64Corvette

64 Corvette alignement was done and after driving it I noticed the steering wheel was cocked a little. The steering wheel had some play in it so I tightened it up. While doing this I wanted to check the rest of the steering so I found this very in-depth article and read and set mine up according to this article. Did I set mine up correctly?

I read this article (STEERING WHEEL & STEERING SYSTEM CENTERING PROCEDURE (CORVETTE 1963-82, CAMARO/FIREBIRD 1967-69, AND NOVA, SKYLARK, VENTURA, APOLLO 1968-74, & OTHER GM REAR STEER VEHICLES) and I referenced the first picture and my steering was not at all set up like this so following this article I set mine up as close as possible. I also aligned the markes( mine were off) on the steering wheel hub and the steering shaft. You notice the wheel is cocked to the left.

A. Will turning the tie rods sleeve straighten the steering wheel?
B. Or will I have to go back down to the rag joint and reposition the steering shaft

I had always had a clicking noise when I turned the steering wheel and it is now gone so I ma thinking I did it right. The turn signals turn off a supposed to. The car runs down the road true. Thank you!

They mention in the article that 63 to 69 the splines coming out of the gear box are all splines and no flat spot.

pop23235

I can't fully answer your question, but my 64 has a straight index stamped onto the end of the shaft from the steering box for straight ahead. The steering wheel, nut are also stamped this way for straight ahead. If you align these two marks and still have issues, it could be in the pittman arm (not likely), inside the steering box (again, not likely unless it's been apart), or the tie rod end adjustments. Changing the tie rods will affect your toe in, so beware.

64Corvette

Thank you pop23235. So you are telling me I need to remove the rag joint and look for a mark on the end of the steering shaft and a mark on the end of the shaft coming out of the gear box and align them up and then replace the rag joint.

plaidside

When I got my 64 the steering wheel was 45 degrees to the right when driving straight ahead.
I did not know what was done by the previous owners so I started from scratch.
I made sure the steering box had plenty of grease in it before I proceeded.
I disconnected the pitman arm from the center link, then I found the steering box center and adjusted the box as per the service manual.
I reconnected the pitman arm and adjusted the tie rods to straighten the steering wheel.
I am fortunate to have alignment equipment in my garage.
Joe

pop23235

Not exactly. You may or may not need to remove the rag joint. If you can remove the steering shaft, you may be able to see through the rag joint to the end of the box shaft. If not, remove it.

The steering rod as shown in the above picture is marked at the steering wheel. You see it when the horn button is removed.

I don't have all the data I'd like to have, but I'd get the input shaft of the box at 12 O'clock, then install the steering shaft so the mark under the horn button is at 12 O'clock. If not straight then, I'd check the tie rods. At some point you will need to do a full turn left, count turns back to the right and then center by counting half the number you got. It should all line up at that point. If not, I'd suspect the steering box has been opened??

GTOguy

The proper way to address this is to get the car back on the alignment rack, center the wheel, and adjust the toe to specs. That will insure the wheel is centered and that the toe is in specs.

65tripleblack

I think pop has the right idea.............count number turns each way. At that point the splined stub out the box has an index mark that should be at 12:00.

Turning the tie rods will canter the wheel..................but for a novice it's tricky. Since your front was aligned, we'll assume that the toe was set properly (about 1/16" total toe in). If so, then both rods have to be turned in the same direction on both sides by an exact equal amount. This will move the wheel center.

If your photo shows the wheels dead ahead, then the right side tie rod/ends needs to be lengthened and the left side shortened. Remember......an equal amount both sides.

DansYellow66

This - if you are doing it yourself.

This - if you are having it done for you.

The type of steering box used on the Corvette has variable steering gear play or backlash and it's tightest at dead center. Anywhere off dead center the play increases. For this reason it's important for good steering feel to have the box perfectly centered and tracking of the car adjusted through the tie rods. You don't want to mis-index the steering shaft into the coupler or the wheel hub to the shaft as that will just result in sloppy steering in a straight ahead position.

64Corvette

I give up, I guess I am going to have to take to someone that knows!
The steering box is centered! I could not find a mark on the steering shaft. I lined up the flats spot on the steering shaft so that it was at twelve o'clock under the bolt that goes throough the rag. On the steering hub i did find a line and put that at 12.
Runs down the road true. Steering is tight. Directional signals go off on return of steering wheel.
What am I missing. It was not doing this when the mark on the hub was not at 12.

Thanks, again

Frankie the Fink

I agree. The biggest sin is having the box off center due to the design. Most are better off taking it to a pro that knows these old cars. My guy will check the alignment for $25. If you want a full 4 wheel alignment on his antique VisALiner system it's $69. Boom...done!

Frankie the Fink

A consistent click when steering is almost surely the turn signal canceling pins. You have something boogered up.

J.Moore

GTOguy is correct. This^^. Making sure the steering wheel was straight ahead WHILE doing the alignment. All done during the same process. Setting toe should be last.

Tooth Doctor

In the last picture that shows the steering wheel and , the brass horn contact on your car is to the left of the steering shaft. On my car, with the steering wheel centered, the brass contact is to the right. It is possible that the steering wheel and hub are not indexed correctly. It's been a while but I think the hub has a mark to show the top.

And for what it's worth, in my younger days, if the car drove straight and true and the alignment seemed OK but the steering wheel was not centered, I have been known to go to a big, empty parking lot and drive ahead a little to make sure it's going straight then pop the steering off and "reclock" it so it's centered. Of course this was many years ago, with old Camaros or Mustangs, and I would never do that now.

64Corvette

Thank you, Frankie the Fink. I had that pegged also. If I clock the steering wheel so the bottom spoke is to the left of center I don't have the clicking noise. With 360 degrees of splines at the top does it really matter where the line on the hub lends up? Can the alignment person then adjust the toe to bring the spoke back centerd at the bottom and we ride off into the sunset!
The closest person that really knows Mid Years is in Ft Worth and I would have to load it up on a U-Haul trailer. Trying to avoid that but not opposed to doing it! Thanks again.

64Corvette

Thank you very much Tooth Doctor. I just asked Frankie the Fink if I could do what you suggested in the 2nd paragraph. With 360 degree of splines I'm thinking what the hell and do this before and then set the toe to bring the wheel back at the bottom! Thanks

Frankie the Fink

I have to be careful because I have a 63 and every damn thing on them seems to be unique to that year. But, yes my horn plunger is on the right side with my steering wheel center spoke exactly vertical -- that's one clue, then the clicking is another. (again the signals on a 63 are one-year-only) but your canceling pins are causing that.
I think perhaps you've attached the steering wheel with the 6 Philip's head screws to the bell in the wrong position..it may well need to be moved two screw positions CCW. THEN you may find your clicking disappears but your steering column shaft will be off center so you'll have to revisit that... E.g. get the steering box/shaft correctly centered again.

Only THEN could you try what TD suggests for fine tuning but cranking the left/right toe adjustments, equally but opposite, will get you in the ballpark but its no substitute for a real alignment. If you do that then monitor tire wear closely for 200-300 miles.

I'm hoping somebody with a later midyear and the right experience can check this advice..

Again, there is nothing like an "old school" tech with factory gear, sorta like my guy Malone!

DansYellow66

No, you don't want to do this. I'm guilty of lots of less than correct things in my younger days but have learned a bit since then. This will put your box off center when driving down a straight road and you will have all sorts of loose play in the wheel. I think Tooth Doctor was joking with you a little.

Is it clicking once as you turn to the right or is it clicking repeatedly? It's been awhile since I've been inside mine but I wonder if your column tube and shoulder (not steering wheel hub) are correctly straight up and down in your car or slightly rotated. Seems that would incorrectly clock your turn signal. Is that possible? The tube clamps at the dash and at the firewall - can it clamp down in a rotated position?

Frankie the Fink

Absolutely, I refer back to my post #10...as far as the steering box there is ONLY one center..
I'll stop now because I think a $48 U-haul rental and another few bucks to a C2-saavy tech to straighten you out are in order...

rene-paul

There is only one way to assemble. The 64 AIM has the info along with the 63 corvette Shop Manual combined with the 64 supplement. Begin by removing the wheel from the hub. Remove the horn contact so the nut securing the hub is exposed and remove the nut and the washer. The hub will have a chisel mark close to the splines. This is the 12 o'clock position of the hub. Now check and see if the steering shaft has a chisel mark. Replacement shafts may not have this mark. If your shaft has the mark assemble the hub to the shaft aligning the marks. This will be the 12 o'clock position. You can now put the steering wheel on to the hub. Refer to AIM sect 9, sheet 5.00. Move to the engine side and unbolt the coupler/rag joint halfs. Note that the upper coupler/rag joint half can only go on one way because there is a flat on the shaft that allows the clamping bolt to pass through. The flat will be facing the engine and be straight up and down.[ this will locate 12 o'clock on an unmarked/chiseled shaft.] To recap so far, hub mark at 12, shaft at 12 upper coupler/rag on the shaftwith bolt against the flat, loose.
The reference paper is for 69 and up I believe BUT it may apply if you are using a later steering gear. Original 63-67's steering gears had a full anulus around the input side of the steering gear. Later gears had only a flat which allowed the lower coupler/rag to go on only one way with the high point center at 12 o'clock. See what type of input gear you have. 63-67 steering gears had a chisel mark on the END, difficult to see if corrosion present. With the steering gear at high point center that chisel mark will be at 12 o'clock.
Clean that spline on the gear and mark the spline [I use white out]that matches the END chisel mark. Now make sure the lower coupler/rag SPLIT LINE matches the end mark and the white out marked spline. IF you have an original steering gear with a full anulus this is where the one spline off situation WILL occur. This establishes all the 12 o'clock positions. Pitman arm can only go on one way. NOW you do the wheel alignment. Tie rod adjustment will now set toe AND steering wheel center.
There are other adjustments that must be paid attention too also. Steering tube location colunm lower support and proper penetration of the upper coupler/rag into the shaft.
The AIM and the Shop manual are to be referenced. Credit goes to Jim Shea's paper. I applied it to the earlier columns. They are a bit different. Intermixing of parts can make it a bit challenging. Do not forget the torque wrench. Sorry for being long winded, hope this helps.
Brgds,
Rene

GTOguy

Thanks, J.Moore. I have been aligning cars for 35 years. A properly done alignment will result in the car's wheels being at spec, and the steering wheel being centered. As stated, the wheel is centered while doing the last portion of the alignment, which is the toe setting. If the wheel is cocked after an alignment, take it back and make them re-set the toe to center it. The sequence is camber, caster, toe. On a 4 wheel alignment with adjustable rear components, the rear is always aligned before the front. The need for monkeying around with input splines, steering wheels, and thread counting AFTER a front end alignment was performed is, in a word, absurd.