Steering column bracket swap questions

69427

69427

The Artist formerly known as Turbo84
Joined
Mar 30, 2008
Messages
2,972
Location
Clinging to my guns and religion in KCMO.
In the event I can't find the stamped steel brackets I lost in the last move I thought I'd weld up a substitute in aluminum. I'm advised that pulling the steering column out makes life easier (I'll probably remove the driver's seat also for a bit more wiggle room). I'm unclear about the clutch and brake pedal assembly. I'm looking in my well-worn '69 chassis service manual and it appears that I won't have to disturb the pedal assembly bracket to get the column brackets out. Am I understanding that correctly?

Thanks for any help. I absolutely hate working under the dash (of any car!), and I'm trying to minimize the hassles and delay as I want the car back together in a reasonable time for a track day next month.
 
I did mine without removing the pedals... I did have the dash completely apart to do it so I can't comment on being able to do it with the dash together. My dash is apart now if you need any specific pics
 
Thanks!

Got the seat out and am marking the column/steering shaft u-joint so I can get everything indexed the same way later. One thing that caught my eye is the arm (on the lower part of the column) that hooked to a cable to the reverse arm to lock/unlock the column. I'm hoping that it won't be a PITA to get through the firewall hole.
 
69427 said:
Thanks!

Got the seat out and am marking the column/steering shaft u-joint so I can get everything indexed the same way later. One thing that caught my eye is the arm (on the lower part of the column) that hooked to a cable to the reverse arm to lock/unlock the column. I'm hoping that it won't be a PITA to get through the firewall hole.
Click to expand...

vette427sbc said:
The firewall should have a cut-out for that arm... Mine did.
Click to expand...

AND IF you take the column apart, like I did, you find that 50 lbs of steel that enables that lockout 'feature' can be removed from the column, like I did many years ago on the '78+ column in my '72....that and the silly 20 lbs cable, have to chop at least 100 lbs off your car.....

but seriously...at least 20 lbs maybe 25 or so....

:smash::rofl:
 
Made a little progress today (despite it being 98* in the garage). Got the column and brackets out.

IM002316_zpsa994f5ad.jpg

All in all things went well. A lot less headache than I feared. The biggest PITA though was just getting one of the effing connectors off of the lower switch. I couldn't believe the trouble it was causing me. I did have to loosen up the Tach/Speedo portion of the dash to allow me to get my hands in there to remove the upper rear bolts of the cast bracket. I weighed the two bracket pieces I took out and got 9.0# and 2.5# for 11.5# total. Started searching again for the replacement pieces and finally found them under some stuff. I weighed them and got 3.3# and 2.5# for a 5.8# total. Difference is 5.7 pounds (before I drill a couple of holes in the new brackets).

While I've got the dash loosened up I'll see if I can loosen up the upper door hinge and pull out the shims. I might be able to lose a couple leftside ounces by replacing the shim pack with a chunk of aluminum.
 
:shocking: I totally buffaloed at how you got the brackets outta there and left that dash in place, I would take the time to pull that out, and stick a molex plug on the wiring, to simplify the entire remove/install process, those light bulbs drove me krazy, so about 15 years ago in went a molex connector, so there is only one ground, one plug/connector, and the speedo cable, and tach plug.....:shocking:
 
Well, got the brackets and column put back in today. I've worked longer hours on other projects to take five pounds out of the car before, but I don't remember cussing this much in the process. In the process of wiggling the column out and back in I disturbed a few vacuum and electrical lines. Spent a decent amount of time rerouting stuff afterward, along with trying to figure out what went where. I got one item I'm still unclear about. There's an electrically controlled vacuum valve that connects in with the headlights or wiper door override pull switches under the steering column. I saw an extra unattached vacuum line under the dash so I assume the valve is where this line goes. But, the confusing part is that the valve "outlet" has a sort of tee configuration, indicating that it controls two vacuum lines (and if so, where the hell is the other line), or the second port on that tee goes to atmosphere. So far I'm a bit stumped. I never even noticed this valve when I was taking stuff apart, so I'm not certain how it was hooked up prior to my taking the dash apart. I can post a picture later if anyone is interested in taking a shot on what the heck this valve does.

On another note, I drilled a half dozen holes in the lower bracket and reduced the weight another .200#, so close to six pounds net loss.
 
That valve is actuated by the wiper switch, tells the door to open, passes vacuum to the vacuum relay control diaphragm....after passing through the wiper actuated switch.....that valve has only two hoses going to it, the other outlet on my '72 had a piece of foam over it for a 'air filter' it allows the vacuum to suck in atmosphere to the system,

it has nothing to do with the headlights.....

:goodnight::flash:
 
mrvette said:
That valve is actuated by the wiper switch, tells the door to open, passes vacuum to the vacuum relay control diaphragm....after passing through the wiper actuated switch.....that valve has only two hoses going to it, the other outlet on my '72 had a piece of foam over it for a 'air filter' it allows the vacuum to suck in atmosphere to the system,

it has nothing to do with the headlights.....

:goodnight::flash:
Click to expand...

Thanks, Gene. I was curious if that extra port was a bleed to the atmosphere, and it sounds like we're on the same wavelength.

Thanks again!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top