Telescoping/Tilt Steering Wheel Problem
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 660
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From: Pleasant Valley MO
Telescoping/Tilt Steering Wheel Problem
A friend has a 79 with tilt and telescoping wheel. Problem is the telescoping does not lock. driving the down the road the steering wheel will come up all the way. any ideas on what is wrong and how to fix?
Thanks in advance
Larry
Thanks in advance
Larry
NCM Grand Opening Veteran
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 20,979
Likes: 384
From: South of giving a damn
St. Jude Donor '11, '17
First thing I'd look at would be the star screw. If it doesn't push the looking rod down far enough then the tele won't lock. Remove the wheel & the tele lock and then see if the star screw will tighten up enough to lock the tele function. If so, reinstall everything & there you are. If this doesn't work then it's beyond my level of expertise. corvettefaq has an excellent writeup on TT column work.
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
From: Raleigh NC
the further you screw in the star screw, the more resistance you get on the telescoping action. when the star screw is all the way in, you shouldn't be able to pull the tele out at all. to get the proper resistance, unscrew the star screw just a bit. the star screw should be held in with two small screws that bind up when turning the telescoping mechanism to the right.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 113
From: Saginaw Michigan
Right behind the "star" screw (inside the upper steering shaft) there should be a 3.7 inch long x 0.218 diameter metal rod. The star screw should push on it in order to lock the telescope feature.
Sometimes if the T&T steering column is remove from the car and the column is tipped, the rod can fall out unnoticed. The rod is listed on Dr. Rebuild's websight: 78-82 Upper Shaft Locking Rod 6521532
The missing rod is a fairly common problem.
Jim
Sometimes if the T&T steering column is remove from the car and the column is tipped, the rod can fall out unnoticed. The rod is listed on Dr. Rebuild's websight: 78-82 Upper Shaft Locking Rod 6521532
The missing rod is a fairly common problem.
Jim
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,590
Likes: 28
From: Tallmadge Ohio
C3 of Year Finalist (stock) 2019
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-‘18-'19
Oldtimer
If the rod is in place the problem is probably the wear spacer is missing at the lower end of the rod. This is a small spacer that fits between the end of the rod and the locking key. Very easy to lose this spacer when you take the locking mechanism apart. Doc Rebuild also has the spacer, look for "69-82 Upper Shaft Locking Wedge Bumper". Chuck
Heel & Toe
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: South Carolina
tilt-telescope
I am having a problem with the small shaft not going in far enough. We took the column apart to paint it and thought we put it back the same, but when the shaft goes in and you tighten the star bolt, it's still out about 1/2".
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 113
From: Saginaw Michigan
I am not sure of what you mean by "it's still out by 1/2 inch". Are you saying that the star screw when tightened all the way down is still 1/2 inch from reaching the rod?
Use a magnet and get the rod out. Is it 3.7 inches long? If you can find ball bearings about .18 inches in diameter. Try dropping one or two of them down the upper shaft on top of the rod and see if it fills the gap and allows the star screw to push on the rod to lock the shaft.
Jim
Use a magnet and get the rod out. Is it 3.7 inches long? If you can find ball bearings about .18 inches in diameter. Try dropping one or two of them down the upper shaft on top of the rod and see if it fills the gap and allows the star screw to push on the rod to lock the shaft.
Jim
