Steering Column

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Jul 3, 2013 | 07:51 PM

WGlen C4

Thread Starter

Instructor

Joined: Sep 2012

Posts: 249

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From: Watkins Glen NY

Steering Column

My steering column goes up and down if you pull on it. I never pull on it but I had a friend tell me that his brother had the same issue on a camaro and it totally came apart and he crashed his car because he had no steering.

The reason I never pull on it is because when I was young a older family member had a pet peeve about using the wheel to get in or out of the car. Just stuck with me.

Is this not normal? Is mine worn or broken? I thought it moved as a safety feature for crashes like a telescoping wheel.

Jul 3, 2013 | 07:59 PM

WVZR-1

Team Owner

Joined: Sep 2003

Posts: 25,394

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Quote:

Originally Posted by WGlen C4

With your hands on the steering wheel you should NOT be able to pull the wheel "towards" you or push it "away" from you. There's two slides on the column mounting bolts that if the column had been removed or worked on previously and NOT secured the column could slide on.

In this post the first snapshot you can see the aluminum guides that the column bolts through.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1557847121-post4.html

You need to check them and also there's a flange that is secured to the firewall at the column base. That is NOT in the image but if the top is loose the bottom must have issues also I'd think.

Last edited by WVZR-1; Jul 3, 2013 at 08:02 PM.

Jul 4, 2013 | 09:42 AM

WGlen C4

Thread Starter

Instructor

Joined: Sep 2012

Posts: 249

Likes: 2

From: Watkins Glen NY

This is more like the motion that the wheel can move when you pull the tilt wheel lever. it springs up and down if you pull it downwards.

Jul 4, 2013 | 10:39 AM

WVZR-1

Team Owner

Joined: Sep 2003

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Quote:

Originally Posted by WGlen C4

This is more like the motion that the wheel can move when you pull the tilt wheel lever. it springs up and down if you pull it downwards.

There is always a little of that at about 7 o'clock. That is where the spring is located for the tilt operation. There should be very little. If there's excessive that's an indicator that the pin bores in the housing are worn. That's the common wear/tear issue with using the steering wheel to exit the car.

It's not going to come apart like you've been told.

Jul 4, 2013 | 11:56 PM

Cliff Harris

Race Director

Joined: Apr 2002

Posts: 10,036

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From: Anaheim CA

There are several threads on the Forum on repairing this.

I never had the problem so I don't have a link to the threads. I started using my steering wheel to get out of my car after I pulled a muscle in my back many years ago. I have never had an issue with a loose steering wheel, but maybe weighing less than 190 lbs has something to do with that.

Jul 5, 2013 | 06:57 AM

eutu1984

Drifting

Joined: Jul 2009

Posts: 1,258

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From: Ashland PA

2021 C4 of the Year - Modified Finalist

here is a link that may help if you decide to repair you steering column.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4-t...pictorial.html

Jul 5, 2013 | 08:48 AM

Rob31

Burning Brakes

Joined: May 2010

Posts: 900

Likes: 3

From: Cary illinois

The most common is the four reverse torx bolts at the base of the collomn . Its a pain .
The second is the pin bores . I just did mine last night .

Jul 6, 2013 | 08:39 AM

dizwiz24

Race Director

Joined: Sep 2001

Posts: 14,679

Likes: 752

From: NEwhere Ohio

if your car is automatic, column shuft (which none of ours are), the problem is usualy the torx bolts come loose.

On our cars, its the more involved repair of replacng the forged alumnium housings due to elongated pin hole bores.

On mine, the pin at the 7 o'clock position was falling out when I took it apart.

Tom reina of corvette steering got me the parts and talked me thru this in dec 2011. Unfortunately he passed in jan 2012 (rip and thanks for the help)