Tilt Steering Column

Thanks Ken...You guys just saved me $275. I'll do it myself. Just goes to show what a great site this is. Thanks again

Do you have a diagram?  There is one in the 53-82 GM parts manual.  If you don't have that manual, let me know and I will send you a CD.  There should also be one in the aim manual, but I haven't looked to be sure.

Thanks for the offer Ken, you sent me a CD manual last week but I haven't received it as of yet. Any day I suspect. When it gets here I'll have Rob (hubby) give it a look. Thanks again.

When it comes back from corvette steering service, all you need to do is paint it.  It got new bearings, new Ign key lock, new thingys that lock the telescope part down, new horn ring hardware ( plastic)that breaks in every column sooner or later. Mine works great, I just did not want to tackle this job. There were other things wrong with the column, the turn signal would not cancel, needed a new paint job bad....etc

Good luck my friend

Hello again everyone...well the saga continuies...took the column apart and found the 3 screws, but they were tight. Tightened them anyway...still have a wobble in the column...The problem appears to be deeper in the column. Perhaps the top bearing or beyond that. Any ideas, or is it time to send it away for a complete rebuild. Thanks again 

In that case, the screws you need to reach are under the piviot point.  You need to remove the top bowl or housing to get to them.  Once you have the housing apart, and the turn signal switch loose, pull the screws you tightened.  They you can lift the housing.  You will need to watch the linkage from the key tumbler assy.  Take a good look before you pull it apart.  Then you will see on each side there is a piviot.  And on the bottom you will see the spring that swings the column tilt upward.  Use a screwdriver in the spring retainer, push it down and turn it a bit counter clockwise, and the spring will come out.

Now you need to pull the piviots on the side.  The have a small threaded hole.  Yes there is a special tool for that, but you can put a machine screw in the hole, and use vice grips to hold the screw, and pull the piviot out.  It won't come out easy.  Once the pivots are out, you can lift the tilt section and reach 4 more screws holding the lower piviot mount to the main column.  Here is your wobble.  Tighten them up and reassemble.  The piviot will just tap back in place.

The trickey part lining up all of the lock linkages when the housing goes back on.  Again make sure you take a good look at them before you tear it apart.  Maybe take a few digital pictures as you go.

Ok, got it all apart and found the second set of screws tight as well. . Then discovered wear in the pivot housing where the pivot pins go in. Looks like over the years people have been using the wheel to get in and out of the car. In one place a crack developed and thus the movement. New parts are on the way. I want to think everyone for the help. I would never have tried to take it apart without your help. Guess it shows that until you get things apart, there is no telling what the problem really is. Thanks again all

Glad you found it.

Thanks Ken...the more I look at this thing, the more it looks like it might have been a casting defect where the crack developed. Oh well...it's never the "easy way"

hi all,

I took my column apart and ck all the screws and they were tight,

but i took them out and put thread sealer on them.

put the thing back together and found the rag joint worn and was making the column move has this happen to anyone other then me?

thanks

pete