Help!! First time in steering column
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 769
Likes: 0
From: Ft. Lauderdale Fl
Help!! First time in steering column
Turn signal switch broke inside the column of my 78 Tilt-telescoping wheel. I ordered the part and it's in. $50 for this little switch. Anyway, my Chilton book only gives a vague picture of the column disassembled and a pour pic at that. Anyone know of a site I can go to and blow up a print and copy. Or pictures would be go also.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
good luck on our project....jim Shea knows lots about the steering columns you may try emailing him or search his posts and threads to gain insight into this area....
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 19,659
Likes: 34
From: Lenoir City Tennessee
Ci 6, 8 & 10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
I am not going to be much help for you either but I can direct you to the webpage that has a list of Jim Shea's papers. You will find the papers very valuable in answering your column question.
Hope this helps.
http://wiki.corvettefaq.com/index.php?title=Main_Page
Hope this helps.
http://wiki.corvettefaq.com/index.php?title=Main_Page
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 769
Likes: 0
From: Ft. Lauderdale Fl
ttt Oh sheet All the plastic parts in my steering column are yellow and as I took them out they fell into pieces.
One of the two round return springs for the turn signal switch fell out. spring is broke. 
Right now I'm trying to put it back together.
Not having much luck getting the retainer clip back in place.
: Bought all new parts and switch and taking it to the shop and let some one who knows what is what with steering columns 
One of the two round return springs for the turn signal switch fell out. spring is broke. Right now I'm trying to put it back together. Not having much luck getting the retainer clip back in place. : Bought all new parts and switch and taking it to the shop and let some one who knows what is what with steering columns
Pro
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 596
Likes: 1
Oh man, I feel your pain!!! I had my column apart this past spring. I now posess a bunch of parts that my local GM dealer got me that aren't even close. The diagrams in my original shop manual aren't correct to my model- the books and computers called for 3/4 '' bearings. I'm standing there with the 1" in hand going," I don't THINK so!". I was flipping thru Speed Shop catalogs and was ready to buy a whole new SIMPLE unit. I ended up putting it back together, re-installing it without the ignition, turn signal auto- off-- forget about it-- The horn beeped with every rotation of the wheel in a turn. I totally forgot the high-beamswitch until the end---too late. So now I have tilt/tele, signals (manual off), and steering.!!
I put in a dash ignition, a floor mount hi/lo and a push botton horn on the console. Rubick's cube was a cakewalk next to these Fu#$%ng columns!!!
I put in a dash ignition, a floor mount hi/lo and a push botton horn on the console. Rubick's cube was a cakewalk next to these Fu#$%ng columns!!!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,047
Likes: 12
From: SoCal
FWIW, you might try contacting www.columnsgalore - they specialize in rebuilding steering columns. Also, almost any C3 steering column part can be purchased from Doc Rebuild (www.docrebuild.com).
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 112
From: Saginaw Michigan
It's too bad that you weren't aware of my steering column disassembly and repair papers that are posted at www.corvettefaq.com
With a digital camera and the papers, taking a column apart isn't all that bad.
I think that the part the you described as breaking into pieces is the c-clip retainer GM #7808385. It is still available through GM dealers or most Corvette suppliers. You need the retainer to not only secure the c-clip, it also is an insulator for the big spring that is attached to the lower horn contact. Otherwise, the big spring touches metal inside the turn signal switch housing and your horn will honk continuously.
Hope that the papers help.
Jim
With a digital camera and the papers, taking a column apart isn't all that bad.
I think that the part the you described as breaking into pieces is the c-clip retainer GM #7808385. It is still available through GM dealers or most Corvette suppliers. You need the retainer to not only secure the c-clip, it also is an insulator for the big spring that is attached to the lower horn contact. Otherwise, the big spring touches metal inside the turn signal switch housing and your horn will honk continuously.
Hope that the papers help.
Jim
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 769
Likes: 0
From: Ft. Lauderdale Fl
Originally Posted by Jim Shea
It's too bad that you weren't aware of my steering column disassembly and repair papers that are posted at www.corvettefaq.com
With a digital camera and the papers, taking a column apart isn't all that bad.
I think that the part the you described as breaking into pieces is the c-clip retainer GM #7808385. It is still available through GM dealers or most Corvette suppliers. You need the retainer to not only secure the c-clip, it also is an insulator for the big spring that is attached to the lower horn contact. Otherwise, the big spring touches metal inside the turn signal switch housing and your horn will honk continuously.
Hope that the papers help.
Jim
With a digital camera and the papers, taking a column apart isn't all that bad.
I think that the part the you described as breaking into pieces is the c-clip retainer GM #7808385. It is still available through GM dealers or most Corvette suppliers. You need the retainer to not only secure the c-clip, it also is an insulator for the big spring that is attached to the lower horn contact. Otherwise, the big spring touches metal inside the turn signal switch housing and your horn will honk continuously.
Hope that the papers help.
Jim
So I stoped before I started with the 3 lbs hammer.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 112
From: Saginaw Michigan
The pics were copied onto MS word. Maybe you could have someone with that program open and download the pictures. If you send me your eMail address, I could send a couple JPG pictures. Hope its not too late.
JIML82@aol.com
JIML82@aol.com
