anyone have good writeups on rebuilding T/T steering columns?

JeffP1167

JeffP1167

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Yucaipa, CA.
At some point a grant steering wheel was pit on my 82 vette. I would like to fix everything that is missing and rebuild the column. I think my column could be a manual column as well since it has a lever you have to press down on to remove the key and I would like to eliminate this as well if it doesn't belong.
 
I remember buying a TT column from some guy for TEN BUX in '95, he said it was in a wreck mentioning something about it....but it's been fine....it too had that silly key release lever, I removed it easily, along with the tube/lever that went to the tranny interlock....to this day there is NO interlock of any type on my auto tranny, you move the lever it's outta park....just the way cars were in the 50's.....

:smash::smash::thumbs::lol:

OH, and you just ain't cool unless you have a Hurst chrome shifter and a 8 ball on top......

:cool:
 
AFAIK Jim Shea's papers on corvettefaq are the reference. Pretty sure he will chim in at some point.
 
JeffP1167 said:
I think my column could be a manual column as well since it has a lever you have to press down on to remove the key and I would like to eliminate this as well if it doesn't belong.
Click to expand...

It belongs, both auto and manual.
 
BBShark said:
The telescope function is pretty simple, the tilt mechanisim is not.
Click to expand...

That is mainly what is wrong with mine. The telescopic works (slides in and out) however it does not lock. So I really don't know what is missing or if it is just broken. The tilt seems to work fine though and doesn't have slop in it.
 
The locking mechanism is super easy. The hollow shaft has a long rod inside it and a screw on the front with a star pattern. The telescopic lock ring goes on the column and then the screw goes through the center in the shaft. Tighten it with a screwdriver so the tele is locked and then set the lock ring to the locked position and tighten it w 3 small screws through the star pattern into the lock ring. That's all. If it's not working either that is not right or the rod inside the shaft is missing.
 
From the looks of things the grant steering wheel is bolted on with like 6 small screws kinda how the original wheel might have been. I got these pics from my service manual. Basically I can pull the steering wheel out however there is no spring assist.

in this picture I would assume my car probably is missing that spring (126) contact assembly .. What the steering wheel is bolted to I have no idea but the column still has part (1)

DSCF0989.jpg

In this picture the only thing I see my car might have is retainer (98) Cap (98) cap(98) since those are bolted to the steering wheel ..... aside from this issue the column seems to be fine and everything works on it.

DSCF0990.jpg
 
Going of memory here, been a while, but IIRC, if that larger spring is missing you will not have the wheel spring out on the tele function, and that lower contact assy will not be forced toward the wheel, so therefore that little contact with it own spring will not connect to the top contact slider with the 3 screws holding it down......

sorry if my vertalize is not all that good.....

Jeebus, some time ago Jim and I traded notes about these things, you really could not put more crap into one of these contraptions if you had to, and have a bowl of soup too.....

:hissyfit::hissyfit::smash:
 
Does your horn work? If it works you most likely have the big spring because that spring not only pushes the steering wheel and shaft back toward the driver, it also serves as the horn ground back through the steering column.

Those pics from the AIM are pretty accurate as to the production hardware. I am not real sure if the telescope lock and other parts will fit with a Grant steering wheel.

Jim
 
JIML82 said:
Does your horn work? If it works you most likely have the big spring because that spring not only pushes the steering wheel and shaft back toward the driver, it also serves as the horn ground back through the steering column.

Those pics from the AIM are pretty accurate as to the production hardware. I am not real sure if the telescope lock and other parts will fit with a Grant steering wheel.

Jim
Click to expand...

work fine when I stick my head out the window and yell hooooooonnnnnkkkkk
 
JeffP1167 said:
JIML82 said:
Does your horn work? If it works you most likely have the big spring because that spring not only pushes the steering wheel and shaft back toward the driver, it also serves as the horn ground back through the steering column.

Those pics from the AIM are pretty accurate as to the production hardware. I am not real sure if the telescope lock and other parts will fit with a Grant steering wheel.

Jim
Click to expand...

work fine when I stick my head out the window and yell hooooooonnnnnkkkkk
Click to expand...
Strange, mine sounds more like "you motherfucker".
 
denpo said:
JeffP1167 said:
JIML82 said:
Does your horn work? If it works you most likely have the big spring because that spring not only pushes the steering wheel and shaft back toward the driver, it also serves as the horn ground back through the steering column.

Those pics from the AIM are pretty accurate as to the production hardware. I am not real sure if the telescope lock and other parts will fit with a Grant steering wheel.

Jim
Click to expand...

work fine when I stick my head out the window and yell hooooooonnnnnkkkkk
Click to expand...
Strange, mine sounds more like "you motherfucker".
Click to expand...

Up comes my longest digit and the cry of the lost Indian tribe....

WEEEErthefuckOWIEE!@!!!!!
 
You can remove the little lever next to your ignition key. That lever is called the "key release lever". You will need to disassemble the entire T&T column head in order to reach the lever and remove it.
TTDisasmInstrPage3.jpg

If you want complete instructions they are over at Terry Rudy's www.corvettefaq.com website. I can post the addresses for the disassembly and repair papers and pics if you want.

Jim
 
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One thing I could never figger out, what was the point to the key removal lever?? not the tranny interlock, but the little lever next to the key lock??

:hissyfit::surrender:
 
It was a possible litigation issue. With the first generation locking column, the backdrive system prevented you from turning off the engine AND locking the steering wheel if the car was moving forward. (This was from 1969 through 1976 on Corvettes.)

Starting in 1977, General Motors allowed a second type system to be incorporated into the Corvette (and other GM vehicles.) It involved the little lever next to your ignition lock cylinder. The idea being that you could still shut off the engine by just rotating the ignition key. However, in order to remove the ignition key AND lock the steering wheel, you had to complete an additional motion (tripping the "key release lever") in order to continue rotating the key to "OFF-LOCK" and removing the key from the lock cylinder.

Jim
 
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