Hey together!

Actually I want to install the new Borgeson steering box. Ok, the stock steering box is out and here comes my question:
I have to shorten the steering column, so the new box fit. But there is a spring on the steering column. Does anybody know why there a spring is and for what is it for?
Here a pic:



Regards, Günther

 

Gunther,
It appears from your picture that you have a 1968 Vette with a very rare telescoping steering column. The spring should be preloading the lower bearing. I believe that you already know that you can gently (with a soft mallet) drive the steering shaft back into the steering column to gain more clearance for the Borgeson power steering gear (which is longer than the original C3 manual steering gear.)

There would appear to be less than a one inch of free space between the end of the plastic spacer, the clamp, and the splines on your original steering column shaft.

I would not eliminate the spring. It takes up tolerance and loads the lower column bearing.

If you need a couple of inches of distance to install the power gear, I would cut down the spacer by an inch or two. Then drive the steering shaft into the column. Install the spring and reworked spacer. Then install the clamp so that the spring still provides a preload to the lower bearing.

I really respect you guys that work on your old cars so far from the original sources!

Good luck,
Don't forget that additional help is only a computer click (and several time zones) away.

Jim

PS: It really helps for you to describe the year, type of steering column, power or manual steering, etc when you request information. (Your picture was a real help.)

 

Hello Jim!
Thank you verry much for your help!
It was a hard job to get the old steering box out, because all is so thight and close.
My ´68 427 has factory power steering and a telescoping steering column.
You wrote that I have a verry rare steering column. Why is it so rare?

Regards, Günther

 

Nearly all modern vehicles have some type of adjustable steering column (telescoping only, tilt only, tilt & telescoping, etc). They were introduced on GM vehicles in the mid 1960s. It took many years before the adjustable column actually "caught on" in the market place. There were 28,566 Corvettes produced in the 1968 model year. Only 6,477 (less than 1 in 4) had telescoping columns.

What really makes your steering column rare is the following:
The 1967 Corvette had a one year only steering column. The 1968 Corvette had different mounting so it also is a one year only steering column. The 1969 through 1976 columns were locking columns so they are different from 1968 as well.

Jim