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Topic: Lowering the steering column in a 1981 Tilt and Telescopic

in Forum: C3 Handling Components


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Lowering the steering column in a 1981 Tilt and Telescopic (1/6)
 4/16/16 3:37am
CeeDee
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, - New Zealand

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Silver '81 mostly original C3. Silver interior, bilstiens, big sway bars, headers.


Joined: 3/26/2005
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Looks like I have to replace my ignition switch, yes the one hidden on top of the steering column under the dash. Oh joy of joys. Any hints / pix / tricks / traps for this task ? Especially the column lowering thing. All new territory for me !  

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Re: Lowering the steering column in a 1981 Tilt and Telescopic (2/6)
 4/18/16 12:41pm
Adams' AppleLifetime Member
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Duncanville, TX - USA

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#1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas


Joined: 11/8/2003
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Lowering the column isn't really that hard, but it will require some gymnastics. Imho, it's best to disconnect the column from the "rag joint" under the hood, to prevent damaging the rag joint, especially if it is "iffy" to begin with.
The rest is simply removing the trim work under the column, then there are 4 nuts( sometimes only 2) holding the column up to the dash. Remove those, and the column will drop down some. You'll need to watch for any wires that might try to keep you from dropping the column far enough to do what ya need to do, but you can normally get to the switch without any unusual problems.

|UPDATED|4/18/2016 9:41:15 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|


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Joel Adams
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Re: Lowering the steering column in a 1981 Tilt and Telescopic (3/6)
 5/24/16 10:19pm
Ken76vette
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Just did that last weekend. More favorable projects. I took out the 2 bolts just under edge of dash and took out screws for the firewall. Still not the easiest but lowered it about 2-1/2". Had almost convinced myself new switch was bad as it did everything but crank over. Finally found the mounting holes are slots and had to tighen doen and slide as close to steering wheel as possible. Good luck.
Re: Lowering the steering column in a 1981 Tilt and Telescopic (4/6)
 5/25/16 5:44am
CeeDee
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Silver '81 mostly original C3. Silver interior, bilstiens, big sway bars, headers.


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Ok, so job all done now, here's the low down for my 1981...    

Before doing anything disconnect the battery !!

(1) For those who don't know, there is the ignition barrel which the key goes into, the barrel has a cog on the other end to the key which engages a small flat rack. When the key is turned, the rack is driven by the cog. Attached to the rack is a rod about 1 foot or so in length which travels down the top of the steering column and down under the instrument cluster where it engages into the actual electrical ignition switch, which is mounted as a seperate unit on top of the column but well inaccessible under the dash. An anti theft measure apparently.

If you have a jammage like I did, and the key won't turn any more, in the 1981 there are 2 typical possibilities - either the cog/rack has broken, or the electical switch has jammed. I found that you can determine which surprisingly easily...  

 - remove the panel under the dash (4 screws)  which covers the column and air duct, best to remove the headlight actuator switch from the panel at the same time.

 - remove the air duct by sliding it  to the left to disengage it from the right hand end

 - you can now get your hand under the dash and around the top of the column where you can feel the rod from the ignition barrel/rack coming down the top of the column. Note there is a second rod from the headlight dip lever which also runs down the column but on the left hand side. The rod you want is on TOP of the column !

 - in my case when I tried to turn the key with a little pressure applied I could feel the rod "bow", so I knew the barrel/rack were operating fine and operating the rod at their end, the jammage must therefore be in the switch.  If the barrel/rack had been  the problem then the rod would not have bowed.


(2) So, to get to the switch...   first remove the steering wheel. it makes life much easier. If using a puller MAKE SURE you put a short bolt or some other protection in the shaft the puller pushes against (where the telescopic screw normally lives) so that you don't damage the threads. Seems they damage easily 'cos I damaged mine and had to remedy it with tap.  With hindsight it would have been simpler to remove the steering wheel via its screws rather than pull it off the shaft. Also make sure you mark the steering wheel position to simplify getting it in the right place when you put it back.

 - the column is effectively anchored in 3 places, being each end and in the middle. There are 2 bolts at the steering wheel end securing it under the dash, in the middle it is secured by 2 bolts where it goes through the firewall, and in the engine bay the steering shaft is bolted onto what is called the "rag joint" just before the steering box.

 - in order to lower the column sufficiently to get to the switch without stressing the rag joint you need to loosen off (but NOT remove) the 2 bolts under the dash,  loosen off heaps (but not remove) the 2 bolts through the column plate / firewall, and then disconnect the rag joint.

 - Disconnecting the rag joint is not quite straightforward I discovered. Now pay attention if you don't want to have to do it all again like I did...   MARK the rag joint clearly so you put it back together as it was not 180 degrees different. Yeah I didn't think it could make any difference either but it does. If you put it back 180 degrees out then you will discover that your indicator auto return no longer happens after a quarter turn of the steering wheel, it now takes 3/4 of a turn. And like I did you get to undo everything again to sperate the rag joint, rotate 180 degrees, and put it all back together again. Yippee !

 - NOTE: the 2 bolts in the rag joint have different diameter threaded sections & nuts !!  The holes in the plate they go through are also matching different sizes, easy to miss cos you can't really see it. But I can assure you that the larger bolt will absolutely refuse to go through the smaller hole. But cos you can't see it you can't  figure out why !!   Took me a while...   

 - NOTE also: When you try to remove the 2 bolts from the rag joint they will refuse to come out despite their nuts being removed. This is because hidden in the middle of the joint where you can't see it the bolts each have one of those "gripping" star washers (do these have a proper name ?) to stop them coming out. I found that by levering the bolts while rotating them they did screw themselves out.

 - once the bolts are out of the rag joint, you will need to arrange a support for the steering wheel end of the column to sit on - I just used folded towels sitting on the edge of the drivers seat. With support ready, the 2 bolts under the dash can now be removed, move the column into the car just a little to disengage the rag joint pins which will leave the rag joint end now fully released, and the column will pivot at the loosened firewall bolts and can be lowered onto your support. Check no wires under the column inadvertantly get caught up and tensioned.

After that the switch is easily accessible and can be removed/replaced. In my case a terminal had become resistive, created much heat, melted the plastic surrounding it, and also the plastice into the switch causing it to jam.  New switch - sorted !

Hope somebody finds this helpful :-)



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Kiwi Chris

Re: Lowering the steering column in a 1981 Tilt and Telescopic (5/6)
 5/25/16 7:26am
Adams' AppleLifetime Member
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#1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas


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 Clap Thumbs Up
Excellent description and write-up! Wink


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Joel Adams
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(click for Texas-sized view!)
             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Re: Lowering the steering column in a 1981 Tilt and Telescopic (6/6)
 5/26/16 6:36pm
CeeDee
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, - New Zealand

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Silver '81 mostly original C3. Silver interior, bilstiens, big sway bars, headers.


Joined: 3/26/2005
Posts: 232

I'll add some pix shortly :-)

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Kiwi Chris

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