Jim Shea- I read your greatly detailed steering papers... saved every last one... good stuff here folks. I have one question... there isn't any other way to service the upper bearing? What kind of expoy is the paper referencing? Didn't anyone building the original part think the bearing would eventually require service? Getting it out should prove easy... glue holding it back in makes me... not so easy... Thoughts? Suggestions? I don't want to buy the entire assembly just for the bearing.
Can I knock it towards the instument panel and just install the new one pushing up towards the steering wheel? Or maybe knock it up towards steering side and push up the spun flange?????

and yes... I skipped the T&T idea and just decided to rebuild my stock good ol' 1970 unit. It was wobbling side to side on me... However... I might just cut some new seat foam...



http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/wp-co...dr3-30jn07.doc

Jim- hope you don't mind the link paste...

oh and btw... too late... the ENTIRE column is in pieces right now. Get the outside pieces ready for paint on Wednesday. Hope is goes back together as easy as it fell... errr disassembled...

In looking at the spun over part... I think it is possible to drive the bearing out towards the steering wheel. It seems as if the spun over lip may flare out...??

 

Mr. Gearhead,
Sorry, I wasn't in the column design group forty some years ago when they designed the housing and upper bearing. I have to agree that somebody didn't have service in mind when they designed it.

I think that if you take a Dremel type tool and carefully grind the lip away, the bearing should come out fairly easily. Just a gentle push up toward the steering wheel side. With respect to my comments on epoxy or loctite to hold the new bearing in the housing; with the die cast lip ground away, something has to hold the bearing in place.

Even though the spun over lip is quite thin, I don't know if the bearing can be pushed through the spun over lip. When pressing from the back side, you are pressing against the inner race. That force is transmitted through the ball bearings and finally up through the outer race which is held in place by the spun over lip. I think that you might very well destroy the bearing without forcing the outer race past the lip.

I wouldn't even think about trying to drive the bearing out in the opposite direction (toward the instrument panel).

Jim

 

I did what Jim said. I took a dremel tool and ground off the rolled over lip. Then the bearing just popped out. I put in the new one but have not secured it in any way.

It may be wrong but I just put it all back together without any epoxy to hold the bearing in place. It seems to still work OK. I am a little nervous about not doing that but cannot see why it would be necessary. If there is a good reason to epoxy the bearing in place then please let me know.

wayne h.

 

Jim- Thanks for the response. Yep... after looking at it closer... no way bearing is coming out towards instument panel. I have not tried to push out the bearing at all.... yet... but I will later today. I actually have two full columns to test on... so I will post my findings. I hope to slowly press the bearing towards the steering wheel side with the hope of flaring the spun lip. I was able to work an awl under the lip with little damage. We will see how it goes.


Wayne- I am thinking that once put all back together, the column parts will hold bearing in place. I will get back on this topic later today when I hopefully get this figured out. I am sure the expoy just makes sure the bearing won't walk vertically....

Thanks,
Anthony

 

To all- It worked. I put a 18mm impact socket in from underside (side that faces instument panel) and then put the whole assembly in my HD bench vice. I used 2" angle iron on the vice jaws to prevent gouging to assembly. A few SLOW turns on the vice handle (had to get some help from floor jack handle) and the bearing actually popped out opening up the spun flange. Although the entire flange did not stay intact, half of it cracked but I have enough left to tap back over to hold bearing in place.

A few observations along the way.
I would only do this with a vice or bearing press; hammering is not a good idea.
Even if you grind off the bearing retaining flange, there are thick verticle ribs in the sleeve where the bearing sits that will "grab' bearing and hold in place. Epoxy as needed.

I also noticed the factory used epoxy as well... unless it is really... really... really old bearing grease....

I will post my pics later... Today is wife's B-day and she doesn't know I am goofing off on the car... SHHHHHHHH

 

I studied the steering column assembly drawing and now I have a better understanding of the upper bearing design. The bearing was installed into the housing at Saginaw. During the column assembly process the upper bearing could have fallen out of the column unless it was retained somehow.

Once the steering shaft, spring, canceling cam, and locking plate were added to the steering column at the Saginaw, the bearing was preloaded in place and could not move anywhere.

So when you are replacing the bearing in this type of steering column, there is no need to epoxy the bearing in place. Just be careful particularly when you install the steering shaft.

Jim

 

Thanks Jim. Great data here. I just stumbled on to the upper bearing as I noticed the wheel had some movement in the column. After and entire body off resto... I totally overlooked the steering system.

I am finding there a lot that can be done to improve it. Looking forward to getting the bearing delivered today or tomorrow and seeing how much tighter everything gets...

THANKS!

btw... my steering box is leaking but the shaft and everything appears tight... can I just replace the seals or should I opt for full rebuild of that too. My PS assembly is all new add on so that is in great shape...

Anthony

 

I was going to say that you should check side to side play of the pitman shaft to the gear housing. Also to check if the input shaft has any in-out movement when you steer right and then left.

However, then I realized that you need the steering column hooked up in order to conduct the check.

To be absolutely safe, you could pull the gear and send it to Gary (gtr1999) for a rebuild.

Jim

 

I have the box out of the car right now and arm is off the box too. It appears to be tight but I didn't think testing this way was accurate. I sent an email to gary but I think it was wrong address... I will try contacting him again... thanks.

 

And the steering saga continues....

I got a FED EX package today that should have contained the parts I needed to complete the column rebuild....

However, the wrong bearing was sent for the upper column shaft...

Also, I bought a new steering coupler assembly. The stop pins are riveted in place... but the steering flange connection bolts are not shouldered. One has a metal spacer to "act" like a shoulder... but the larger bolt is fully threaded. The part cost $47. Needless to say it is going back with the bearing.

So... to highjack my own thread... ANYONE know where I can get a correct factory replacement steering coupler assembly with riveted stop pins and shouldered attaching bolts??? THANKS

 

Anthony,
I think if you look closely at your $44 masterpiece, you will note that the end of the stop pin that is connected to the gear flange is slightly counterbored and the end is mechanically peened over. The Saginaw flex coupling has the stop pin end hot upset and it will appear mashed into a button head.

I'm not saying that mechanical peening is bad. It is just noticeably different than the Saginaw manufacturing process.

The $44 dollar flex couplings so far have been the ones with the flat machined on the wrong side of the gear flange (steering wheel ends up upside down. They are also the ones were the stop pins are not the same size as the OEM pins. They are also the ones with no electrical path from one side to the other. Lastly and worstly, they are the ones were the attaching bolts do not appear to have shoulders.

That same typical low selling price from various Corvette suppliers seems to be the only identifier that the part is the (Chinese?) copy part.

I have written letters to at least five Corvette suppliers expressing my concerns. Only one replied. That one stated that they forwarded my letter of concern to their (Chinese?) supplier. I have never heard back from anyone else. If the supplier is correcting any of the above major problems, I am completely in the dark.

If you can find a choice between a $44 part and a $75 part. I suggest paying for the high dollar item. It most likely is the Saginaw OEM part.

Good luck,

I will be back from vacation in about 12 days.
Jim

PS: You could try Doc Rebuild. The picture of the flex coupling at the Zip Store is the (Chinese?) one.

 

HA... duh... searched the forum and found that GM PART # 7818568 is the exact replacement original....

Ordering tomorrow. I will post entire pictures of disassembled column. Compared to the body off project... this is kinda fun...

 

Does anyone know the part number and manufacturer (or where to buy) for a 67 upper steering bearing kit, non tilt non telescope.... btw original owner 67 coupe goodwood green 427 tripower. Just found this site, by the looks of this thread, very useful.