Pete76Shark

I have play in my steering and I noticed the flexible coupling is the reason. From what I can tell it is the original.
Anybody know what the process is to replace this ?
The shop manual does not say to much about how to replace it.
Thanks

Jim Shea

You need to gain axial clearance in order to remove the flexible coupling from the gear input shaft. First loosen the pinch bolt that connects the flexible coupling to the steering gear input shaft. Now remove the two nuts and lockwashers that connect the flexible coupling to the cast flange on the steering column.

Unfortunately, just removing the pinch bolt and the two nuts and lockwashers still won't allow the parts to slide apart enough to get them out of the car.

You have two options to increase axial clearance so that you can remove and install a new flexible coupling. You either need to loosen and drop the gear or you need to loosen and drop the column in order to move things apart to get the old flexible coupling off the gear and get the new one on the shaft.

Option 1
To loosen the gear and drop it down is really straight forward. There are three bolts that extend in from the wheel well, pass through the frame, pass through clearance holes in the gear and are fastened with nuts and lockwashers on the inboard (engine) side of the gear. Remove the three bolts and the gear can be rotated and pulled forward to allow the flexible coupling to be removed and the new one installed.

Option 2
If you really don't want to drop the gear, you have the other option of dropping the steering column. Go to http://www.corvettefaq.com and look under Steering. Download Std Steering Column Disassembly and Repair Paper #2. This is the same paper regardless if you have a T&T or standard (non-adjustable) steering column.

Now that the column and gear have been moved apart, the old flexible coupling can be removed and the new one reinstalled.

Push the flexible coupling onto the gear input shaft until it stops. Install the pinch bolt and tighten to hold the flexible coupling in place. Align the flexible coupling bolts with the holes in the flange on the steering column. Reposition and reattach the steering gear or steering column.

The gear mounting bolts need to be torqued to 70 ft-lbs. The pinch bolt on the gear to 30 ft-lbs. Tighten the nuts and lockwashers to 20 ft-lbs.

Jim Shea

PS: A recent Corvette magazine "How-To" article used a pry bar to gain axial clearance to separate the column flange from the flexible coupling. This Bubba inspired technique can cause the steering column shaft to retract up inside the steering column. This can cause some difficulties in getting the gear, flex coupling, and column to align themselves upon reassembly. :banghead:

Pete76Shark

If I go with removing the gear box do I also have to pop the kingpin off of the stering control valve ?

Thanks for you help with this

I like the gear box method so far.

Paul Borowski

I did this to my '75 three years ago and went the "dropped steering column" method. I was redoing all the dash lights and my tachometer needed to be removed and the circuit board in it replaced, so I dropped the column and removed driver's side dash. :cheers:

Jim Shea

You do not have to remove the control valve from the pitman arm. You just have to get enough gear motion to allow the flex coupling to come off the gear input shaft. Just the three gear bolts have to be removed.