Steering column shaft alignment to steering box shaft

[Petter T.]

Hi All.

I have just rebuilt a steering box for my 1974 Corvette.
When installing the steering box I notice that the steering column shaft is not parallel with the steering box shaft. Further check on the rag joint shows wear on the metal pins - iow pins are in contact with the metal bracket on the steering column shaft.
I loosened the steering column inside the car, and this helped a little, but not enough to get the shafts parallel and centered.

The car is a well looked after car and the body has never been off the frame.

Q1: How well should these shafts align with one another?

Q2: Could it be that the column has been shimmed to fit at one time?

Best regards
Petter

[Richard G.]

Re: Steering column shaft alignment to steering box shaft

Is the misalignment side to side or up and down or a combination of both?
If you loosen the bolts that retain the box to the frame is there any movement between it and the frame?
You might try partially tightening one bolt at a time and look for any gaps between the frame and the gearbox.

This is a weird one. Lacking any evidence of an accident I am not sure what might cause the misalignment.

Don't rule out that there is a offhand chance it was built this way.
I once worked on a 90's model Z28 that broke the automatic flex plate about every 10K.
Got tire of changing it out every 10K. So I reinstalled the transmission, without the converter installed, and checked the axial run-out with a dial indicator. In 10" radius there was .100" axial run-out. The front of the transmission or the back of the block wasn't square with the crankshaft.
My only question was how did it last 10K! Wasn't my car, owner sold it after the problem was identified.

[Petter T.]

Re: Steering column shaft alignment to steering box shaft

Hi Richard.

The misalignment is mostly side to side.
As far as I can tell, the only solution seems to be to shim the steering box away from the frame as much as 7/32".

The car has probably have had an accident - not like a car crash, but perhaps something that could have affected this.
When I acquired the car I noticed a terrible welding done to the lower a-arm mount on the passenger side. There was also a small hole (3" x 2") in the inner fender suggesting that the wheel have hit it. A new a-arm mount has been installed and the car had a 4-wheel adjustment without any issues...

I have inspected the frame and suspension for damage and have not been able to notice anything.

[Richard G.]

Re: Steering column shaft alignment to steering box shaft

Cars always have a story to tell when they are restored. Mine had a replacement swing arm on the right side. I also only received 4 of the five rims. Always wondered what the two stories may have been connected, logically it seems very likely. Had to be something in the first 5 years of it's life as I know the other 51 year history.

As to your alignment issue;
It seems to come down to a choice of manufacturing a shim and installing it or pulling the body and having the frame checked at a frame shop. If I couldn't find any other issues I would install the shim. I believe there are plugs welded into the frame at this location to keep the frame from collapsing from the bolt's clamping force. I would use a full size shim that matched the profile of the box. Not only would it be less noticeable but would transfer the steering forces to the frame in a factory like manner.

In an unrelated issue, it looks like your A arm seals/flaps are not installed. I know nothing of your build but I thought I would mention they are very difficult to get on after the body is down and next to impossible after the motor and body are installed. My apologizes if I am off base here. Just don't want to see anyone go through what I had to to get them installed.

Best of luck.
Rick

[Petter T.]

[Richard G.]

Re: Steering column shaft alignment to steering box shaft

I rebuilt my own box. Likely one of the jobs I should have farmed out. I have a home machine shop and can do most any project. Getting the bushings to fit correctly and collinear turned into a major PITA with the currently available china parts. The wall thickness of the supplied bushings wasn't even the same when measured around the circumference. The bushings had to be made in two operations to get them off that far. If you use the kit I would acquire a set of the NOS bushing or have them made. Their should be no excuses for the bad machining practices of kit bushings.
The old Corvette projects are never done.....
Rick