How I Fixed My Tilt Steering - A Pictorial
05-05-2015, 09:50 AM
#81
Fixing the Pawl
Hello,
I rebuilt a steering column for my friend's '92 automatic. The pivot pins had worked loose and to add insult - a "mechanic" had blacksmithed the thing together. (multiple sins were committed on this thing - not enough electrons available to explain on this thread! If you really want to see the pictures, I will post them) I ended up taking a '94 sedan column tilt to get the donor parts needed to fix it. I was able to retain the lower housing and only had to replace the upper housing. The only thing different was a .500 hole through one area. Fortunately, the casting had a nice pilot and I drilled it through. The casting part number was the same otherwise. All appeared to go together well. All the electrical stuff works fine etc.
However, the column will not hold its tilt position if any force is applied to the column. I did not change the pawls, as I kept those from the sedan. Are the pawls and engaging tilt pins different diameters? If anything, it seems like the pins in the lower housing are a larger diameter than the slots in the pawls. The reason I say this is because the tilt lever does not go all the way forward.
Before I extract the column or tear it down again, I would like to make sure I do not have a simple problem I am looking to make complex. Now that I have my friend's car disabled, the weight of the earth is on my shoulders. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
Any advice?
Regards,
B-
I rebuilt a steering column for my friend's '92 automatic. The pivot pins had worked loose and to add insult - a "mechanic" had blacksmithed the thing together. (multiple sins were committed on this thing - not enough electrons available to explain on this thread! If you really want to see the pictures, I will post them) I ended up taking a '94 sedan column tilt to get the donor parts needed to fix it. I was able to retain the lower housing and only had to replace the upper housing. The only thing different was a .500 hole through one area. Fortunately, the casting had a nice pilot and I drilled it through. The casting part number was the same otherwise. All appeared to go together well. All the electrical stuff works fine etc.
However, the column will not hold its tilt position if any force is applied to the column. I did not change the pawls, as I kept those from the sedan. Are the pawls and engaging tilt pins different diameters? If anything, it seems like the pins in the lower housing are a larger diameter than the slots in the pawls. The reason I say this is because the tilt lever does not go all the way forward.
Before I extract the column or tear it down again, I would like to make sure I do not have a simple problem I am looking to make complex. Now that I have my friend's car disabled, the weight of the earth is on my shoulders. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
Any advice?
Regards,
B-
05-05-2015, 01:22 PM
#82
2nd Gear
Member Since: May 2015
Location: Waukesha Wisconsin
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Thanks for your help. I thought I had something jammed up behind the pawls that prevented them from engaging. I reused the original pawls and all is working to plan. The original pawls had 2 fewer lock positions than those from the sedan. Now, we just need to get the car running after sitting for 3 years! I am going to become a Corvette expert in no time.
Regards,
B-
Regards,
B-
07-08-2015, 04:10 PM
#84
Melting Slicks
07-08-2015, 06:56 PM
#85
Instructor
I think there's 2 rods - the rearmost rod in the picture for the high beam switch and the foremost squarish piece going to a rod the ignition switch rod maybe? The ignition switch is down low on the column like the high beam switch is.
07-18-2015, 10:36 AM
#86
Racer
Working on a '92 Tilt Column, taking it apart.
Gear Jammer, great write-up!
I am currently hung up on the disassembly of the tilt column on my girlfriend's '92 coupe. One pin had already fallen completely out, the reason for starting this project.
After pulling the second pin, now the tilt housing part closest to the steering wheel is being pushed apart by the green spring on the bottom side, but is still being held the main shaft housing.
I can't see what else is still holding it together. Is there a bolt or two I have missed?
At this point I can not pull the shaft out from the main housing.
Any ideas what I need to do next to get it apart?
Thank you for the help.
I am currently hung up on the disassembly of the tilt column on my girlfriend's '92 coupe. One pin had already fallen completely out, the reason for starting this project.
After pulling the second pin, now the tilt housing part closest to the steering wheel is being pushed apart by the green spring on the bottom side, but is still being held the main shaft housing.
I can't see what else is still holding it together. Is there a bolt or two I have missed?
At this point I can not pull the shaft out from the main housing.
Any ideas what I need to do next to get it apart?
Thank you for the help.
07-18-2015, 06:38 PM
#87
Racer
Thread Starter
Based on your description, sounds like you need to remove the large nut from the steering shaft. Either that or the tilt locking pawls are holding the two halves together. I don't recall anything holding the halves together other than the pins.
07-18-2015, 09:28 PM
#88
Racer
I am sure I have removed the large nut on the steering shaft. It must be the tilt locking pawls. Would they visible so that I may try to release them?
07-18-2015, 10:07 PM
#89
Racer
Thread Starter
If I remember correctly, you will have to reinstall the tilt release lever. Then while while pulling on the lever (as if you were adjusting the tilt) work on the upper housing to disengage it from the lower housing.
08-08-2015, 02:18 PM
#90
Racer
Gear Jammer,
I got apart and installed a new inner knuckle. The part that comes with the new steel pins.
Now I need an idea for the best way to compress the unit together, since it has the green spring on the bottom side, when reinstalling the steel pins.
Thank you for the help.
I got apart and installed a new inner knuckle. The part that comes with the new steel pins.
Now I need an idea for the best way to compress the unit together, since it has the green spring on the bottom side, when reinstalling the steel pins.
Thank you for the help.
08-09-2015, 07:37 PM
#91
Racer
Thread Starter
If I remember correctly, you assemble the two knuckle halves and insert the pins *prior* to installing the big spring. There should be a cup that you remove in order to remove/install the spring in the upper knuckle.
08-10-2015, 04:30 AM
#92
Instructor
Thats how I recall doing it 
08-10-2015, 06:19 AM
#93
Racer
It looks like I may need to pry the cup up and out, then pull the spring out with it?
Then to install later, push the spring in and stake it down with the cup at the top of the hole.
Does that sound correct?
Thank you very much for all the help.
Last edited by corvette1987coupe; 08-11-2015 at 05:15 AM.
08-10-2015, 10:28 PM
#94
Racer
Thread Starter
OK, great. I will give that a try.
It looks like I may need to pry the cup up and out, then pull the spring out with it?
The to install later push the spring in and stake it down with the cup at the top of the hole.
Does that sound correct?
Thank you very much for all the help.
It looks like I may need to pry the cup up and out, then pull the spring out with it?
The to install later push the spring in and stake it down with the cup at the top of the hole.
Does that sound correct?
Thank you very much for all the help.
08-17-2015, 05:57 PM
#95
Intermediate
That cup has a square hole so the best screw driver is a Philips screw driver. Pick a size that gives a good grip in the cup.
Press the cup down and turn clockwise one quarter of a turn and you´re done.
I have just done this on my -90 Vette though I didn´t find this thread until after the work was done.
I used another method. I "glued" the inner part of left pivot pin with Loctite 638 to the lower part of the steering column. Some grease on the outer part of the pin made sure that I didn´t glue it all together.
No slop in the right pivot pin and the job was done in the car, without removing the steering column.
I´m pretty sure this also fixed a tendency to "change lanes" on its own but I have only driven the car once after this fix. Anyone that can confirm this?
At least it felt stable at 220 km/h today. :-)
Press the cup down and turn clockwise one quarter of a turn and you´re done.
I have just done this on my -90 Vette though I didn´t find this thread until after the work was done.
I used another method. I "glued" the inner part of left pivot pin with Loctite 638 to the lower part of the steering column. Some grease on the outer part of the pin made sure that I didn´t glue it all together.
No slop in the right pivot pin and the job was done in the car, without removing the steering column.
I´m pretty sure this also fixed a tendency to "change lanes" on its own but I have only driven the car once after this fix. Anyone that can confirm this?
At least it felt stable at 220 km/h today. :-)
09-23-2015, 10:45 PM
#96
Intermediate
Member Since: Oct 2013
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I'm in Michigan and paid a local shop to do this job on my 1994. They purchased NOS part from a Chevy dealer in South Carolina. It cost me over $1150 including labor and the Corvette tax. Who uses a steering wheel to pry their wide behind out of a car? Right?
09-24-2015, 06:44 PM
#97
Instructor
Lower Steering Column Tilt Knuckle -> 150.00
Upper Steering Column Tilt Housing - > 270.00
2 Shaft Retaining Spring clips – 37.00
Ignition Switch - > 20.00
Steering column center bearing – 8.00
Regards,
Roy
10-02-2015, 11:56 AM
#98
Melting Slicks
Finally installed the column but am concerned about proper turn signal cancellation due to cancelling cam orientation. I don't see an easy way to correct that as both ends of the shaft are D's and install one way, unless it is the splined rack connection.
It too ages, due to mine and a possible cracked rib. (I used to be more bullet-proof!)
It too ages, due to mine and a possible cracked rib. (I used to be more bullet-proof!)
11-06-2015, 08:30 PM
#99
1st Gear
Member Since: Nov 2015
Location: Eastern PA
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So I gather from looking through the initial post that the column has to come out of the car at least for part of the job, right? I have the same issues on my 1992 and would like to fix it.
12-10-2015, 02:44 PM
#100
Team Owner
Member Since: Aug 2008
Location: Rochester NY
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St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-‘19-'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
On the way home from our fall road trip the switch inside died, I found a small piece of it on the floor and the whole multifunction lever just flops around loose. And since I have to dig into that, I will also address the slop in the column, others have described it perfectly, about 1 1/2" of play vertical and down to the left. The report of a shop charging $1150 convinced me I will try this myself.
QUESTION 1: I have not read past the first page but OP mentions getting parts from Corvette Steering and a search for them was unsuccessful. Are they still around by a different name, and if not, who would be a good source for the part (preferably one which does not need modification like Junior Samples had to do? (OK, poster's name is BR-549, but we all know whose phone number THAT is!
)
QUESTION 2: FSM specifies a GM tool number for the wheel puller. What's the consensus on that - does my FLAPS have something which will work just as well?
Thank you! Not sure if I will start during this winter or wait till spring. I'll keep y'all posted.
QUESTION 1: I have not read past the first page but OP mentions getting parts from Corvette Steering and a search for them was unsuccessful. Are they still around by a different name, and if not, who would be a good source for the part (preferably one which does not need modification like Junior Samples had to do? (OK, poster's name is BR-549, but we all know whose phone number THAT is!
)QUESTION 2: FSM specifies a GM tool number for the wheel puller. What's the consensus on that - does my FLAPS have something which will work just as well?
Thank you! Not sure if I will start during this winter or wait till spring. I'll keep y'all posted.