C4 Tech/Performance L98 Corvette and LT1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine

Steering wheel won't lock

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Old Aug 17, 2023 | 07:03 PM
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Default Steering wheel won't lock

On my 90 automatic (except with a six speed steering column)

It locked before I uninstalled the components necessary to replace my turn signal multifunction switch.

Got it all back together and now the wheel won't lock when I turn the car off.

Also feels loke something is getting hung up when I go to start the car.

It starts, but something catches right when I turn the key over to turn over the starter.

Any ideas on why it won't lock now?

Is it ignition related?

Thanks for any input.
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Old Aug 17, 2023 | 09:39 PM
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Sounds like the lock pin isn't installed correctly
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Old Aug 17, 2023 | 10:01 PM
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Originally Posted by s carter
Sounds like the lock pin isn't installed correctly
Thanks!

I don't see anything here that says ''lock pin'' though...




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Old Aug 17, 2023 | 10:06 PM
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I see a '' Steering Wheel Lock Shoe'' mentioned twice.

34 & 35.

I didn't go that far into it when I swapped out the multifunction switch, though.



Last edited by Natty C; Aug 17, 2023 at 10:19 PM. Reason: Typos...
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Old Aug 17, 2023 | 10:28 PM
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#32 Bolt & #33 the spring
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Old Aug 17, 2023 | 10:30 PM
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Originally Posted by s carter
#32 Bolt & #33 the spring
Thanks!

I'll pull the wheel again and check it out.
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Old Aug 17, 2023 | 10:36 PM
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Originally Posted by Natty C
Thanks!

I'll pull the wheel again and check it out.
​​​​​​ Once you have the wheel off and your looking at the lock plate, when you turn to Start/run you should see the bolt come out of the teeth of plate and the opposite when key removed
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Old Aug 18, 2023 | 03:21 PM
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Originally Posted by s carter
​​​​​​ Once you have the wheel off and your looking at the lock plate, when you turn to Start/run you should see the bolt come out of the teeth of plate and the opposite when key removed
I tore it down again. Didn't see any movement at all on that lock pin when I was turning the key on and off.

Also, the clicking noise I was able to pinpoint once it was apart. It's directly in the vicinity of that spring, I can feel it and hear it right there. So not anything to do with the ignition itself, thankfully.

So...at that point it was either pull the column housing forward and watch the dimmer switch fall to the floor again in order to see around back there at that spring or put it back together without pulling the housing and mess with it another day. I went with the latter and went for a spirited drive since 1 - I mainly didn't feel like screwing around with that dimmer actuater that just floats in there and 2 - because it's been parked for two months. Hopefully the wheel won't lock up when I'm driving between now and whenever I get around to messing with that pin and spring. Might try to put it off until the rear end of the Fall season.

But that must be the problem. Has to be, since that pin didn't move at all. Thanks for chiming in, appreciate the help.


Looks like this is the best view of it in the FSM...






Last edited by Natty C; Aug 18, 2023 at 03:58 PM.
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Old Aug 18, 2023 | 05:28 PM
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Odds are you forget to put the little tab on the spring into the rack gear and didn't hook the springs other hook to the lock rod bolt.
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Old Aug 18, 2023 | 05:58 PM
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Page 34 & 35 in this 'typical' Saginaw tilt should help you. It's NOT a C4 column but typically the Saginaw Tilt is meant to be easily serviced. For the most part it is.

https://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/...ck_Rebuild.pdf
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Old Aug 18, 2023 | 10:40 PM
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Originally Posted by s carter
Odds are you forget to put the little tab on the spring into the rack gear and didn't hook the springs other hook to the lock rod bolt.
I didn't even mess with any of that stuff.

But when I was cussing for three days trying to get that dimmer actuator to line up and stay put my fingers were all over the place. That spring is right in that area, too, so I may have knocked it out of whack.

When I took it out today, I made one left hand U-turn and at the end of the turn I heard a pop in there. Or a crack. No sure which. Hopefully it was a pop and not a crack.
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Old Aug 18, 2023 | 10:47 PM
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Originally Posted by WVZR-1
Page 34 & 35 in this 'typical' Saginaw tilt should help you. It's NOT a C4 column but typically the Saginaw Tilt is meant to be easily serviced. For the most part it is.

https://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/...ck_Rebuild.pdf
There's some good pictures in that file. Hopefully the springs on these aren't as complicated. I could fish with that thing.

Looks similar, though, comparing it to the rudimentary drawing in the FSM.

I get the gist of how it works, though. Thanks for that.

I went through my phone and saw that I did take one picture of it as far as I went on the initial teardown..

I didn't get a picture from the side like they did in the pictures in that file you shared, though...

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Old Aug 18, 2023 | 11:36 PM
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You have a good picture though of the spring I feel is in question, it's on the left side and it shows the screw mounting the tab into the gear and the jist of where it mounts to the pin
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