68 loose steering
Thread Starter
5th Gear
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
68 loose steering
The steering on my 68 has free play.When holding the steering shaft above the rag/flex joint and turning the steering wheel, the wheel turns but the steering shaft does not. It is not drastic but enough that it can be felt when driving. BTW am new to this and this is my first post! Look forward to helpful info
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 8,918
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From: New Hill NC
The steering on my 68 has free play.When holding the steering shaft above the rag/flex joint and turning the steering wheel, the wheel turns but the steering shaft does not. It is not drastic but enough that it can be felt when driving. BTW am new to this and this is my first post! Look forward to helpful info
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2007
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From: aurora
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2008
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From: In limbo
St. Jude Donor '13-'15, '17 thru '22
The steering on my 68 has free play.When holding the steering shaft above the rag/flex joint and turning the steering wheel, the wheel turns but the steering shaft does not. It is not drastic but enough that it can be felt when driving. BTW am new to this and this is my first post! Look forward to helpful info
Like Wombvette, I am not sure I understand your post. Jim Shea's papers are definitive for Corvette steering diagnosis and proper repair. They are also sufficiently well-written that the weekend mechanic (like me) can understand them. Lars also has a paper in the archives on adjusting the lash on your steering box which is very good and easy to follow. I found the search function here to be non-intuitive, and it took me a while to figure out how to find what I wanted, but the effort was definitely worth it.
Thread Starter
5th Gear
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
68 loose steering issue
Apologies for a confusing post, failed to mention it is telescopic,and power, yes the steering wheel turns a bit, but the shaft above the rag joint does not. This leads me to believe that the issue has to do with the splines of the shaft and the "tube" that surrounds it. And yes Jim Shea's papers are a great help.Has anyone experienced the same issue and found a resolution ? Thanks
Last edited by ed68; Mar 2, 2009 at 07:31 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 113
From: Saginaw Michigan
When you push and pull on the steering wheel does the steering shaft move at all when you have it locked ? I am wondering if the telescoping feature does not lock sufficiently, you could get some twisting looseness as well.
Otherwise, the looseness is most likely in the section of steering shaft that has plastic injection to prevent just the type of motion you are complaining about. This will require disassembly of the steering column.
I have two recent papers that I authored on the 1967-68 Corvette telescoping steering columns. Hopefully they can help:
http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/wp-co...ev23ja2009.pdf
http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/wp-co...v-23ja2009.pdf
I am on vacation so I will not have internet access every day.
Jim
Otherwise, the looseness is most likely in the section of steering shaft that has plastic injection to prevent just the type of motion you are complaining about. This will require disassembly of the steering column.
I have two recent papers that I authored on the 1967-68 Corvette telescoping steering columns. Hopefully they can help:
http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/wp-co...ev23ja2009.pdf
http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/wp-co...v-23ja2009.pdf
I am on vacation so I will not have internet access every day.
Jim
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 113
From: Saginaw Michigan
With a telescoping steering column there is only one place in the steering shaft itself where you could develope lash. That is the telescoping joint itself and it may not be locking the upper steering shaft to the lower tubular shaft so that it eliminates any lash when you rotate the steering wheel. There is a star screw, a rotating adjusting lever, a long rod, and a locking wedge.
In the 1967-68 Telescoping Steering Column Paper #1 there should be a description on adjusting the telescoping feature. Read that part of the paper and try to adjust the rotating lever so that the shaft won't telescope and possibly eliminate the rotational lash as well.
Now, it is also possible to have bad steering shaft bearings that might give the indication of rotational lash. But I would try the telescope adjustment procedure first.
Jim
In the 1967-68 Telescoping Steering Column Paper #1 there should be a description on adjusting the telescoping feature. Read that part of the paper and try to adjust the rotating lever so that the shaft won't telescope and possibly eliminate the rotational lash as well.
Now, it is also possible to have bad steering shaft bearings that might give the indication of rotational lash. But I would try the telescope adjustment procedure first.
Jim
Thread Starter
5th Gear
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Thanks, valuable info, will try the adjustments first, as of now it is not locking. Again, everyone, thanks for the info. It will be great when I can resolve this long lived problem and again enjoy the ride.
