I was getting ready to remove my steering gear, and this is what I found. Note that the pinch bolt on the steering gear side is under capturing strap (I think that’s what it’s called). The pinch bolt is on the opposite side of the column shaft from where it is supposed to be. It looks like the couple was put together 180 degrees wrong. I can’t get a 12 point socket or wrench on the pinch bolt on the steering gear side. I need a strategy to get the separation I need to get steering gear out. I was going to remove both pinch bolts so that I could get the flex couple sliding around on both shafts and tip the steering gear away. That won't work now. If I remove the nuts on the shoulder bolts can I push them through and separate the coupling that way? I also plan to remove the pinch bolt from the column side and pry open the flange to get it siding on the shaft (careful not the compress the column). Is there something screwy with my steering gear or column? I can’t understand how they got the coupling attached to the steering gear shaft.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/pict...ictureid=46870

 

You did a good analysis of a mixed up situation. You are correct in that you should be able to remove the nuts and lockwashers from the attaching shoulder bolts. Push the bolts back toward the steering gear. Remove them and the capturing strap. You will then have access to the head of the 12-point pinch bolt. You could then rotate the capturing strap to the other side of the flex coupling, reinstall the bolts, and you will have access to the head of the pinch bolt. This would be a quick and dirty fix.

But from your picture there appears to be another problem.

With the gear straight ahead, the flat on the gear input shaft should be at 12 o'clock. The pinch bolt should be straight up with the head pointing toward you (just like the picture.) I think that I can see a portion of the input shaft flat at 12 o'clock as well.

HOWEVER, with the gear on center, the flange on the steering column should have its pinch bolt passing through a notch on the steering column shaft that is located at 12 o'clock. The pinch bolt would be horizontal, passing through the notch with the 12 point head pointing toward the frame as in this picture. So with the road wheels straight ahead, the flat on the gear input shaft and the notch on the steering column shaft should both be at 12 o'clock.

Your steering column flange appears to have the pinch bolt passing across the steering column shaft at the 6 o'clock location. This would indicate to me that your steering column is indexed 180 degrees out of phase. In other words with the gear on center the notch on the steering column shaft is down at 6 o'clock not at 12 o'clock like it is supposed to be.

Here is the guideline. There should be a chisel mark on the steering wheel end of the steering column shaft. The mark should be right on the very end, it should be vertical, and right at 12 o'clock with the column on center. At the same time on the lower end of the steering column shaft there should be a notch that is cut through the splines. That notch should also be at 12 o'clock. The flat on the gear input shaft will also be at 12 o'clock with the steering gear exactly on center and the road wheels pointing straight ahead.

Do you have a T&T steering column? I can't tell from the picture. Do your turn signals cancel correctly after making a turn? If the column is 180 degrees out, turn signals would cancel only after rotating the steering wheel something like 3/4 of a turn rather than about the normal 30 degrees either side of center.

I would suggest that you download this paper and take a good look at your entire steering system to understand what Bubba may have screwed up years and years ago.
http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/wp-co...ev28jl2009.pdf

After carefully analyzing the problem, I am going to suggest the following: Rather than trying to fix things with the parts installed in your Vette, I think that you should pull the steering column and also pull the gear in order to get things corrected.

If you have a T&T column, I am going to speculate that somebody had your steering column torn apart years ago. They then assembled the upper shaft at the tilt joint 180 degrees out of phase. (This is quite easy to do.) Now the steering wheel would be upside down and the turn signals would be cancelling incorrectly.

The threads on the flex coupling shoulder bolts are different sizes. The bolt holes in the steering column flange are different sizes as well. So the flexible coupling will only install to the column flange one way. In order to "fix" things, the flexible coupling was taken apart and the two different size shoulder bolts swapped side to side. (They really didn't have to rotate the capturing strap. The bolts will fit the strap either way, so the strap could have been left in its correct location opposite the pinch bolt head -- but who knows.) But anyway, swapping the bolts would rotate the steering column shaft back 180 degrees and would have been a "fix" for the original problem.

So you really have two options. A quick and dirty fix where you just remove the attaching bolts and swap the capturing strap around to the other side of the flex coupling. Or dig into the real cause as to why the flat on the gear shaft and the flat on the steering column shaft are not oriented correctly. This approach will mean that you have to remove the steering column, tear the upper end apart. Pull the steering shaft out of the column. Then rotate the upper steering shaft at the tilt joint to correct things.

Jim

 

Wow Jim you are a terrific resource for this forum. I thank you on behalf of the original poster, and everyone else who turns a wrench on this forum.

 

Thanks for your reply. As always you are a wealth of information and great resource for the CF members.

I used the information in your post and did a thorough review of my steering gear, flex coupling and column shaft. I have a non T&T column and have no issues with turn signal canceling. When the steering wheel is rotated 90 degree the turn signal will cancel at approximately 45 degree when returned to center (spoke down). When rotated the steering wheel 180 to 360 degree the turn signal will cancel at approximately 110 to 120 degree as the steer wheel is rotated back to center.

The picture I posted is with the steering wheel rotated 180 degrees from center (spoke up). I did this show how the capturing strap was obstructing the pinch bolt (I should have indicated this). When I center the steering wheel (spoke down) I can see the flat on the column shaft at the 12 o’clock position. Is this the correct orientation with the steering wheel centered? If the turn signal is canceling correctly and the flat is oriented in the 12 o’clock position with the steer wheel centered (spoke down) is the column okay? I have a feeling the steering gear is 180 degrees out a phase with the column shaft as weird as it sounds. This explains a few things: I have a wheel rub in the left finder and the power steering control valve (PSCV) will chatter when the wheels reach the left stop. There is no fender rubbing on the right side and the PSCV will not chatter with the steering wheel is turned all the way over to the right. This is probably because the wheels do not reach the right hand stop; the steering wheel probably stops because the steering gear can travel no further to the right. Now come to think of it, the right turn into my garage is a pain.

I have posted a photo with the steering wheel centered (spoke down). Note the flat on top of the column shaft. From this view, it looks like the steering gear shaft should be rotated clockwise 180 degree to get everything to match up (provided the column shaft is oriented correctly). Should the flats on the steering gear and column shaft be oriented in the same direction?

Thanks again for all your help

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/pict...ictureid=46869

 

From your latest picture. With the steering wheel spoke down, everything looks correct for the steering column shaft and the steering column flange.

The same is not true for the flex coupling and the steering gear. With the column on center (as shown) the 12 point head of the pinch bolt on the flexible coupling should be pointing straight up and located on the frame side of the input shaft.

It appears that the flat on the gear input shaft is at the 6 o'clock position in your picture which would mean that your gear is not centered. This would explain your left and right turn differences.

You need to remove the shoulder bolts. Rotate the capturing strap to the opposite quadrant. Swap the shoulder bolts and reassemble them and the capturing strap. This will rotate your steering gear 180 degrees. Placing it on center like it is supposed to be.

Jim

 

Hi Jim,

I'm going to pull the gearing gear and have it rebuilt and replace the coupling. I sourced a new coupling at GM Part Direct using the parts number supplied in your writing on flex coupling.

Thanks so much for all your help and being a such great resource to Corvette Forum

Pat

 

I think that when you get your rebuilt gear installed with the new flexible coupling you are going to be very pleasantly surprised as to a big improvement in your down the road, on-center, feel. Right now you are driving with the gear 180 degrees off center and there is a lot of slop in the gear set inside the steering gear when you are that far off.

If you look at your tie rod lengths, I will bet that, right now, you have one tie rod longer than the other.

Jim

 

Hi Jim,

I will check the Tie Rods. I’m rebuilding the entire front suspension. Between the slack in the steering gear and tired old suspension parts the car could a bit of a handful. The steering gear and column shaft out of phase probably didn’t help matters. I was going to replace the Tie Rods and Shafts matching the lengths to the ones removed for the drive to the alignment shop. I might have to rethink that. I got the steering gear out today.

Thanks for the help.

Pat

 

If you match your tie rod lengths and install a new gear and flexible coupling, you will end up with your steering wheel being upside down. That isn't a disastrous situation to just drive to the alignment shop. A competent alignment shop will first set your steering wheel straight ahead and then adjust the tie rods and do the alignment.

One other thing, I am of the opinion that it is better to rebuild an original Saginaw steering gear rather than purchase a "new" gear manufactured in Mexico, Chile, etc. Original Saginaw gears will have what we called the "Road S" cast into the side of the gear housing. Only the original manual gears have the "Road S".

That is just my opinion. Obviously there are only a finite number of "original" gears. At some point we are going to be stuck with only the aftermarket assemblies.

Jim