Loose Steering Column
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 34
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Loose Steering Column
Working on a 1975 Corvette. Trying to tighten/fix a loose steering column with Tilt/telescopic column. I know I have posted this before but thought I was on the right track.
Disassembled the steering column and tightened the three or four bolts that were found loose. After putting the column back together the column was still a little loose. The column itself seemed tight but was loose at the tilt wheel area. There seemed to be a plastic/polyurethane bushing that looked to be worn. Could that be the problem ?? Or something else.
What would that piece be called and where can I found one ???
Disassembled the steering column and tightened the three or four bolts that were found loose. After putting the column back together the column was still a little loose. The column itself seemed tight but was loose at the tilt wheel area. There seemed to be a plastic/polyurethane bushing that looked to be worn. Could that be the problem ?? Or something else.
What would that piece be called and where can I found one ???
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,754
From: Charlotte NC
You pulled the pivot pins...correct???
The aluminum part that the pivot pins go into can be bad at the area where the pins go into it. If the pins were easily installed...this would be where the column can be moving from. This is assuming that your hub bearings are all good and you have used the races as designed. Hopefully you originally had all the correct parts that went onto the shaft before you installed the big spring for your lock plate. If the lock plate is not under tension...you can have some free-play.
The plastic union bushing in your main shaft of your column has nothing to do with this play.
I have also experienced the metal pins that are used to hold your tilt selection angle can be bent...or the teeth on the housing that actually catch on them can be badly worn also...due to people use the column to help hoist them out of the car.
I just repaired on not too long ago and this was the issue. The aluminum pivot...that the pivot pins go into...that you tighten the 4 screws on. The metal plate that those 4 screws go into is held in place by the mask jacket tube itself. The one I worked on was torn at the end of the mast jacket tube and allowing the metal plate to not be a secure foundation for the aluminum pivot part...thus allowing the column to have side to side and up and down play.
DUB
The aluminum part that the pivot pins go into can be bad at the area where the pins go into it. If the pins were easily installed...this would be where the column can be moving from. This is assuming that your hub bearings are all good and you have used the races as designed. Hopefully you originally had all the correct parts that went onto the shaft before you installed the big spring for your lock plate. If the lock plate is not under tension...you can have some free-play.
The plastic union bushing in your main shaft of your column has nothing to do with this play.
I have also experienced the metal pins that are used to hold your tilt selection angle can be bent...or the teeth on the housing that actually catch on them can be badly worn also...due to people use the column to help hoist them out of the car.
I just repaired on not too long ago and this was the issue. The aluminum pivot...that the pivot pins go into...that you tighten the 4 screws on. The metal plate that those 4 screws go into is held in place by the mask jacket tube itself. The one I worked on was torn at the end of the mast jacket tube and allowing the metal plate to not be a secure foundation for the aluminum pivot part...thus allowing the column to have side to side and up and down play.
DUB
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
Loose Column
Thanks DUB for the info. I am not doing this work myself. I will pass this info on to the mechanic that is working on the column. Thanks Again.
BigClaw
BigClaw
You pulled the pivot pins...correct???
The aluminum part that the pivot pins go into can be bad at the area where the pins go into it. If the pins were easily installed...this would be where the column can be moving from. This is assuming that your hub bearings are all good and you have used the races as designed. Hopefully you originally had all the correct parts that went onto the shaft before you installed the big spring for your lock plate. If the lock plate is not under tension...you can have some free-play.
The plastic union bushing in your main shaft of your column has nothing to do with this play.
I have also experienced the metal pins that are used to hold your tilt selection angle can be bent...or the teeth on the housing that actually catch on them can be badly worn also...due to people use the column to help hoist them out of the car.
I just repaired on not too long ago and this was the issue. The aluminum pivot...that the pivot pins go into...that you tighten the 4 screws on. The metal plate that those 4 screws go into is held in place by the mask jacket tube itself. The one I worked on was torn at the end of the mast jacket tube and allowing the metal plate to not be a secure foundation for the aluminum pivot part...thus allowing the column to have side to side and up and down play.
DUB
The aluminum part that the pivot pins go into can be bad at the area where the pins go into it. If the pins were easily installed...this would be where the column can be moving from. This is assuming that your hub bearings are all good and you have used the races as designed. Hopefully you originally had all the correct parts that went onto the shaft before you installed the big spring for your lock plate. If the lock plate is not under tension...you can have some free-play.
The plastic union bushing in your main shaft of your column has nothing to do with this play.
I have also experienced the metal pins that are used to hold your tilt selection angle can be bent...or the teeth on the housing that actually catch on them can be badly worn also...due to people use the column to help hoist them out of the car.
I just repaired on not too long ago and this was the issue. The aluminum pivot...that the pivot pins go into...that you tighten the 4 screws on. The metal plate that those 4 screws go into is held in place by the mask jacket tube itself. The one I worked on was torn at the end of the mast jacket tube and allowing the metal plate to not be a secure foundation for the aluminum pivot part...thus allowing the column to have side to side and up and down play.
DUB
