Choreo

This is a carrover from a question I posted on another thread.

I had the Dealership replaced my Harmonic Balancer yesterday and when I picked the car up there is now about a 1-inch slack in the steering wheel when the car is going straight. In other words, I can turn the steering wheel back and forth while moving in a straight line and nothing happens until I steer hard left or right. I understand they had to remove part of the crossmember/steering components to access the Balancer, but what did they not get back in right? The reason I am asking here is because I don't think they know?

Also, is it "safe" to drive at all in this condition?

DidntSettle

Take it back. I had the dealer replace my balancer and experienced nothing like that.

beav626

check the DIC to see if there are any codes...
It is possible that they let the steering wheel spin before the re attached it and now it is not centered.

This should be an easy fix if they know what they are doing.

Choreo

It appears to be perfectly centered - it is just that I can move it right and left and nothing happens (I get no resistance and the wheels do not turn either direction) until the steering wheel position moves about 1/2" off center in either direction?

Just thought maybe someone here would know what would cause this so that I could tell them what to look for since I really don't think they know what they did wrong?

99FewteRC5

check the steering shaft pinch bolt that goes into the steering gear. may be loose or not on the shaft right. it could just be a click off.

redazz

check you steering rack to see if it has been reattached properly it could be loose
john

Choreo

Is this the "Pinch Bolt"?



If so, what is its purpose? Is it something like a "set screw" that is not really necessary for the steering to work, but just takes up the slack where I guess a splined shaft loosly attaches? Never seen what these look like disassembled? If this is its purpose that might very well be what is wrong. (Also, probably easy for a dealer to forget during reassembly).

Dan_the_C5_Man

This is a fairly common problem.. More than likely the pinch bolt you've identified above is the culprit.. You need to really crank it down, otherwise there will be quite a bit of play between the inside post on the steering gear and the outside tube tied to the steering wheel.

Choreo

This is starting to look like the culprit. Does anyone have a photo of the end of the steering gear showing how it fits into the lower column at the mating point? Does the steering gear have teeth, is it a spline or just a square end?

Can I mess something up by tightening the Pinch Bolt right now? Does it need to be in a certain relationship to the steering gear end? I am just flying blind without a photo of how these two pieces look when apart? My Helm Manuals show nothing but a small sketch - useless for this.

Choreo

Dan and 99FewteRC5,

Thanks for the Pinch Bolt tip - that "apparently" was the problem. It did not feel loose using my Snap-On 3/8" rachet with a 13mm socket, but the Helm Manual said to torque it to 25 ft.lbs so I got out the torque wrench and it felt like it might have been at about 15 ft.lbs. Took it up to 25 and problem seems to have gone away! Hope that is all it was!

Thanks again - just hope the shaft was seated properly before I cranked it down - don't have any way of knowing since I don't know how these two parts actually connect prior to tightening?

see5

I don't know why anyone would take that splined connection apart when the shaft flat connection above it is so much easier and more positive?
Anyway, glad you got it fixed.

davidfarmer

I agree, check the pinch bolt. If it is loose, it will still work, but the steering will be sloppy.

Oh never mind, see yoiu fixed it. If it was on at all, it is correct. It will only go on 2 ways, the right way, and 180 degress off. If it was 180 degrees off, your steering wheel would be upside down.

Choreo

This is good to know!

beav626

glad you got it fixed.

99FewteRC5

Choreo

It has been one week now and everything working great - so the Pinch Bolt was my problem!

Nowayman

I have the same problem.

The Corvette specialist that I use looked at it yesterday and thinks that the universal joint at the steering rack is worn because the column moves and the splined end coming out of the rack doesn't.

I'll have to find and check the pinch bolt that you speak of.

Nowayman

I tightened the pinch bolt and my loose steering problem went away. Thanks guys!

NITRO UK

hi
Been there done that to myself.just used a ratchet and tighten the bolt up.it does feel like its tight.THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS THEY GIVE US A TQ SETTING NUMBER.When i used a tq wrench it pinches the
clamp up,bends the metal against the shaft.shame i didnt see this post
right away Glade you got it sorted

Ho0osierdaddy

I have the same problem but I may have a bigger issue when I crank the pinch bolt down the whole shaft turns and goes crooked. Does that make sense by my description? It seems to me it should be straight nit knuckled out ?