Slop in steering before ragjoint
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From: Tucson AZ
Slop in steering before ragjoint
I have some slop in my steering that I have tracked down to the column itself. I locked a pair of vicegrips on the output end right out of the firewall and held the shaft while turning the steering wheel. There is about 1/2" of slop in the wheel where the vicegrips don't move. This is straight steering and not tilt/tele. Anyone know how to fix this problem.
Thanks,
Craig
Thanks,
Craig
Le Mans Master
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From: Brazos TX
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Re: Slop in steering before ragjoint (VetteNut72)
Is the steering wheel or it's hub loose? Are the splines tight? Perhaps it's the collapsible part of the column designed for impacts. I believe a sleeve slides over the shaft.
Team Owner
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From: Orange Park Florida
Re: Slop in steering before ragjoint (VetteNut72)
Nut, you know, on my '87--same basic design....I had a clunk in the steering, and finally traced to the tele part was not secure enough in tightening, allowed the wheel some slop in spinning, so I just tightened the star wheel on the adjustment ring, under the horn button, and the clunk went away....
GENE
GENE
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From: Tucson AZ
Re: Slop in steering before ragjoint (mrvette)
The wheel and hub are tight. The slop is somewhere in the column. Does the column involve some kind of spline/groove combination? I have never seen any replacement parts for the shaft. Anyone know of the column layout and where to get parts?
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From: Saginaw Michigan
Re: Slop in steering before ragjoint (VetteNut72)
The steering shaft consists of two pieces that are designed to collapse (or telescope) in a severe frontal collision. I'm not taking about the steering wheel telescoping parts. The collapsible part is down in the middle of the column under the dash. The upper part is a solid part. The lower part is hollow all the way down to the bolt-on steering flange. The two parts come together with mating flats and are very precision. Saginaw manufacturing also injected hot plastic into the junction of the two shafts to lock them together. The plastic keeps the shaft at a designed length and the plastic will shear when the two parts have to telescope in a collision.
My Saginaw engineering contacts tell me that the junction of those two shafts shouldn't rattle and shouldn't develope lash even if the plastic was sheared. (Of course, they may not have been talking about 25 to 30 year old parts.)
I really don't know if the shaft itself is serviced. I fear that since the whole column was designed to telescope and absorb energy in a collision, the shaft was probably not serviced separately.
I just looked up several steering shaft part numbers and none of them were listed by GMPartsDirect as a good part number. So I am afraid you are out of luck.
I will keep checking around if anyone at Saginaw knows of any "fixes" that have been developed for a loose joint.
[Modified by Jim Shea, 3:55 PM 6/21/2002]
My Saginaw engineering contacts tell me that the junction of those two shafts shouldn't rattle and shouldn't develope lash even if the plastic was sheared. (Of course, they may not have been talking about 25 to 30 year old parts.)
I really don't know if the shaft itself is serviced. I fear that since the whole column was designed to telescope and absorb energy in a collision, the shaft was probably not serviced separately.
I just looked up several steering shaft part numbers and none of them were listed by GMPartsDirect as a good part number. So I am afraid you are out of luck.
I will keep checking around if anyone at Saginaw knows of any "fixes" that have been developed for a loose joint.
[Modified by Jim Shea, 3:55 PM 6/21/2002]
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From: Tucson AZ
Re: Slop in steering before ragjoint (Jim Shea)
Jim,
Thanks for the info. I think next I will take the column out and see if I can take it apart to find where the slop is. Is the shaft easily removed from the column assembly? I don't want to buy a column but the slop is unbearable after a total rebuild of front end steering and suspension components.
Thanks for the info. I think next I will take the column out and see if I can take it apart to find where the slop is. Is the shaft easily removed from the column assembly? I don't want to buy a column but the slop is unbearable after a total rebuild of front end steering and suspension components.
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From: Saginaw Michigan
Re: Slop in steering before ragjoint (VetteNut72)
Go to http://www.corvettefaq.com and look under Steering. There is a paper with pictures:
Standard Column Disassembly Instructions
Standard Column Disassembly Pics 1 & 2
Standard Column Blowup Pic
They will get you to the point where you can get the steering shaft out of the column. You should remove the column from the car to perform the disassembly.
Also there is a paper entitled:
Adjust Dimmer and/or Ignition Switch - Dropping Strg Column and Adjusting
It will assist you in removing the column from the car.
PS: I left a message with one of my engineering contacts at Saginaw concerning your problem. Unfortunately, it must have been too late on a Friday. They didn't get back with me so far.
Standard Column Disassembly Instructions
Standard Column Disassembly Pics 1 & 2
Standard Column Blowup Pic
They will get you to the point where you can get the steering shaft out of the column. You should remove the column from the car to perform the disassembly.
Also there is a paper entitled:
Adjust Dimmer and/or Ignition Switch - Dropping Strg Column and Adjusting
It will assist you in removing the column from the car.
PS: I left a message with one of my engineering contacts at Saginaw concerning your problem. Unfortunately, it must have been too late on a Friday. They didn't get back with me so far.
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Pro
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Tucson AZ
Re: Slop in steering before ragjoint (Jim Shea)
Jim,
I havn't removed the column yet but I have had it out many times in the past but never knew how to take it apart. Should be easy based on your helpful information.
I will post when I get the shaft out and I'll let you know of its condition.
Thanks again,
Craig
I havn't removed the column yet but I have had it out many times in the past but never knew how to take it apart. Should be easy based on your helpful information.
I will post when I get the shaft out and I'll let you know of its condition.
Thanks again,
Craig