Lyndwood

Ok, I took my column out of my '74 to replace the ignition key switch as well as a worn plastic selector gear. After un-screwing the 3 Phillips head screws that hold the main outer center body (and turn signal wiring) I slid that section up to expose the selector gear and as I did I heard something fall out of the assembly. On the floor by my foot was this small retaining clip. I did not take this off and I assume it came from inside the column as I was sliding the sections apart. there may be a slight chance it was just on the edge of my workbench from another project and slid off when I picked up the steering column, I dont know?
my question to you guys that have torn down a steering column :
Is there any small retaining clips inside the steering column, dos this look familiar, if so where is it supposed to go?

thanks in advance!
Paul

TimAT

Look at the end of the upper shaft above the nut. I don't know what year they started, but there was a groove and a snap ring that looks similar to that one in that groove.

GUSTO14

Do a search here or in the C3 Tech forum for Jim Shea. He's published a bunch of papers on the C3 Steering systems with complete instructions and illustrations. Many posts include links to his papers and you'll find them very useful when disassembling and re-assembling the columns in these cars.

Good luck... GUSTO

Lyndwood

I looked through his papers posted on his site and didn't see anything that looks that small on his diagrams, I dont think I will be able to pin point if it is a part from the column with out someone who has taken a column completely apart saying "yes, that belongs inside the column".
I will have to take a chance and re-assemble the upper column without this piece and hope it doesn't go to anything critical?

68blvert

Like TimAt said, it looks like the snap ring on the end of the upper steering shaft above the steering wheel retaining nut. Not really sure how you can get the nut off the shaft without removing it first though..??

GUSTO14

Perhaps this may help...

Item 3 on page 4 of the below attachment, courtesy of Jim Shea.

And for the 1969-72 Tilt Steering Column (just in case).


Good luck... GUSTO

Jim Shea

Two questions: Do you have a standard (non-adjustable) steering column or a tilt & telescoping type steering column?

Is it the original steering column for your 1974 Vette?

Jim

Lyndwood

tilt/telescopic and original to the car. Like I stated inthe 1st post I was just wanting to replace the plastic gear selector cam and put in a new key switch (which I have done) so the only thing holding up the re-assembly is finding out if this retaining clip fell out of the column and needs to go back in or if it just happened to be on my work top and slid off when I moved the steering column to the floor,vertically, to slide the outer cover up?
thanks,
paul

Lyndwood

this is the section I slid up and I felt something hit my leg then the floor so If it came out of the column it was in this area, maybe #28, the description says snap ring but what I found was a retaining ring?

TimAT

Interchangeable terms, Some tech writers call it a snap ring some call it a retaining ring. I can't see in your diagram what it might fit on- too small for me on a laptop..

Lyndwood

I can't tell the size or what it may go on either by the drawing, thats why I was hoping someone that took a steering column completely apart would recognize it?

TimAT

Looking back at the print GUSTO posted, it says "28. Sector Snap Ring". That would lead me to look at the sector and the little shaft that runs thru the column from the lock. The problem is, I don't recall a ring of any kind on the sector. And back in my dealer tech daze, I had a bunch of columns apart.

Lyndwood

OK, I'm a dumb ***, it was #28 and it is supposed to keep the plastic selector gear on the end of the shaft that slides into the ignition key tumbler. when I took the set up apart the ring was already off the end of the shaft so I didn't see it on there and was probably part of the reason the gear was able to move off of it's normal phasing with the ignition switch rack (it was off several teeth) along with my old original ignition switch at the bottom of the column was binding and not moving normally.

thanks for the help guys!