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I could use a little advice. I replaced the left lower dash pad and fixed a number of wiring problems. No problem at all getting the column out. It's been sitting safely in a spot where it's fully supported and nobody's been near it. I marked the rag joint and shaft before I took it out. It showed 1/4" of spline showing past the rag joint, toward the firewall. Getting it back it has been a p.i.t.a. I got it back in the joint OK. I can get the two bolts for the flange under the dash in but the flange and the bracket it bolts to are separated by a good half inch.There has to be something obstructing it but I sure can't see it. I'll find it.
I am hoping someone with experience can take a look at these pics and tell me if I need to pull it out about 1/4" and if so, what would be the best method with it out of the car?
Thanks
This is the overall length
Last edited by pigfarmer; Apr 19, 2021 at 12:45 PM.
ill take a stab at this since i also had mine out during a resto,,,
did you happen to take out the large cast piece that holds the column? if so or if not so, both the cast piece and the column where it attaches to the cast piece are adjustable.
i could see an accumulative 1/2 or so adding up if the adj were wrong.
or perhaps (iirc) the angle of the column going through the floorboard has to be just right, if you've installed the upper nuts and bolts before you've in stalled the lower flange through firewall.
Last edited by CAMS69; Apr 19, 2021 at 04:17 PM.
Reason: for reference (couldnt help myself)
I could use a little advice. I replaced the left lower dash pad and fixed a number of wiring problems. No problem at all getting the column out. It's been sitting safely in a spot where it's fully supported and nobody's been near it. I marked the rag joint and shaft before I took it out. It showed 1/4" of spline showing past the rag joint, toward the firewall. Getting it back it has been a p.i.t.a. I got it back in the joint OK. I can get the two bolts for the flange under the dash in but the flange and the bracket it bolts to are separated by a good half inch.There has to be something obstructing it but I sure can't see it. I'll find it.
I am hoping someone with experience can take a look at these pics and tell me if I need to pull it out about 1/4" and if so, what would be the best method with it out of the car?
Thanks
This is the overall length
You need to measure it as the J.S linked thread . Put the end of the tape on the lower edge of the lower bearing cap and then go to the top edge of the lock cylinder HOUSING , not the lock cylinder actual position.
Actually you can measure at the split where the upper and lower jacket pieces meet to the mounting plate. The jacket, main shaft, and backdrive shafts are all collapsible. The shaft projection is ok, usually 4 1/2 to 4 3/4 inches.
Thanks. It's a bit over 4.5". The JS docs say 4.7. It is collapsed about a quarter inch from what I can tell. Been trying to pull it out not hammer it and my reward is a gritty feel now when I spin the wheel. I'd need to go through the entire thing to feel comfortable and things like that take me forever. It doesn't look that bad or that expensive But ......
I read through a number of threads on this and Columns Galore in Brewster NY came recommended. Spoke to them, they seem cool and I can drive there in half an hour. I'd prefer not to spend the $$ as I do all the work myself on this car but I'm flat out of time. It's getting nice out and too often these cars die from endless upgrade. If they weren't local I think it would be a different story - I'm hoping this Easy Button works. If not, here we go on another educational opportunity.
Last edited by pigfarmer; Apr 20, 2021 at 05:31 AM.
I would loosen the steering column lower support so you can wiggle it around a little. One time I had the same problem you are having and the lower support was bumping into the tach bezel just enough to not let me push the column all the in. I always loosen the 4 support bolts now when I remove the column.👍
Bill
Last edited by 69ttop502; Apr 20, 2021 at 04:32 PM.
The column jacket uses a plastic sleeve with ball bearings to keep pressure between the halves. Use a rubber mallet on the firewall flange to lengthen the lower part. If you have a heat gun it will help a lot to soften the plastic a bit to make it easier to adjust. The other 2 pieces just have plastic injected into them to hold the two pieces in place.
I did drop the whole thing off at Columns Galore in Brewster, NY yesterday. If this were Fall I'd be researching and rebuilding myself. I had hoped to just put it back in and deal with it over another winter but nope. The replacement CA dash is likely the problem - not exactly a drop in fit. Close, but off enough to cause this problem. I'm going to pop it out from under the upper dash pad and put the column back in. Before I do that I'll carefully compare it to the one I removed. CG said a week, maybe two. They're close to me and seem well reviewed.
Spent some time before I did that trying to pull it out the little bit necessary. In one of these threads someone said they collapse easy but feel like they're welded when you try to pull them out is absolutely right. After me farting around with it I must've damaged some of that plastic because I can feel something in there or maybe a bearing is starting to go. The heat gun is a good idea I wish I tried.
Since no one has mentioned this, I will add my TWO Cents. I removed the drivers side dash to have the speedo and tach refurbished. There are two nuts on the inside of the firewall that must be REMOVED (holding a metal plate ) where the steering column goes to the rag joint. The bolts are attached (on my 73 with manual tranny) to a plate (engine side firewall) that was a part of the ANTI- THEFT System, (had a cable going somewhere). There is also the spring for the clutch attached to the plate (real struggle to get it back on).
The steering column goes through the plate. You probably removed the nuts so the plate could move, but just wanted to let you know
Just as an aside. When you have the column out, this is a good time to replace it's lower bearing. Look at the first OP photo to see the bearing housing. The Corvette vendors sell replacement kits. It's easy to replace. The bearing is exposed to the engine environment and it gets pretty grundgy with age.
69 tilt tele install problem
