dropping steering column

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Feb 7, 2009 | 08:15 PM

corvtt1969

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From: Northern Virginia

dropping steering column

i researched this task and no luck figuring out a way to remove the column, if i remove the two bolts and two nuts in the cabin i get a fairly loose column but i cant remove it, i also removed teh two rag joint bolts. the reverse lockout arm blocks the column from pulling into the cabin. anyone had this problem and know how to resolve it? TIA - Bob

Feb 7, 2009 | 08:27 PM

0Willcox Corvette

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From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103

St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15

Did you take the bolts out at the firewall?

Here is a picture I just did that may help you. The gasket between the firewall and the lower col. bracket can be hard to pull loose but if you have the two bolts at the coupler loose, the firewall loose and the two lower under dash bolts loose, combined with the other items you mentioned, the column should come out.

Last edited by Willcox Corvette; Feb 7, 2009 at 08:29 PM.

Feb 7, 2009 | 08:36 PM

corvtt1969

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From: Northern Virginia

there is a bracket that rotates the column for the reverse lock out cable. the cable rotates the column when you put the car in reverse so you can take the key out. this bracket/arm/metal tab whatever you want to call it is on the engine side of the firewall and is prohibiting me from pulling thru the firewall. this tab is not illustrated in your diagram. i removed the two bolts at the firewall and the two bolts bolting the column up in the dash.

Feb 7, 2009 | 08:41 PM

dennis

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Quote:

Originally Posted by corvtt1969

sounds like you did everything right. Like mentioned above all the fasteneres of off. I was going to post that pic from my AIM, but it doesn't clearly show the lockout arm. Also doesn't clearly show the elongated hole in the firewall that allows the lockout arm to pass through. Here's a pic of the hole. You should be able to twist the column to pass through. Steering wheel off?

Feb 7, 2009 | 08:46 PM

corvtt1969

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From: Northern Virginia

ah! excellent, i couldnt see the space cut out for the arm. awesome, should make things much easier now with that photo in mind. does the steering column need to be COMPLETELY removed to install the lower dash pad? or will it squeeze in with everything really loose, the column seems to have dropped well over 1.5 inches. trying not to do anymore work than necessary for dash install. thanks for the pic!

Feb 7, 2009 | 09:22 PM

mrvette

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From: Orange Park Florida

I have found it very tight to get that speedo/tach dash out of there and removing the column to do that is a bit much....now one thing you can do to simplify the procedure in the future is to stick a radio shack type molex plug on there for all the electricals...all 99 of the gray wire backlighting lamps, then the other 50 blinkers/winkers/warnings/alerts/bells/whistles/alarms...etc.....that way the assy is one basic piece, plug in the tach, plug in the bulbs, plug in the speedo, plug in the lights...done....bolt her home.....

fiddling with all those lamps one handed while holding that thing is just too damn much....

Feb 7, 2009 | 09:22 PM

dennis

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Quote:

Originally Posted by corvtt1969

No... but The driver side pad is always broken around the steering column. I always believed a lot of that is due to forcing the pad around the column.

That column should drop quite a bit. I'd tell you to pull the lockout arm back through the inside firewall, and get more of a column drop ,but if you get it to that point you might as well take the column out.

Feb 7, 2009 | 09:49 PM

Bobz08C6

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I just took the column out of my '73 a few hours ago. The lock out lever has to align with the cutout in the firewall as mentioned. I pulled the plate away from the firewall on the engine side (Willcox #9 in his post) and it fit through without any problem.

Jim Shea our resident column expert strongly states not to just remove the #7 bolts in the Willcox pic without also removing the firewall bolts or damage to the column could result.

Here is a quote from his paper.

"Instructions for Dropping and Removing the Column
First of all, NEVER just remove the two vertical screws that hold the steering column up into the dash and let the column “hang” by the attachments at the flexible coupling and the two fasteners coming through the dash panel. Letting the column “hang” in that manner puts very high loads on the steering column lower bearing and can cause it to fail.

Second of all, disconnect the battery before working on the steering column."