76 Tilt Steering Column Needs Help
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
76 Tilt Steering Column Needs Help
Guys .... I have a tilt steering column assemby in my '76 that's got some grevious internal malady; you can grab the steering wheel and have the whole column, from the tilt lever upwards, orbit all about its range of travel. I little disconcerting when driving. I need to remove the column and either rebuild or replace it. I’ve seen no column internal parts for sale anywhere, although I have seen bearings mentioned but I suspect this is more than a bearing problem. Anyone heard of this? Any tech tips around on column removal?
Thanks to all that forwarded advice to me on replacing the power steering valve … that worked out well.
Regards, Mike
,
Thanks to all that forwarded advice to me on replacing the power steering valve … that worked out well.
Regards, Mike
,
Racer
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 425
Likes: 1
From: South Elgin, IL, USA
I have a similar problem with my 76 T&T. It moves up and down about 3/8 to 1/2 inch but no sideways movement when locked. I plan on rebuilding it this winter. What do I look for when I inspect the internals?
Greg
Greg
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Greg ... 3/8 doesn't sound too bad - yet. At least it certainly beats the heck out of the 4-6 inches (literally) of side-to-side travel I now have. I'm not sure what to look for ... I'm frankly not too sure how to get the thing out and disassemble it yet -- although that's always the easy part, isn't it? One big issue is that once it's disassembled, if are there constituent parts available.
Mike
Mike
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 24,160
Likes: 78
http://www.corvettefaq.com/c3/T&TColumnD&R125AU04.doc
This is main document of Jim Shea's writeups on T&T column repair.
You can find the rest of them here towards the bottom of the page (look for "Tilt & Telescoping...")
http://www.corvettefaq.com/listing.asp?group=7
These guides are golden. Myself and many others have followed them.
This is main document of Jim Shea's writeups on T&T column repair.
You can find the rest of them here towards the bottom of the page (look for "Tilt & Telescoping...")
http://www.corvettefaq.com/listing.asp?group=7
These guides are golden. Myself and many others have followed them.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 687
Likes: 0
From: Atascadero Ca
go to the corvettefaq.com
hit steering
scroll all the way to the bottom
read all the tilt column assembly repair papers, they are absolutely fantastic. There are word documents with diagrams there as well. Good luck. If you have strong thumbs you don't even need any special tools. You'll see what i mean as soon as you get the steering wheel off.
hit steering
scroll all the way to the bottom
read all the tilt column assembly repair papers, they are absolutely fantastic. There are word documents with diagrams there as well. Good luck. If you have strong thumbs you don't even need any special tools. You'll see what i mean as soon as you get the steering wheel off.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 113
From: Saginaw Michigan
The very first Tilt & Telescoping Steering Column Disassembly and Repair paper has a series of simple tests that you can conduct on your steering column. They should give you some ballpark ideas as to where the problem is and how to fix your looseness.
One basic problem has been the tilt support screws loosening and just needing to be locktited and retightened. That is the good news.
The bad news is that it is recommended that you remove the column from your car and disassemble the column upper end to access the screws.
The other good news - dropping and removing the column as well as a step by step procedure to tear down the column and tighten the four support screws are all included in the three papers.
My papers are quite wordy - lots of reading - but they are quite complete.
Good luck,
Just remember, more help is only a download or a Forum post away!
One basic problem has been the tilt support screws loosening and just needing to be locktited and retightened. That is the good news.
The bad news is that it is recommended that you remove the column from your car and disassemble the column upper end to access the screws.
The other good news - dropping and removing the column as well as a step by step procedure to tear down the column and tighten the four support screws are all included in the three papers.
My papers are quite wordy - lots of reading - but they are quite complete.
Good luck,
Just remember, more help is only a download or a Forum post away!
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 113
From: Saginaw Michigan
You need to try and understand what your problem is. There is no kit to just rebuild the T&T steering column. A very common problem is that four screws that attach the pivot support to the steering column jacket loosen with time. You need to disassemble the upper end of the steering column in order to locktite the screws and tighten them.
Download this paper: http://www.corvettefaq.com/c3/T&TColumnD&R125AU04.doc
It will provide a start.
Jim
Download this paper: http://www.corvettefaq.com/c3/T&TColumnD&R125AU04.doc
It will provide a start.
Jim
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Column Pieces/Parts
Well, column disassembly is the weekend project - that and tearing down the passenger door internals to replace that missing window bushing - and while I'm at it, the door lock, handle mechanism, fasteners and seals -- which raises the question: is there a single window seal kit that has everything? Aalso looking for good tech tips on electric window repairs.
I definitely agree that the column switches are getting renewed under the "as long as I've got this apart/while I'm at it" policy, which I'm well acquainted with after years of Harley ownership.
Mike
I definitely agree that the column switches are getting renewed under the "as long as I've got this apart/while I'm at it" policy, which I'm well acquainted with after years of Harley ownership.
Mike
