is busted.

where could i find this part for my 75?


My other thought and i have been thinking about this for a while is go to a pushbutton start, and toggle switches for ignition and accessories.

 

Try corvettesteeringservice.com for column parts or re-builds on Tilt&Tele units.

 

There is some slight confusion looking through various parts catalogues. It seems that the rack is the same from 1969 through 1982. However, I think that the plastic sector gear changed in the way that it connects to the ignition lock cylinder in 1977.

You can purchase the rack alone from GM dealers as part number 7827157 for around $14.
The rack alone is available through Doc Rebuild as 7187426 for around the same price.

I don't see a rack alone available through Zip or Corvette Steering Service.

You might consider the following:
Zip Products has a kit with two upper bearings, a race, spring, rack, and sector as kit SC-432 for $52.00. They list the kit as fitting all 69 through 82 vettes.

You are going to need to remove the pivot pins in order to replace your broken rack. Once the pins are removed you will be able to inspect the bearing housing and determine if the steering shaft bearings on either side of the housing are in good shape.

If your upper bearings are in good shape, you most probably don't need the kit. But if they look questionable, I don't think that you want to tear back into your column at a later date to replace them.

Some people have mentioned purchasing identical looking bearings at bicycle shops or bearing specialty houses quite a bit cheaper than GM prices.
Good luck,
Jim

 

Thanks Jim,

I bought the kit because that's what the dealer in Plymouth had in stock. I'm glad i did because the lower bearing fell apart when i took the housing off. I think you mentioned in your paper that the bearings are a real problem to change. What i did is popped the plastic ball bearing retainer out of the race and popped in the existing race in the housing. That seemed to work well but we'll see over time.

The other big pain was driving out the shoe pin. I don't remember doing that the last time i took it apart. I think what i did previously was to screw the tilt lever back in and pulled on it and it released......i think. Sure don't remember driving that pin out before.

I found i had to put the 2 shoe's in the housing and put the pin back in before placing the housing back on the column. That was an excercise in flustration so if driving that pin out can be avoided, its well worth it.

The replacement sector had the big tooth a few degrees off from the old one and had one less small gear tooth. The functioning of the ignition switch however seems no different than before.

I used vasoline on the bearings because i didn't want nasty black or red grease everywhere.

I completely removed the shaft lock bolt and spring as i never want a failure to lock the wheel when driving.

I left out the tilt lever and signal lever shields because they seemed loose and didn't want to go back in nicely. I figured they are just theft prevention and serve no functional purpose.

 

Jim,

another thing that occurs to me it the big plastic ball that acts as a U-joint between the upper and lower shafts. If that thing wears or gets brittle and fails am i going to lose steering?

Now i'm thinking i should have replaced that while i was in there.

 

I have never heard of the plastic ball failing. Losing steering would be extremely remote. There actually is a procedure where you remove the steering shaft from the column. Then hold the steering shaft so that the upper shaft is straight and unsupported. There should be sufficient friction at the ball connection so that the upper shaft should stick straight out or just barely slump downward. If it drops easily to a 90 degree angle, you most likely could feel some slight looseness in your steering.

If the shaft slumps easily, remove the two halves of the plastic sphere and tonk the ears of the steering shafts. Then try the slump test again. Repeat until you have eliminated any looseness.

Jim