wenger828

So since I bought the car ( just a couple days ago), i've had a loose steering column issue, felt like the steering wheel was gonna fall on my lap. Went through all the trouble and removed the wheel & tilt assy. assuming it was the 4 inverted torx bolts that were loose, they were a bit loose so I tightened them up but still had looseness at the base of the swivel.
Removed the entire column and pulled out the center steering shaft so I can remove the base of the swivel to find this....

EDIT: This is a 76' by the way!







It appears the metal that surrounds the base of the swivel (the base is seen removed in the 3rd pic) had bent and torn, and it looks like it is part of the body of the column itself. The base of the swivel also has a part of it (the shroud of it?) that is bent and appears to have broken as well.

Any idea how this could have happened? Maybe someone had an issue with the shift interlock and busted it? Maybe it was broken into? What would I have to do to repair this? I really hope I don't have to replace the entire column because they are not cheap! Someone chime in!

VETFEVER

bump

wenger828

anybody? please, before i subject my CC to brutal punishment

Jim Shea

Unfortunately you have a pretty serious steering column problem. The end of the steering column jacket has been known to fatigue and break where the support lock plate "locks" into the jacket. From your pictures it appears that this is your problem. (I can't see if the jacket bare metal is torn and fractured or it possibly might just be bent.)

This is caused by the support screws being loose and the column continuously being used and "reefed-on" when entering and exiting your Vette.

Willcox posted some excellent pictures of a typical problem like yours. Usually all of the pieces to the jacket are still inside the column and a skilled welder can weld the parts back together. You are going to have to continue disassembly of the column to get down to the bare jacket for the repair.

When you disassemble the steering column be especially careful in trying to remove the shift tube from the shift bowl. On a T&T column like yours, the shift tube is a press fit to the bowl. You do NOT want to stress the shift tube itself (it is made in two pieces and designed to collapse) as you draw the bowl off of the tube.

My Tilt & Telescoping Strg Column Disassembly and Repair paper #3 describes this disassembly procedure. The following address will provide access to all three T&T D&R papers.

http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/?p=1004

I don't know if a major strg column repair company (i.e. Steering Columns Galore (out of New York) does this type of repair work or not.) They do good work but they are not cheap!)
Good luck.
Jim

wenger828

Jim, thank you for reply, and thank you for your helpful write ups! I happened to have found them while googling the repair procedure when I was disassembling everything and they were very helpful.

And you are right, the metal jacket is torn...


it is also torn on this part as well...



Jim, you also mention the shift tube, I am slightly confused about this because I did notice that my column, in the engine bay (just forward of the firewall) has a bracket...

...that connects to a cable, the cable I did not follow because the vehicle isn't set up on the lift, but I did actuate it and it felt like it was not doing anything. I would assume this would be for a column shifter but my vehicle comes with a floor shifter, I was also thinking this may have been for some type of shift interlock mechanism that doesn't allow you to remove your key when the vehicle isn't in park. Is this the shift tube you talk about and is the bowl the very opposite end of it that rotates within the plastic housing? And for educations sake, what the heck is it for?

Thank you so much, your site was VERY helpful in my disassembly yesterday

wenger828

Ok, well, I've decided I'm going to try to repair the broken part. I was able to press out the bowl without an issue


found one of my sockets was the perfect diameter, and i wrapped the bottom end of it with electric tape to be able to center it in the shaft



I'm going to try to bend everything back in shape and weld it back together. My question is, would it be beneficial at all to take the pivot plate onto the shaft? Or does it have to be free for a reason? I would tack it on after pressing the bowl back on



EDIT:
ok got it welded up



the plate now sits in there properly after banging the mast back in shape



and test fitting with the lower pivot on, the top of the pivot has a crack too but i'm not good enough with my TIG welder yet so i'll leave that be for now.



now time to put this monstrosity of a contraption back together

Jim Shea

Wenger828,
I praise your tackeling a complicated project. A couple of tips:

1. You should note a keyway machined into the shift bowl and a formed key on the end of the shift tube. If I remember correctly, the interference fit between the bowl and the tube is on the sides of the key. If you carefully manicure the edges of the shift tube key, you should be able to make the assembly a very smooth hand slip fit that will not have any slop. You will not risk damaging the shift tube as you reassemble the bowl to the tube.

2. The lever that is welded on the lower end of the shift tube is for the General Motors Steering Column/Transmission Shift Interlock System. The cable from the transmission (either automatic or 4-speed) pushes up on the lever when you shift into REVERSE (4-speed) or into PARK (automatic). In a nutshell, it was designed to prevent your Corvette steering column from having the steering wheel locked while the car was moving forward. GM was worried about lawsuits from that possibility.
Here is a link to a paper that I authored on the subject.

http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/?p=928

Good work!
Jim

wenger828

Yes Jim, I saw the keyway. Filed it down as you said and the shift bowl went on without an issue, used a piece of wood and hammer and tapped it right on til it bottomed out on the shoulder, easy-peezy. Pretty much have it all back together with just one extra part that I have no idea where it goes! It's some sort of metal tang that looked like it covered the ignition switch gear, it popped off during removal but doesn't seem to really do much (i think they call it the sight shield?). Anyways, your information came in super handy, I woulda been out $500+ if I didn't have it! Thank you!!

0Willcox Corvette

Nice Job Wenger

wenger828

Thanks! Your pictures of the damage helped! I'll be makin a big order from you guys soon as the list is growing on things I need to get this Vette all good