67 Steering Wheel Moves In and Out

[Ralph E.]

My steering wheel has some play in and out in it. It moves about 1/8"-3/16" in and out. The center bolt and hub are tight in place. After I removed the center bolt and hub I can see the movement at the upper bearing. Can not see any movement at the lower bearing or near the rag joint.
Is this normal? Is this unsafe to drive?

[Timothy B.]

Re: 67 Steering Wheel Moves In and Out

Ralph,

The 1967 column is different than 63-66 because it's the first year for the collapsible column. If the hub and center bolt are tight you are moving the complete steering shaft up and down. The adjustment for this would be at the lower bearing. Taking the up/down play out of the shaft also keeps the upper bearing tight to the shaft which will eliminate the play you see in the upper bearing.

Look in the archives for some pictures of the 67 column, you will need to determine if yours is the early or late version and study the lower bearing adjustment. On my 63 for example the clamp and spring at the lower bearing are adjusted and the spring tension preloads both bearings and eliminates any play in the bearings as the inner bearing races are set against the balls in the bearings.

[Ralph E.]

Re: 67 Steering Wheel Moves In and Out

Tim, my car is a very early version. Sept. 1966
Not sure how to tighten the lower bearing.
Looking at the lower shaft the pieces are in this sequence.
The lower bearing is in the column shaft. The spring is on the shaft pushing on the lower bearing. The white plastic retainer in place but does not appear to do anything. Next is a retainer washer and then the retainer ring. I can move the retainer washer and white plastic retainer up and down the shaft between the retainer ring and the spring at the lower bearing. Movement is about 1/2"
What am I missing?

[Timothy B.]

Re: 67 Steering Wheel Moves In and Out

Ralph,

My 67 also has the early set up for the lower bearing. Double check this but there is a plastic adjusting nut under the lower bearing that's threaded to some kind of sleeve. If the nut is turned the space can be taken up. The only problem is that from the factory there are small burn holes put around the sleeve to keep the assembly from coming loose.

Look in the archives for some pictures of the 1967 early column assembly. If Jim Shea reads this post he will probably post some pictures. There are others here that have experience with the 67 column and are better suited to help than me because I have never had mine apart.

[Ralph E.]

Re: 67 Steering Wheel Moves In and Out

Thanks agin Tim. Hope to see some pictures. The plastic adjusting nut does not appear to do anything.

[Richard M.]

Re: 67 Steering Wheel Moves In and Out

Ralph, Here is a thread with pictures of a early 67 column I rebuilt. Also notes from Jim Shea.

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthread.php?91364-67-bent-steering-column-shaft&p=592581#post592581

Jim has written some great documents and they're on his website. http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/?cat=10

Rich

[Ralph E.]

Re: 67 Steering Wheel Moves In and Out

Thanks Rich,
I had been looking over that post earlier. In post #6 Jim Shea has a picture which show the retaining ring, thrust washer, and adjuster assembly(assume this is the white plastic piece) all snug to the lower bearing. My retainer ring is about 1/2" below the thrust washer which makes the whole assembly 1/2" from the lower bearing.
I don't know if this is correct and/or safe to drive.
Will I need to remove the entire steering column to fix this?

[Richard M.]

Re: 67 Steering Wheel Moves In and Out

Thanks Rich,
I had been looking over that post earlier. In post #6 Jim Shea has a picture which show the retaining ring, thrust washer, and adjuster assembly(assume this is the white plastic piece) all snug to the lower bearing. My retainer ring is about 1/2" below the thrust washer which makes the whole assembly 1/2" from the lower bearing.
I don't know if this is correct and/or safe to drive.
Will I need to remove the entire steering column to fix this?

Jeff,

Yes the adjuster assembly in Jim's diagram is the white plastic piece. I would correct the problem before driving the car if it was mine.

It sounds like your lower bearing may be bad. It could cause much play in the wheel as you're seeing. I used Jim's document when I rebuilt this one. I got the new bearing and adjuster from one of the suppliers.

Yes you must remove the column to repair the lower bearing. It's not that bad on a '67 to do. Just index the steering coupler(rag joint) with some scribe marks to get it back as before.

Rich

[Timothy B.]

Re: 67 Steering Wheel Moves In and Out

Also, when installing the column be careful to make sure the steering column is aligned to the rag joint so when the wheel is turned pressure is not on the steering shaft/lower bearing. We discussed the alignment procedure a while back and IMO it's probably the reason these shafts get bent, that info is in the archives.