1967 steering column ID help

[R N.]

Hello everyone,

After reading many of the archived and older posts about the differences between early and late 1967 columns I'm still not 100% of what I have. My car is 05818 build early December 1966 and per latest judging guide I should have the early design. Looking at it and comparing to other pictures I found here, it looks like I have the second design - or missing/worn parts on the shaft. (I don't believe the spring in my photo should be exposed)

I believe the column to be original to the car (it's date stamped 339 6). Was there a recall on the first designed columns?

also, my rag joint has longer pins than in the the photo in the judging guide so I would appreciate learning more about my rag joint too. Maybe they changed the rag joint with the newer style column if there was a recall???

thanks for your help and for sharing the knowledge....

[Ralph E.]

Re: 1967 steering column ID help

Hello everyone,

After reading many of the archived and older posts about the differences between early and late 1967 columns I'm still not 100% of what I have. My car is 05818 build early December 1966 and per latest judging guide I should have the early design. Looking at it and comparing to other pictures I found here, it looks like I have the second design - or missing/worn parts on the shaft. (I don't believe the spring in my photo should be exposed)

I believe the column to be original to the car (it's date stamped 339 6). Was there a recall on the first designed columns?

also, my rag joint has longer pins than in the the photo in the judging guide so I would appreciate learning more about my rag joint too. Maybe they changed the rag joint with the newer style column if there was a recall???

thanks for your help and for sharing the knowledge....

That is NOT an early 67 steering column. I'm not sure but I think it may be a 66 steering column.

[Gene M.]

Re: 1967 steering column ID help

Kurt,
You have a 67 style steering shaft. The shaft is bigger diameter than previous designs that don't collapse. Could be 2nd design due to lack of 1st design parts. A car close to 6K build should have the 2nd design column. But I will say for SURE the rag joint is in poor unsafe condition.

[R N.]

Re: 1967 steering column ID help

Kurt,
You have a 67 style steering shaft. The shaft is bigger diameter than previous designs that don't collapse. Could be 2nd design due to lack of 1st design parts. A car close to 6K build should have the 2nd design column. But I will say for SURE the rag joint is in poor unsafe condition.

Gene,

Thanks for your help. I assume the judging guide making reference about cars after VIN 9400 had the second designed column is incorrect and had me confused

My car is slated for a full restoration but for now I don't put many miles on it (due to many other worn components, etc) and I drive it less than 300 miles/year. Thank you for the warning - I greatly appreciate it.

[Bill H.]

Re: 1967 steering column ID help

Kurt, Just FYI, my 67 (8663) has the first design. The first design has a stepped lower bearing, the second does not.

[Jim S.]

Re: 1967 steering column ID help

First basic question: Is this a telescoping column or a standard (non-adjustable). There were a lot of common parts at the lower end of the columns so I can't tell from your pictures.

From my research at Saginaw I can find six versions of 1967 Corvette steering columns (three standard and three telescoping.) The drawings have "Released for Production" dates but that doesn't mean that is the date they were manufactured and shipped. NCRS would have much better data as to what types of steering columns versus Corvette build dates. I might add that I have researched the NHTSA site for evidence of a 1967 Corvette steering column recall. I can find GM A-cars and Corvair but nothing on Vettes.

The 1967 Corvette steering column assemblies are as follows:
Standard (non-adjustable) Strg Column Assembly
Early Production 5698346
Interim Production 7802101 Released for Production 11-16-66
Late Production 7803156 Released for Production 2-6-67

Telescoping Strg Column Assembly
Early production 5699524
Interim Production 7803000 Released for Production 1-21-67
Late Production 7803280 Released for Production 3-6-67

NCRS would have much better data as to what types of steering columns versus Corvette build dates.

1. All early Strg Column Assemblies had round wire retained lower bearings. The lower steering shaft had a machined groove for the round wire ring.

2. All interim and late Strg Column Assemblies had the same clamp, nut and bolt to retain the lower bearing. The steering shafts were smooth and no longer had a machined groove. All steering column assemblies used a new lower bearing 7800407.

3. There were slight differences in how that new lower bearing was preloaded between the two types of steering columns. All steering columns used the same 7800407 lower bearing, 7802244 packing, and 7802978 spacer.
a. The standard columns had a seat and spring inside the steering column (driver side of the lower bearing.)
b. The telescoping column had a spring and washer retained by the big clamp on the steering gear side of the bearing.

So I would think that your pictures are of a telescoping steering column with the spring and clamp.

Jim

[R N.]

Re: 1967 steering column ID help

First basic question: Is this a telescoping column or a standard (non-adjustable). There were a lot of common parts at the lower end of the columns so I can't tell from your pictures.

From my research at Saginaw I can find six versions of 1967 Corvette steering columns (three standard and three telescoping.) The drawings have "Released for Production" dates but that doesn't mean that is the date they were manufactured and shipped. NCRS would have much better data as to what types of steering columns versus Corvette build dates. I might add that I have researched the NHTSA site for evidence of a 1967 Corvette steering column recall. I can find GM A-cars and Corvair but nothing on Vettes.

The 1967 Corvette steering column assemblies are as follows:
Standard (non-adjustable) Strg Column Assembly
Early Production 5698346
Interim Production 7802101 Released for Production 11-16-66
Late Production 7803156 Released for Production 2-6-67

Telescoping Strg Column Assembly
Early production 5699524
Interim Production 7803000 Released for Production 1-21-67
Late Production 7803280 Released for Production 3-6-67

NCRS would have much better data as to what types of steering columns versus Corvette build dates.

1. All early Strg Column Assemblies had round wire retained lower bearings. The lower steering shaft had a machined groove for the round wire ring.

2. All interim and late Strg Column Assemblies had the same clamp, nut and bolt to retain the lower bearing. The steering shafts were smooth and no longer had a machined groove. All steering column assemblies used a new lower bearing 7800407.

3. There were slight differences in how that new lower bearing was preloaded between the two types of steering columns. All steering columns used the same 7800407 lower bearing, 7802244 packing, and 7802978 spacer.
a. The standard columns had a seat and spring inside the steering column (driver side of the lower bearing.)
b. The telescoping column had a spring and washer retained by the big clamp on the steering gear side of the bearing.

So I would think that your pictures are of a telescoping steering column with the spring and clamp.

Jim

Hello Jim,

THANK you for your reply..... My apologies to you and others as I didn't state which column I have - it is a STANDARD column. Other info that may help determine which column I have, my car was built 12-12-66.

I've added a few more pictures that may help.....

photo a.jpgphoto b.jpgphoto c.jpg

[Jim S.]

Re: 1967 steering column ID help

I don't know if we will ever understand all the lower bearing hardware changes that occurred throughout the 1967 Corvette model year. None of my three standard (non-adjustable) steering column assembly drawings show a spring on the steering gear side of the lower bearing. When the clamp went into production, (intermin change) there was a plastic spacer 7802978 and a small washer 7802124 that pressed against the lower bearing. There was a note on the drawing that said the following, "...position clamp until 7802978 spacer is in contact with 7802124 washer." No spring on this side of the bearing package. The late 1967 Vette column had exactly this same bearing package.

So you must have some type of hybrid lower bearing. I wonder if there is a groove machined into your steering shaft? That would indicate that your steering column originally had a round wire ring retaining the lower bearing. I wonder if the clamp, nut, and bolt might be positioned directly over the groove.

I know that the GM A-car campaign centered around the steering column shaft possibly breaking at the round wire ring groove. The campaign required that the dealer remove the column from the car; disassemble the steering column; remove the steering shaft; and reassemble the steering column with a new steering shaft and a new lower bearing package which included a clamp, nut, and bolt. As I mentioned earlier, I can find no Corvette campaign information on the NHTSA website. I wonder if there was any type of Chevrolet Service Bulletin that addressed the 1967 Corvette steering column.
Jim


Jim

[R N.]

Re: 1967 steering column ID help

Jim,

I greatly appreciate the additional information.... Is it as simply as removing the nut/bolt assemble and moving the clamp to look for the machined groove?

My VIN is 05818 - ANY othe r'67 owners' out there within the same range want to check and see what column they have and report their findings back here??????

[Jim S.]

Re: 1967 steering column ID help

As a curiosity more than anything. You should be able to loosen the nut. Take a big screwdriver and spring the clamp open just a small bit. Then slide the clamp back to inspect for the groove.

The springs as drawn on the engineering assembly drawings appear small and dainty. The spring in your picture appears to be quite healthy. I wouldn't think that the lower bearing requires much preload.
Jim

[R N.]

Re: 1967 steering column ID help

I'm going to remove the clamp and inspect the shaft for the groove over the week end and will report back here when done. In the meantime, I took another photos of the shaft underside (Used a mirror) in hope I could see the groove, but didn't - but again it may be hidden...

photo7.jpgphoto8.jpg

[Timothy B.]

Re: 1967 steering column ID help

Here is the early style column on my 67 convertible, your rag joint is not safe.

[Bill H.]

Re: 1967 steering column ID help

I had to do some digging but here's my early shaft, bearing etc. Early Jan build, s/n 8663

1. the collapsible part of the shaft.
2. the grove for the retaining ring
3. left to right - the stepped bearing (what's left if it), the plastic lower spacer, the light gage spring and the lower retainer washer
4. the retaining ring (the ring is colored like copper or bronze but sticks to a magnet, probably plated.)

[Jim S.]

Re: 1967 steering column ID help

Bill Hetzel, do you have any details as to when and how your steering shaft and lower bearing were replaced? Curious if there was any Chevrolet warranty, service bulletin, or campaign letter associated with it.
Have a good 4th weekend.
Jim

A couple points concerning the above pictures.
Picture #2 The round wire retaining ring groove is at the far right in the picture. The huge groove in the steering shaft was cause by the hardened inner bearing race (from the original lower bearing design) wearing the steering column shaft as the bearing disintegrated.

Picture #3 The central part is the adjuster (spacer). It is actually two plastic pieces that thread together. The threads allow it to take up the tolerance between the steering column jacket and the steering shaft. A hot soldering iron type tip was used to fuse the threads together after the adjuster was rotated to eliminate lash in the system.

[Bill H.]

Re: 1967 steering column ID help

Bill Hetzel, do you have any details as to when and how your steering shaft and lower bearing were replaced? Curious if there was any Chevrolet warranty, service bulletin, or campaign letter associated with it.
Have a good 4th weekend.
Jim

A couple points concerning the above pictures.
Picture #2 The round wire retaining ring groove is at the far right in the picture. The huge groove in the steering shaft was cause by the hardened inner bearing race (from the original lower bearing design) wearing the steering column shaft as the bearing disintegrated.

Picture #3 The central part is the adjuster (spacer). It is actually two plastic pieces that thread together. The threads allow it to take up the tolerance between the steering column jacket and the steering shaft. A hot soldering iron type tip was used to fuse the threads together after the adjuster was rotated to eliminate lash in the system.

Hi Jim, actually the shaft wasn't replaced. I bought the car in '73, drove it 5 years (probably with the bad bearing). I parked the car as a retirement project (had a 65 and a 76).
I took it totally apart in 1983 but racecars (like the one in my avatar) intervened and I just got back on it this year.

Yea, I figured that the bad bearing did that to the shaft. I'll probably tig the shaft and cut it to fit a new bearing (I have a lathe).

Thanks for the explanation on the adjuster. I was wondering exactly how that worked (and I have an engineering degree).