steering column
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
From: indiana
steering column
hi, i might picked up a fairly nice 90 convert. the only thing that concerns me is that the steering column has a lot of movement in it.it steers fine but the column has a lot of play.the owner said that many of the c4's have this because people pull on the steering wheel to help themselves out of the car.anyone have any thoughts if this is common?by the way."hi,i just found this forum.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 2,619
Likes: 1
From: Whidbey Island Washington
hi, i might picked up a fairly nice 90 convert. the only thing that concerns me is that the steering column has a lot of movement in it.it steers fine but the column has a lot of play.the owner said that many of the c4's have this because people pull on the steering wheel to help themselves out of the car.anyone have any thoughts if this is common?by the way."hi,i just found this forum.
You'll get a good understanding of the problem and complexity of repair at this site http://domesticmisfits.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=124
It's a labor intense and complex job to replace a couple inexpensive parts...not for the amature esp on cars with air bags. I've heard estimates of >$500 to repair. I drove my '84 ElCamino over 50K miles after the steering column started the wobbly. Nothing happened but I sure worried. Don't know of any actually breaking or any injuries resulting.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 9,922
Likes: 38
From: South Carolina
St. Jude Donor '03 & '05
The owner is partially correct but IMHO the real cause of the wobbly steering column is a poorly designed tilt link assembly with weak metal used for the left and right tilt column pivot pins. This is not unique to C4s but to ALL GM products from that era with adjustable steering columns.
You'll get a good understanding of the problem and complexity of repair at this site http://domesticmisfits.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=124
It's a labor intense and complex job to replace a couple inexpensive parts...not for the amature esp on cars with air bags. I've heard estimates of >$500 to repair. I drove my '84 ElCamino over 50K miles after the steering column started the wobbly. Nothing happened but I sure worried. Don't know of any actually breaking or any injuries resulting.
You'll get a good understanding of the problem and complexity of repair at this site http://domesticmisfits.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=124
It's a labor intense and complex job to replace a couple inexpensive parts...not for the amature esp on cars with air bags. I've heard estimates of >$500 to repair. I drove my '84 ElCamino over 50K miles after the steering column started the wobbly. Nothing happened but I sure worried. Don't know of any actually breaking or any injuries resulting.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 2,619
Likes: 1
From: Whidbey Island Washington
with a larger diameter near the other end and a small lip on the outer end.
The tough part is getting the tilt linkage out to where you can access the pins. Replacing it with a custom pin probably would not be cost effective. The stock pin if replaced with another stock pin will last another 70-90K miles and is not expensive. It's just a shame that when GM made this assembly in the eighties they could have used a stronger pin so it'd last for a couple hundred thousand miles...but then few auto manufacturers want to make cars that would last that long
It's not only used by some just to get in and out of their cars but in the case of the C4 the pin gets a lot of extreme pressure on it in racing etc. How'd you like to have one break in an race when you are cruising along at ~140mph?
Last edited by ZRWON; Jan 1, 2008 at 12:32 PM.
Safety Car
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From: The reason time exists is so everything doesn't happen at once
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
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From: South Carolina
St. Jude Donor '03 & '05
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 908
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From: Colorado Springs Colorado
I've only torn one column apart, but the tilt pivot pins were steel, and in fine shape. The housing they go into was potmetal. Potmetal is way too soft and easily deforms allowing the pins to draw out of the holes they are pressed into.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 9,922
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From: South Carolina
St. Jude Donor '03 & '05
Of course a used column is probably cheaper.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 908
Likes: 1
From: Colorado Springs Colorado
Getting a new housing from GM is unlikey, most of these parts are discontinued. Try re-seating the pins first and see if that holds. A complete column tear down is very tedious even if you can locate replacement parts.
BTW, a used column is likely to arrive ruined unless you get one from someone who knows what they are doing. The column is very delicate once removed from the car. The lower shaft has thin plastic shear pins that will break from even a light tap on the bottom during removal or shipping. Repairing that requires yet another expensive and/or discontinued part.
BTW, a used column is likely to arrive ruined unless you get one from someone who knows what they are doing. The column is very delicate once removed from the car. The lower shaft has thin plastic shear pins that will break from even a light tap on the bottom during removal or shipping. Repairing that requires yet another expensive and/or discontinued part.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: middle of nowhere Pa
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St. Jude Donor '06
Here is the part that needs to be replaced, might want to also include a set of bearings as well. http://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb....Z5Z5Z50000050F
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 908
Likes: 1
From: Colorado Springs Colorado
I wish I'd known they still had some of those last winter when my column was torn apart on the kitchen counter 
Anyway, that's a great price on a hard to find part - I ordered one to put on the shelf in case my pins work loose again
Anyway, that's a great price on a hard to find part - I ordered one to put on the shelf in case my pins work loose again
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 9,922
Likes: 38
From: South Carolina
St. Jude Donor '03 & '05
Here is the part that needs to be replaced, might want to also include a set of bearings as well. http://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb....Z5Z5Z50000050F
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 20,178
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From: middle of nowhere Pa
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Cruise-In VII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '06
Never thought to look into other years, I did however get one from them for my '84 