67 tele column question

[Keith B.]

how can you turn the inner shaft 180* so the (wedge)wooddriff key can lock the column. no matter how tight I make the rod adjustment screw the wooddriff key will not stay into position and allows the column to move freely. or could it be a matter of the wooddriff key be worn to much.

also what issue of the restore had the article on how to restore the 67 tele column. dad has been a member since 1989 so I know we have to have the issue somewhere. as we throw nothing away

[John M.]

Re: 67 tele column question

Either the last restorer or the one in front of it had a decent article. I just finished mine; I will say not one write up or one parts diagram had all parts listed. I was told if you flip it 180 Degs. It still works but takes the slop out.

[Keith B.]

Re: 67 tele column question

that is what I was told about flipping it 180 degs. it seems no matter how tight you make the rod with the screw you can not get it to stay locked.

[Jim S.]

Re: 67 tele column question

Would these two papers have been of any value if you had them available during the rebuild of your 1967 telescoping column? I authored them with assistance from the 1968 Chevrolet Chassis Service Manual, information from Saginaw Steering Gear service liturature, and also the product assembly drawings. I would appreciate your comments and critiques as to any mistakes, clarifications, etc that you might find.

http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/?p=975#attachments

I am most interested in your comments on the blowup picture in the papers. There were mistakes in the 1968 Chassis Service Manual that I think that I have corrected.
Jim

[John M.]

Re: 67 tele column question

Jim the papers are missing 3 parts on a late 67, there are 2 plastic bushing (I think they are for vibration) at the upper end and bottom end of the upper shafts, (by the way I only found one person in NY who made those bushings for me) Plus there is a plastic bushing in the middle of the collapsible section. My car is a June 67 build, it has never been reworked till recently or in an accident.

[Keith B.]

Re: 67 tele column question

Jim your paper helps a little. but it does still not answer my question on why it wont lock into place. and how it might help to rotate the inner shaft 180 deg

[John M.]

Re: 67 tele column question

Jim your paper helps a little. but it does still not answer my question on why it wont lock into place. and how it might help to rotate the inner shaft 180 deg

Kieth contact Tom he helped me numerous times during my rebuild. I remember him talking about flipping the shaft if needed. He has been rebuilding these forever.

Tom Reina

PHONE (864) 287-9990
steering10@hotmail.com
http://www.corvettesteering.com/comp...ation_page.htm

[Jim S.]

Re: 67 tele column question

I have been trying to figure out your telescope locking problem on you 67.
1. If you telescope the steering shaft to various positions, does it lock in some positions and not others?
2. Is it possible that the star screw is bottoming out before the rod and wedge combination locks up the steering shaft. You could consider placing a 1/4 inch or 3/16 inch diameter ball bearing between the star screw and the locking rod to act as a shim.

From the two product assembly drawings I can tell that the locking wedge in the 1967-68 telescoping column is not the same as the wedge used in the later 1969-82 T&T columns. The two work on the same principle and look similar but the wedge used in the T&T column has an undercut where the locking rod meets the wedge.


I have never heard of rotating the upper steering shaft 180 degrees to make the telescope lock work better. It might be possible that the T&T locking wedge was redesigned with the undercut which might cause it to tip with more locking force.

BTW, at the extreme left side of the 1968 Tele Column drawing you can see a plastic bushing on the inside of the steering column jacket. I think that it is one of the plastic bushings that you refer to as being "in the middle of the collapsible section". It acts as a guide to keep the steering shaft central with the jacket and you don't hear or feel a metal to metal rubbing as you turn the steering shaft.

I still don't know where there is a plastic bushing on the steering wheel end of the column.
Jim

[Keith B.]

Re: 67 tele column question

Jim I can make it lock once in position. but as soon as I loosen the star screw and move it it will not lock back into place until I put the locking wedge back in place. the star screw will bottom out the second time around.