My 71 has the usual loose tilt/tel column. This is not a project I want to tackle myself after reading Jim Shea's article on how to repair it. Anyone know how many hours this will take a corvette repair shop to complete? I'm trying to get a repair cost estimate. Thanks!

 

call corvette steering at 864-287-9990

 

You can also try these guys.

http://www.columnsgalore.com/index.htm

 

Two assumptions: 1). You had the column out of the car and sent it to a repair shop. 2). The only problem was that the four support screws needed to be locktited and retorqued. Someone that was familiar with the T&T column and had the proper tools could fix it in one to two hours max.

Jim

 

Jim: Does the t/t column have to be completely removed from the car to gain access to the 4 support screws/bolts?

 

You don't necessarily have to remove the column from the car.

However, you will have to remove the turn signal switch in order to remove the bearing housing. That means that you have to get the turn signal switch wires up through the column head. The harmonica connector keeps cocking and wedging inside the column while you try to feed it through. You have two choices in trying to feed the wires.

One is to tape the harmonica connector to the wires so it is shaped sort of like a bullet. (I found that the taped package still wouldn't easily come through the column. Also feeding the harmonica connector and wires back down the column isn't any easier.)

The other method is to remove all of the individual wires from the harmonica connector and then feed just the wires. This may be easy to feed the wires but you are in a very difficult position under the dash when trying to remove and reattach the wires.

My opinion, I would rather work on the column outside of the car.

Let us know how you make out.
Jim

 

Is removing the steering column a relatively manageable job?

 

 

Yes, simple hand tools.

 

I believe that it is manageable. My disassembly and repair paper is quite complete with respect to removing the column. You will need a decent set of common tools (I think that a small deep socket is very useful to unscrew the two nuts that hold the column to the floorpan inside the car - unfortunately I don't recall the exact size.) It also doesn't hurt to have two people particularly when you are trying to reinstall the column and are feeding the column back down through the dash and trying to align it to the steering gear flexible coupling bolts. (I have pulled my own column a couple times by myself.)

If you follow the steps (and hints) in my second disassembly and repair paper, you should be able to remove and reinstall the column.

http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/wp-co...2-20JA2006.doc

Good luck,
Jim

 

I recently used Jim's papers while pulling my column apart in situ. Found them really useful, even with the correct factory manual (which was wrong!) & a couple of others.
Here's another alternative. Don't bother taping up the wires (too much tape & it makes it too fat to get through, not enough & the tape can snag, unpeel & then stick to anything & everything on the way through the column). Use a long screwdriver, or something similar (I used a length of 1/4" rod) & a powerful flashlight. You can then fairly easily guide the connector up/down the column by poking it with the rod/whatever to guide it around the awkward bits, while gently pulling on the wires, or string in the case of reassembly. It doesn't take long to do & was certainly quicker than removing the column from the car.
Don't do the job with a time limit, take plenty of pics as you dismantle it (can be a life saver when you put it back together), keep all screws, etc, organised so that you replace them in the correct place & tie a length of strong string to the harmonica connector before you pull it out (& if somebody has spliced into the wires from the connector due to a vehicle immobiliser/alarm, label them up before cutting off - what a total & complete pita that was, by far the worse part of it for me: Bubba can really go to town when it comes to electrics ). There's a couple of potential head scratching parts during assembly, but some thought (or JIM ) will solve any problems. If you've got cruise control then take a couple of pics of how the wire is routed before pulling it out. During dismantling you will need a compressor (tool) to enable you to remove a "C" clip. I did it by pressing down with my fingers which compressed it enough to get the clip out using my other hand. Getting it back in was more tricky, but pressing down with both hands & getting somebody else to press the clip in was easy enough.
Overall, I found the job fairly easy and the great thing about it is that it's one job that you can do while sitting comfortably (with some beers on the passenger seat ).
Good luck

 

Paul,
Did you remove the C-clip on a T&T column with your fingers? The C-clip and locking plate are so far down in the column housing, I didn't think that it was possible.

I have had my son press down on the locking plate in a standard (non-adjustable) column as well as a common tilt column, while I "dug" the round wire ring out of the steering shaft groove. Of course the locking plate and wire ring are right on the top of the column.

Jim

 

I have done this job and you don't have to disconnect any wires. There is enough slack, but you do have to pull them up so you can get the other pieces off. It is a time consuming job and having the steering wheel spring compressor for the TT wheel is a must. There is a long bolt in the center that locks the foot at the bottom of the TT main rod/bolt so it doesn't travel. Lets you compress the spring enough to get the hugh snap ring off. Without that it is a PITA (been there done that). There is also a special tool to get the tilt pins out (but you can use some small bolts and washers to make one). It is time consuming, tedious, but if you are mechanically inclined you can do it. Just make sure to use lock-tite or even some nail polish on those 4 bolts so you don't have to do it again for awhile (also the voice of experience...)

 

Hi Jim,
It was the clip that both the manual & your paper suggested using a "bridge" type puller to remove. Maybe I'm getting confused with another ring further down? It was definitely a "C" type clip I removed & it only fitted on one way (grooves for it machined so that it slides on from the "bottom" side of the shaft, not the "upper", if that makes sense). It was below the shaped plastic insulator/retainer thing (broken) that keeps the telescoping spring electrically isolated from the lock plate. If I'm talking about the correct clip, then the only way I can think of describing how I pressed on the plate was as if I was doing a press-up (push-up?) on my fingertips. By putting most pressure on the plate with my thumb (which was in the lowest position, ie. towards the rear of the car) the plate could be compressed enough to slide the clip out. I'm not a Mr Universe & the pressure needed wasn't excessive, it's more technique than brute force. Getting the clip back in involved using both thumbs (how very technical ), one on each side (left & right) of the plate & then just pushing down & wobbling the plate slightly while my wife slide the clip into position. This was more a case of brute force, but nothing excessive.
I hope we're talking about the same clip?
The column is fitted in an '81 but whether it's the original, or not, I don't know (how can I tell?). What I did find was that, for the 1st time ever, the shop manual didn't tie up with what was actually there, hence your papers bailing me out of a potential fix. Thanks

 

I had to replace the rag joint and lower column bearings in my 76. With only Jim's papers (before I bought my AIM) and a couple of beers it took about me 6 hours total - 2 to remove, 2 to repair/replace and 2 to re-install the column. I did not find it as hard as I had anticipated.