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Is it possible to leave the steering column lock cable disconected...? and fixed in the un lock position.?? has any one disabled the lock mechanism.??? I fabed up my headers and went to reinstal them and the rear pipe hits the lock mechanism. ehat a pain
Yes, you can do this. When I bought my '74 'vert last year, I drove it from Washington State to 'Frisco where my friend Eric, aka SolidLT1, and I disconnected the cable and tied up the steering column lever with some strong wire. We did this because I was about to put the car on a ship for its trip to Australia and didn't want the dock workers to do any damage trying to start and move the car.
If they broke a key off or similar, you can bet your life that I wouldn't be able to get anyone to own up, let alone pay for the damage. Now, as I always garage the car and never leave it anywhere unsafe when I leave home, I have no qualms leaving the device disconnected. I may even remove the whole cable next time it is on a hoist.
The lever on the lower end of all 1969 thru 1976 Corvette steering columns is a very important part of the General Motors Steering Column/Transmission Shift Interlock System. When GM introduced their locking steering columns on all GM cars in 1969 they were very afraid of lawsuits from people who (by mistake) might turn off their engine and also lock their steering wheel even while the car was still moving forward.
So GM and Saginaw Division designed a system where a gate inside the steering column head was opened when the lower lever was moved to the full UP position. When a manual trans is shifted into REVERSE or a automatic trans is shifted into PARK a cable connected to the transmission pushes the lower lever on the steering column to the full UP position (if it could be viewed from the driver seat, that lever would be at 1 o'clock).
It is important to understand that there are five positions for the ignition switch/ignition key. From full clockwise to full CCW those positions are: START, RUN, OFF, OFF-LOCK, & ACCESSORY.
Regardless if the gate is open or not, the driver is always allowed to just turn the engine OFF. But until the gate is opened, the ignition key cannot be rotated further to OFF-LOCK which would not only will shut the engine off but also would cause the steering wheel to be locked. Also, the ignition key can only be pulled from the lock cylinder in the OFF-LOCK position.
So with the cable not connected and interlock not functioning, it is important to understand that you will be able to shut off your engine and also lock your steering wheel even while your Vette is moving.
Redwingvette,
With the lever in any position, the engine can always be turned off. However, unless the lever in full UP, you will not be able to remove your ignition key from the lock cylinder.
Jim
Jim, I thank you for chimming in. I couldn't help but notice you are from saginaw. thats about 20 miles north of me. the way your post is written it seams you might have worked for GM in Saginaw. as i find my self working in Flint, Truck and Bus, FES (Flint Engine South), Metal Fab, and Plant 38.
Also do you ever attend the Frankenmuth Cruise in September???
Neptune72,
I worked in the Steering System Section, Product Engineering at Saginaw Steering Gear Div, GMC; then Delphi Saginaw for 39 years before retiring in Feb 2001. I was supervisor of the flexible coupling, power steering hose, and hydraulic seal group from 1970 through 1986. So I have some first hand experience with a lot of my products that are on the C3 Corvettes.
Saginaw is now Nexteer. There was just an article in the Saginaw News this morning that indicated the Dodge Ram 1500 light duty had issued a purchase contract to Saginaw for electric steering for 2013. Nexteer (Saginaw) will be providing 90% of the steering systems for North American full size pickups by 2013.
When Saginaw was a Division of General Motors, there were a lot of companies (particularly Ford) that had a policy of not doing business with any of their direct competitors. Since the spin off from GM, Nexteer now produces all of the Ford F-series and Mustang steering columns.
I attend the Frankenmuth Car Show every year. Looking forward to September 7,8, & 9 again this year. Will try to particularly make Friday night the 7th.
Neptune72,
I worked in the Steering System Section, Product Engineering at Saginaw Steering Gear Div, GMC; then Delphi Saginaw for 39 years before retiring in Feb 2001. I was supervisor of the flexible coupling, power steering hose, and hydraulic seal group from 1970 through 1986. So I have some first hand experience with a lot of my products that are on the C3 Corvettes.
Saginaw is now Nexteer. There was just an article in the Saginaw News this morning that indicated the Dodge Ram 1500 light duty had issued a purchase contract to Saginaw for electric steering for 2013. Nexteer (Saginaw) will be providing 90% of the steering systems for North American full size pickups by 2013.
When Saginaw was a Division of General Motors, there were a lot of companies (particularly Ford) that had a policy of not doing business with any of their direct competitors. Since the spin off from GM, Nexteer now produces all of the Ford F-series and Mustang steering columns.
I attend the Frankenmuth Car Show every year. Looking forward to September 7,8, & 9 again this year. Will try to particularly make Friday night the 7th.
Jim
Hey Jim, Why did't GM put a rubber grommet on the column end of the interlock cable?
This thread is quite old and Jim may not monitor all of the old threads he's posted on. Not sure how active he still is on here as well
Might be better to start a new thread with your question, maybe someone will be able to answer
M
I am alexandre I am in France and I have just bought a C3 corvette. unfortunately I have removed my steering column to reduce too much movement and since I can no longer switch my transmission to D, it is blocked in P. is this cable blocking me? I disassembled the key and all the steering system, did I put something wrong? thank you
I dismounted one end of the steering column and since impossible to move the gear lever, it is stuck on P.
I noticed a cable going from the steering column and going to the gear lever cable. Is this that could block my box? What's the point ?
Surrounded in blue is the mechanism on the steering column and in red on the side of the automatic gearbox
Thank you
That cable that goes to the column (blue in your picture) is related to the key.
If the key is not in RUN position, that cable prevents the transmission from shifting out of Park
Disconnect the cable at the BLUE end and it should allow it to shift
M
Thank you for your reply.
So since I have dismantled and reassembled the cylinder of the key in the steering column is wired and blocked. Do I have to reassemble the key cylinder? but then what to do to reassemble everything and make sure that the cable unlocks when I turn the key.
thanks a lot.
I just read all the post from your link.
What I understand is that the lever at the end of the cable is locked if the key is not in the run position.
In my case the lever is locked all the time since I reassembled my key cylinder. I would like to put it back as it was originally and therefore is the lever locked by this mechanism?
04-14-2012, 05:22 PM
Steering column lock cable.....
