Hi, just looking for input on what people found when they dissasembled their 68 steering column for restoration or service of lower bearing. Wondering about felt seals and whether they were used or not behind the lower bearing or any where else for that matter. Thanks in advance, Terry
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Re: I'll be watching this one!
I'm in the same boat as you Terry. I'm just not quite to this re-build point on my 68 just yet.
From all the trade rags I have thumbed through, it seems that 68 column rebuild parts are a tad harder to come by, especially the lower bearings. Seems that 69 and newer columns have no problem with parts availability.
Maybe I'm just looking in the wrong vendor books
How about it Joe am I off base on this?
Chuck -
Re: I'll be watching this one!
I don't have an answer for the bearing question but having gone through the experience of trying to find a 1967-68 turn signal assembly, I can vouch for the uniqueness of some column parts. Why? Four-way flashers were introduced in 1967 and the ignition switch was moved to the steering column in 1969. So 1967 and 1968 share some unique features.Comment
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Re: Anyone dissasemble a 68 steering column before
Terry,
There is a seal that mounts against the flange, on the interio side where it penetrates the firewall - see pages 218 and 220 in your AIM for orientation and sequence of installation.Comment
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Re: I'll be watching this one!
I have talked to a number of people that work with corvette's. I have dissasemble a standard column and had excellent results with it. In that case I just had to clean it grease it (I usesd lithium grease)and replace the turn signal switch.
Facts: there is confussion regarding the 68 column and I can say this much....there are essentially two column styles in 68 and they seem to be differentiated by the type of bearing used on the lower column, disregarding telescopic version. I believe early 68 may have used the same lower bearing as the 67 column.
Then I talked to a guy that advertices in the Driveline and he stated that he has observed the bearing thing but also noted slight running changes within each of the two columns that I defined above. He stated the overhaul manual is wrong in its description depending on the type of column you have and it may only be close in some situation.
Depending on your column type, the overhaul manual may make you feel like you are missing a few parts.
At least one of the lower column bearings is extremely hard to come buy. They are only found NOS or good used. People have sold them for big bucks for a long time, they are like hen's teeth now. But, a nice replacement is now available that is superior to the original and you can get it out of most of the catalogs that are out there. Once it is installed, it would be nearly impossible to tell it was in there.
I believe the repro turn signal switchs are the same as original except for the label. The original ones that I have seen had a white label for the part number and the repro has a red label. Using a little TLC I just swapped the label.
I believe some columns used felt seals, possibly in two locations. I believe I spotted them in a column I took apart several years ago and just left them alone. They were in that standard column I mentioned above. One I believe was mounted about midway in the top half of the mastjacket and sealed dust from the underside of the turn signal switch. I believe the other one was located just above the lower steering column bearing. I believe they may have been part of the mastjacket assembly and not listed as an individual part.
Just for the record on my telescopic column (not including the flange clamp for the rag joint) the sequence of parts on my lower column was as follow....1)c-clamp with nut and bolt no lock washer 2)conical shaped spring 3)large washer that was directional (had a small inner flange and I am not sure what direction it should face) 4) hour glass shaped double ball bearing with inner and outer race, very cheap looking. 5)the bearing was held into the mast jacket housing by a flanged cup that was secured by 3 small hex head screws to the mastjacket lower end. The mastjacket was recessed/cupped to prevent the bearing from sliding all the way through the lower end of the mastjacket.
"The Terry Cronicals". Regards to everyone, TerryComment
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Re: Anyone dissasemble a 68 steering column before
Yep there is a rubber seal there that is flat and square with a hole in the center to fit over the end of the column. I am wondering about the seals inside the steering column mast jacket.
Thanks, TerryComment
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Re: Anyone dissasemble a 68 steering column before
Sorry Terry - now I understand what you're going for here. Never took the actual mast jacket apart. Like Chuck, I'll be watching and (hopefully) learning on this one too!Comment
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Re: I'll be watching this one!
I believe your right on the early '68s using the '67 lower bearing. I had my std column rebuilt a few years back and the person who did it also had difficulty finding the correct part. I'm 99% certain that the 67 bearing was determined to be correct.
I can't help with either the tele column or the various seals.Comment
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Note this about the telescopic column.
Inside the top half of the mastjacket are two plastic sleeves that are very fragil. They are made of white plastic and very thin. They act as slide bearings between the mast jacket and the telescopic part. One of my plastic pieces was broken (top one). The other one was fine. This column that I am working on was real stiff to slide up and down. I believe someone lubricated it with petroleum grease or the grease from the upper bearing dripped into that area causing everything to get sticky over time. Be very careful if you take one apart because they are very fragile/brittle. I was lucky and found the broken pieces still inside the column. I cleaned them up and was able to super glue them back together. They appear/feel strong as ever. I cleaned the mastjacket out and installed the two little sleeves. I test fitted the part that slides up and down on the bearings after I lubed them up with silicone grease. The hole assembly slides real easy now and has a good feel to it. The overhaul manual calls for lithium grease. In this situation, I am not sure if lithium grease is any better or worse than silicone grease. Both should be better for the plastic parts than regular grease. I think using a grease that won't dry out is important. If someone has a feeling on which grease has less tendency to dry out, let me know. Hey, if someone has a good used lower bearing for a 68, let me know. Thanks, TerryComment
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Seals in mastjacket?
I cleaned and looked closely at the top portion of my mastjacket. I cannot see any sign of there being any felt seals in there. I partially assembled it and would also note that there is practicaly no room in there for any felt seal of any kind. So I would say, "no felt seal for the upper half of the column jacket for my telescopic."
I am pretty much willing to say that the lower bearing didn't have a felt seal behind it either. But the one guy that I talked to that was aware of the two versions of steering columns for 68 felt that one version had the felt seal. Oh well....
Need to find a new lower bearing!!!
No body should be intimidated by rebuilding there 68 column. The parts are out there and they are not that hard to take apart.
Later, TErryComment
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Sorry, I was wrong.
Disregard anything I said about the sequence of the parts as they attach to the lower bearing. Though I found mine assembled in that fasion, it is totally wrong. I figured this out after I cleaned the remains of my lower bearing up and studied the picture in the overhaul manual. Buba was working on this column at some time in the past.
Interesting thing about the bearing. The inner race is composed of a front and back half that over lap one another and slide together. It requires direct presure from the sping to squeeze the two halves and form the preload on the bearing. I have never seen anything like it. I attempted to assemble it like I found it and noticed that the large washer I mentioned in my previous post would grind against the bearing retainer (not good). So, looking at the picture in the manual and reading (reading helps) I assembled it there way. So the sequence is 1) bearing 2) bearing retainer 3)spring (presses against the inside race of bearing nicely). 4)large washer 5) retainer clip (I don't have one 6) big spacer 7) clamp. Now when it is assembled like this, everything rotates and nothing is ginding
I knew something wasn't right, it just took me a while to figure it out.
TerryComment
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