runamuck

Anyone had their column rebuilt by Lenard Bass of Spring TX.
What was your experience????

midwest-vette

No experience with the guy in TX but depending on what you need done you might try it yourself. I'm doing mine now - so far so good. Jim Shea's papers on corvettefaq.com is what I'm using and the papers really explain the processes in detail.

good luck! :seeya

Corvette_fetish

I have a tilt/tele, and my column, when the steering wheel is tilted in the most upright position, is sort of "loose", meaning the whole column will move down if you put a moderate amount of reasonable pressure on the steering wheel, and it springs back up when the pressure is removed. When the steering wheel is properly tilted down in any other position the column becomes stiff, and no longer moves up and down improperly. It appears a previous owner must have used the steering wheel, after tilting it up, as a "support" to push hard against while getting out of the drivers seat to exit the car. What an butt. Anyway, will Jim Shea's papers on corvettefaq.com cover how to repair this problem or will I have to leave it to a pro? I have no problem avoiding putting pressure on the steering wheel so I won't aggravate the wear, but it seems every time I let someone sit in the drivers seat the first thing they do is pull on the wheel, and I cringe, so I'd like to have this fixed. Is this a complicated repair or can I fix it?

gearheadz

Do it yourself....piece of cake. Agree Jim's papers are very helpful.

Mark

Jim Shea

If you go to http://www.corvettefaq.com and download T&T Disassembly and Repair Paper #1, there is a section on checking for loose pivot pins, support screws, and lock shoes. Pages 2 and 3 walk through a number of checks. From your description your problem is in the lock shoe area.

There are two shoes that work alternately in locking your column in the various tilt positions. The problem is with the one shoe that locks your column in the furthest "up" position. That shoe pivots on a pin that is part of the housing. It engages another pin that is part of the support.

Since your problem is only in one position, it would seem that the one shoe that locks it in that position may require replacing. That's the good news.

The bad news is that you will have to tear the upper end of the column completely apart to get to that shoe. My three disassembly and repair papers and the pictures that go with them will step you through the repair.

One other slight problem. I don't think that the shoes are available from GM service parts. I have found them listed on line at Dr. Rebuild for $23.30 each. (And his on line prices may not be up to date!) I can't find them listed anywhere else.

However, if you can get your hands on a cheap tilt column from the same era. (i.e. round head tilt column to match your round head T&T; or a tilt column with a dimmer bulge on the left side to go along with your T&T dimmer column.) Then the tilt shoes, springs, pivot pins, lock shoe pins should interchange. You don't care about the condition of the lower end of the tilt column.

Hope this helps,
Jim Shea

PS I would be real interested in what you decide to do.

Corvette_fetish

Thank you! I'm going to read the articles, look for the part, and when I have a free day I'll take a shot at it. I'll let you know when I do. :thumbs: