Steering Wheel Loose in Column
 

Hello. My new to me 66 has some up and down play with the wheel through the column. There is no steering issue or lack of response but the wheel and whatever it attaches to wiggles in the column. If you turn more than half way it makes a small squeak and I would describe the feel as slightly springy. I have a short video but can’t figure out how to attach it. Does anyone have any thoughts? Thanks in advance.

Sounds like your upper and lower barringa are shot. Long Island Corvette has a good diagram of the columns to help

:iagree:

Keith is probably correct.

Mine were. The wheel was loose and squeaked, but steered fine. Pulling a non-telescoping column is very easy, and replacing the bearings a simple job.

More importantly, the lower bearing can tear up your steering shaft when it fails - this was shown just last week in a similar thread.

See below pics of a scary-looking steering shaft:

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...n-turning.html

(this thread was last week - search is a great utility)

Might simply be that the lower column clamp is not adjusted properly. It needs to have pressure on the spring to take the play out of the upper bearing.


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...27792ddead.jpg

I have a friend with a 66, telescopic steering, with the same issue. We took it apart and the upper bearing rollers were chewed up and falling out into the hub.

Awesome! Thanks. I couldn’t find an article on directions to pull the column. Would I be able to find that in a shop book?

I found an article on column removal by searching this forum, but it's been a while.

Is this it?
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...f1f2777a0b.png

I don't think you will know what is loose until you tear into it. Plenty of U-tube videos that give you an idea of what to expect. You will need a couple of specialty tools that are fairly inexpensive and a good large vise will help hold the column while you disassemble and then reassemble the column.

Good luck.

Don't blow by BUNS advice in post #3, he's a smart guy and it would only take a minute to adjust the clamp and see if that resolves the issue... I see a ton of cars with the clamp misadjusted...that clamp is what "preloads" the bearings and ensures they seat correctly..

Awesome! Thanks. Will do.

I’m not real clear in the adjustment piece. Can anyone give me a quick explanation. Thanks in advance.

There is a collar clamp on the steering column in the engine bay that sits on the steering shaft itself, it holds spring tension against the lower bearing and therefore the entire steering wheel mast jacket all the way up to the upper bearing under the steering wheel nut. It centers and preloads the entire assembly... The clamp should be adjusted so that a feeler gauge between the spring coils is between 0.010 and 0.030 of an inch... Its one of those jobs that takes three hands.

To do it, I cut some sheet metal stock that is 0.020" thick and make a "saddle" to sit between the spring coils and I tape it in place temporarily so I don't need that third hand then its just a matter of muscling the clamp rearward until the homemade "shim" is snug in the coils and then tighten the clamp..but you can certainly use a feeler gauge at 0.020" as well..

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...91cb87eb33.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...3fc29bf9a5.jpg
If you make this adjustment and there is no binding, crunching or movement in the steering shaft then I'd say you're home free...

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...8483a4f27f.jpg
This was my steering shaft when I pulled it last year...like the above post. Don't keep driving it until you check the bearings. The lower bearing was completely gone and cutting the shaft in half and as you said..didn't steer poorly.

Timely post as I'm in the middle of this job myself. How do you go about getting the lower shaft bearing and collar out of the steering column after the steering shaft has been pulled out from the top?

Thanks!

Its been a while but I thought you just tapped around the perimeter of the collar in a few spots with a screwdriver or the like and it pops out....??

Ok, that's kind of what I assumed but wanted to verify before I went and mangled anything. I didn't see anything in the AIM specifying a technique or procedure.

Yeah, it’s really low tech.

I see the collar clamp and it doesn’t look like it’s pitting any tension in the spring. Does that make sense?
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...93d56c252.jpeg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...47f206186.jpeg

I don’t see a spring there and if there is the clamp is too tight. You may have other problems though. You have an inordinate amount of rust at the bearing and I’m not sure you can assume it’s ok.

There should also be a washer there above the spring that prevents damage. See item 19 on the “A” exploded view in post # 5 above. That washer is very important. If it’s missing the spring can destroy the bearing - I’ve seen it before.