Anyone got the lowdown on where to begin when there is some slop in the tilt steering wheel column?? Assume it has to be replaced but kinda lost with where to begin or what to do... Any help would be great... Any links to technical diagrams or replacement proceedures would be Da Bomb!! Thanks either way...

 

The Vette T&T column has the annoying tendency to loosen up and clunk similar to what you are describing. You can fix it without having to tear the column out of the car. That's the good news. The bad news is that you have to disassemble the column in order to get at four screws that have most likely lossened up and are causing the problem.

I have a written description along with one blow-up and three pages of sketches on disassembling the column. Everything is posted at http://www.corvettefaq.com. Look under Suspension and Steering. What you want is:

Tilt & Telescoping Disassembly Instructions
Tilt & Telescoping Blowup Pic
Tilt & Telescoping Disassambly Pics 1, 2, & 3

Any problems along the way, just post or eMail us for help.

JIML82@aol.com

 

Jim is right, as usual, but I might add...the tilt-tele is a mechanical masterpiece/nitemare take your pick, when it's together, it's a masterpiece...
when it's not....well take a bottle of valium, you will need it....

IMO, order a top/bottom upper bearing kit the usual is the retainer falls apart at first jolt, and bearings fall out...hope you have a good memory for parts/assy sequences....the worst part is getting that locking 'starwheel' off the shafts....ME, I take a 1.5 inch long 1.5 inch diameter piece of plastic pipe, and cut about an inch worth wide slot in the side of it...that makes it into a C shape...then a large backing washer and then the original steeringwheel nut, then the tele star-screw....tighten it all down to remove tension from that damm spring under the star wheel....then get the O clip off the shaft center, then the starwheel releases easily...of course then, the force of the spring is removed from the bearing assy, and they are then free to slip out of the races, and being as the retainers are fragile...bearings go all over the place...

not to mention you need get under the turn signal lever switch...3 screws for that....now the 4 bolts holding the casting...ME, I use bolt glue (locktite) to hold them in place then....;-)))

GENE

 

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