Locked Column
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 831
Likes: 0
From: Country Boys Can Survive.
use the above suggestions to unlock the column. then buy the column lock bypass, install it yourself, and you will "bond" with your corvette. you will have overcome the dreaded "column lock"! i didn't take it seriously, thought it could wait, then, when i least expected it, it locked. now it's not a problem, and I FIXED IT MYSELF!!! with some help from this forum!
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,315
Likes: 1,585
From: Western NY
Originally Posted by Cajun99
I find it simply incredible. Good God, WTF does it take to get this message across!!! :ackIf you read the post that I put up this past Monday, regarding my experience with the CLB, you'd realize that it isn't the absolute solution to the problem.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 6,213
Likes: 1
From: South Alabama
Originally Posted by leadfoot4
If you read the post that I put up this past Monday, regarding my experience with the CLB, you'd realize that it isn't the absolute solution to the problem.
You didn't install it correctly.
It has been the absolute solution for the vast majority, with the exception of some '97/'98 models, and when properly installed renders the CL useless and painless.
I've been using them in C5s for years without a single problem and so could others if they'd heed the advice.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 5,374
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville Florida
Originally Posted by Cajun99
I absolutely agree in theory...nothing wrong with being a noob and asking questions....but this topic is ancient and very well discussed over the last few years.
Before I joined way back when I lurked and also am capable of using a site's SEARCH feature and still do. Usually someone, somewhere on this Forum has experienced nearly anything you might have a question about and it can be found by searching.
While lurking I read about the CLB and then SEARCHED it and lo and behold there were dozens of posts. And that was in 2001.
I had a CLB in my Vette before I joined just because I know how to read...and then act.
Before I joined way back when I lurked and also am capable of using a site's SEARCH feature and still do. Usually someone, somewhere on this Forum has experienced nearly anything you might have a question about and it can be found by searching.
While lurking I read about the CLB and then SEARCHED it and lo and behold there were dozens of posts. And that was in 2001.
I had a CLB in my Vette before I joined just because I know how to read...and then act.
No problem Cuz. And we do agree on a lot of things. Sometimes the posts we see make me wonder if some people have ever even driven a car let alone a Corvette.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 308
Likes: 0
From: Greenville SC
Originally Posted by CAJUNY2KC5
I think we'll see posts on locked columns as long as there are new CF members and/or folks new to C5s.
It's not doing any of us any good to beat them over the head over a known problem when they ask for help just because we either knew about it before, experienced it or corrected it before they did.
Why would a new member return to this Forum for help if they got blasted for asking a totally ligitimate question or for some help from more experienced owners?
I thought the idea here was to share knowledge and experience to be of some help to fellow Corvette people not to blast people for asking basic questions.
If not, then maybe CF should start a section on "Used Questions" and move all those posts on locked columns, gas gauge problems, EMTs, born on dates, mods, build sheets, new owners and people not waving back to that area.
Wouldn't be much fun, though.
It's not doing any of us any good to beat them over the head over a known problem when they ask for help just because we either knew about it before, experienced it or corrected it before they did.
Why would a new member return to this Forum for help if they got blasted for asking a totally ligitimate question or for some help from more experienced owners?
I thought the idea here was to share knowledge and experience to be of some help to fellow Corvette people not to blast people for asking basic questions.
If not, then maybe CF should start a section on "Used Questions" and move all those posts on locked columns, gas gauge problems, EMTs, born on dates, mods, build sheets, new owners and people not waving back to that area.
Wouldn't be much fun, though.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,315
Likes: 1,585
From: Western NY
Originally Posted by Cajun99
Ok, I did...and based on what you wrote I concur with the other's in that post.
You didn't install it correctly.
You didn't install it correctly.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 260
Likes: 0
From: Palm Bay Fl
Attention everyone:
As of this time, all questions on anything regarding the C5 have been asked at one time or another, so now this site will be come an Archive only. No new posts will be premitted, and only the Search function will be active.
That'd be a lot of fun, huh??
Get real. The guy comes to ask a question because his car became immovable, and people give him a hard time? If you see a title of a thread that says "Column locked!!! Need help", you DON'T HAVE TO CLICK ON THE LINK!! Let the other people help the guy, rather than coming in and saying "DO A SEARCH!", or "Why haven't you installed the bypass?!?!?!"
Every question has been asked, even the ones YOU will ask. What makes the forum a fun place to go is that we can all talk about stuff, OR NOT if you don't feel like talking about it because you think it's a used up subject. But some new guys haven't heard of it before, so it's fresh to them.
-Dave C. '04 Z06
As of this time, all questions on anything regarding the C5 have been asked at one time or another, so now this site will be come an Archive only. No new posts will be premitted, and only the Search function will be active.
That'd be a lot of fun, huh??
Get real. The guy comes to ask a question because his car became immovable, and people give him a hard time? If you see a title of a thread that says "Column locked!!! Need help", you DON'T HAVE TO CLICK ON THE LINK!! Let the other people help the guy, rather than coming in and saying "DO A SEARCH!", or "Why haven't you installed the bypass?!?!?!"
Every question has been asked, even the ones YOU will ask. What makes the forum a fun place to go is that we can all talk about stuff, OR NOT if you don't feel like talking about it because you think it's a used up subject. But some new guys haven't heard of it before, so it's fresh to them.
-Dave C. '04 Z06
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 6,213
Likes: 1
From: South Alabama
Originally Posted by Dave C. '04 Z06
...rather than coming in and saying "DO A SEARCH!", or "Why haven't you installed the bypass?!?!?!"
But some new guys haven't heard of it before, so it's fresh to them.
But some new guys haven't heard of it before, so it's fresh to them.
So asking them to do a search or to install it is a reasonable response to "My column locked...has anyone experienced this?"
I've got several thousand posts on this Forum of which several hundred were posts to help folks with questions by posting information, pics or links to help them correct their problem so I don't have any qualms about helping if I can. The CLB issue is the most documented topic on this Forum and it doesn't take anyone, even a new person, five minutes to get enough information to gag on.
Last edited by Cajun99; Jul 23, 2004 at 10:48 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 6,213
Likes: 1
From: South Alabama
Originally Posted by leadfoot4
I respectfully disagree. It's a very straightforward, failry simple procedure. I don't see how anyone with any degree of mechanical ability can install it incorrectly. In MY car, it just didn't work.
You had stated..."It seems that the CLB had somehow started to allow the "pin" or whatever, to come out slightly, and start hitting the column. Good thing it didn't lock up on me!!"....based on that, I and a few others, came to the conclusion it wasn't installed properly or completely etc.
The CL completely retracts and is disabled electrically and it's impossible for the CLB to have any effect on the lock mechanism once it's disconnected. They are isolated from one another.
Possibly the lock pin moved due to some other reason.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 5,683
Likes: 1
From: Houston Texas
Call me crazy, but I'm not installing the CLB until it bites me. If I can get a temporary fix by yanking on the steering wheel, I'll do that, then order the part. I just hope that's ok with everyone else
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,315
Likes: 1,585
From: Western NY
Originally Posted by Cajun99
Possibly the lock pin moved due to some other reason.
My 'Vette isn't a daily driver, but since I was off from work for a couple of weeks, I drove the car most every day during that time. After I took the CLB out, the car was fine for the remainder of my vacation.
I may try installing the CLB again, as it's not a big job to do. However, I think I'll study the shop manual first, to see how the lock mechanism is supposed to work. If it's not a huge deal, maybe I'll remove it entirely. Then again, I'm back to work, with the 10-12 hour days, so spare time is once again in short supply....
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 17,541
Likes: 2
From: Manhattan, KS Missing SoCal since 2005
Originally Posted by dbirdz06
Call me crazy, but I'm not installing the CLB until it bites me. If I can get a temporary fix by yanking on the steering wheel, I'll do that, then order the part. I just hope that's ok with everyone else
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 7,096
Likes: 153
From: "Atlanta" Ga.
Originally Posted by Cajun99
I find it simply incredible. Good God, WTF does it take to get this message across!!! :ackI have it I just can't install it until they take this dang cast off my hand
I guess I'm not risking much I can't drive it either
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
From: hilton head is. sc
My neighbor had his lock (2001) several times after three yrs. He order his kit from Thunder Racing. I have an 03 (6sp). Ordered mine today. He is going to install it for me. I have been told also that sooner are later it will happen so I figure why wait. 55.99 from Thunder Racing.
Drifting
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 1,917
Likes: 3
From: Southern NH
Originally Posted by Cajun99
[b]
I understand your point BUT...there are four posts regarding CLB problems on the first page alone....too many to count on the next five or six...and there's even a POLL on the issue. You'd have to be blind to not have heard of it even if the person had only spent thirty minutes glancing through the current threads.
So asking them to do a search or to install it is a reasonable response to "My column locked...has anyone experienced this?"
I've got several thousand posts on this Forum of which several hundred were posts to help folks with questions by posting information, pics or links to help them correct their problem so I don't have any qualms about helping if I can. The CLB issue is the most documented topic on this Forum and it doesn't take anyone, even a new person, five minutes to get enough information to gag on.
I understand your point BUT...there are four posts regarding CLB problems on the first page alone....too many to count on the next five or six...and there's even a POLL on the issue. You'd have to be blind to not have heard of it even if the person had only spent thirty minutes glancing through the current threads.
So asking them to do a search or to install it is a reasonable response to "My column locked...has anyone experienced this?"
I've got several thousand posts on this Forum of which several hundred were posts to help folks with questions by posting information, pics or links to help them correct their problem so I don't have any qualms about helping if I can. The CLB issue is the most documented topic on this Forum and it doesn't take anyone, even a new person, five minutes to get enough information to gag on.
I agree with you 100%. I have also been here for quite some time and have no problem with helping people with problems. The issue here isn't that people ask for help, but in this case they are so damn ignorant of the issue, it's history, the solutions, and so lazy to do some basic homework first, that it's just ridiculous.
I guess it's just the way it is.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 5,374
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville Florida
Originally Posted by JC in XTC5
Cajun:
I agree with you 100%. I have also been here for quite some time and have no problem with helping people with problems. The issue here isn't that people ask for help, but in this case they are so damn ignorant of the issue, it's history, the solutions, and so lazy to do some basic homework first, that it's just ridiculous.
I guess it's just the way it is.
I agree with you 100%. I have also been here for quite some time and have no problem with helping people with problems. The issue here isn't that people ask for help, but in this case they are so damn ignorant of the issue, it's history, the solutions, and so lazy to do some basic homework first, that it's just ridiculous.
I guess it's just the way it is.
Readily admitting that I simply don't know all of that history or all of the solutions there is no reason for me to post any questions, suggestions or anything else. I've only had the car a little over a year which I guess is my own fault, too.
But this lets me know that elsewhere is where I need to be for answers or help on questions that may have been previously asked.
Thanks.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 5,407
Likes: 1
From: HONOLULU HAWAII
We were all new at one time and for some, this is their first time owning a Corvette. Finding this forum is a god send as far as getting advice from experienced owners. It takes a little while to become familiar with the features of the forum such as the search engine, especially if your column locks up and you want answers now.
So I agree, cut these guys some slack. If you are that frustrated by their post, dont read or respond. It would have taken less time to provide them with a helpful link instead of expressing your frustration with their ignorance on the matter.
Just my 2 cents....
Aloha
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,427
Likes: 2
From: Fountain Inn, South Carolina
Originally Posted by dbirdz06
Call me crazy, but I'm not installing the CLB until it bites me. If I can get a temporary fix by yanking on the steering wheel, I'll do that, then order the part. I just hope that's ok with everyone else
It's OK with me....
.... Just don't do a post crying about it when it happens 
And hopeful you will find yourself in Texas 5 miles from home and not in LA California
Last edited by George8211; Jul 23, 2004 at 10:21 PM.