believe there is also another number change in the late 1970's. That's all I can tell you that I know. I also have many of the other part numbers and upper bearings and other associated column parts. Thanks for your inquiry. Rick
Hi.....I believe this, 5698402 to be the earlier number for 1967, but not sure as I do not have a 1967 Corvette parts catalog. I also do not know the difference in them. This part number was changed at least four times over the years. The earliest was in June of 1967 when it was replaced by 7802186. That was replaced by 7804200 which for some reason was discontinued in May of 1969. My 1970 Corvette parts catalog shows part number of 7800407 for 1967 & 1968 without Tilt. I believe there is also another number change in the late 1970's. That's all I can tell you that I know. I also have many of the other part numbers and upper bearings and other associated column parts. Thanks for your inquiry. Rick
The early design, as I know it, has a step on the OD! The step would allow the bearing to fit into the early designed column sleeve. As shown in the posts above. The Later design change does not have a step because the column sleeve might have been modified. That would be a guess on my part!
Your Part Number is correct for the E67 Bearing!!!
Post #22 and Post #30 and Post #35 show the E67 Lower Bearing with the step. (Before February, 1967)
I hadn't looked at any of the other posts as I was just responding to that post as he was looking for that part number. I looked them over now and find it difficult to understand that there is no early part number for the 1st design bearing. The bearing that is wanted is part number 5698402 which I now see the ones I have are the 2nd design bearing and looks very different than the early ones. I am attaching pictures of the late version and it's replacements over the years and the slight differences in them.I am also adding pictures of the 1969 version that looks more like the 1967 early one, (maybe that is the one being modified?). I find it hard to believe Chevrolet did not change the part number from the 1st design to 2nd as they did on the column replacement as noted. GM always changed part numbers when any change of design, style and even vendor source happened. If I come up with one of the early ones I will post it here. Thanks for your input. Rick
01-16-2024, 02:12 PM
I have November 67, but my lower bearing was fine. Now I am wondering if it was recalled?? I will try to remember where my steering column is and take a look...... even though I am not sure I can tell the difference.
