67 Steering Column

[Donald H.]

Does anyone have either a diagram or picture of the lower end of a late 67 steering column torn down?

I'm doing some rebuild on my steering column and replacing the lower bearing. It's a late build 67 (May 67). I've ordered some parts, but I think I still have something missing. I'm trying to figure out what the lower bearing end should look like.

The first picture is of my lower steering column as I disassembled it. Inside the housing tube was the lower bearing a split washer/spacer of some sort, and a spring. the split ring washer/spacer is movable, but the other end of the spring is against a fixed part of the shaft.

On the outside of the housing is a flat washer that was up against the bearing, then a spring, then the plastic collar then a clamp (the clamp is not in the picture).

The second picture is from the ZIP catalog. It is a breakdown of the outer parts and includes a bearing retainer picture 2 and 3 (which my column does not have) and the spring that goes between the retainer and the spring spacer and plastic collar that ZIP and CC sells is a much heavier spring than what is on my column.

I appreciate any help.

Don

[Keith B.]

Re: 67 Steering Column

try this webiste

Jim Shea’s Steering Papers (corvettefaq.com)

[Donald H.]

Re: 67 Steering Column

try this webiste

Thanks, but unless I'm mistaken, I didn't find much there related to corvette steering.

[Gary B.]

http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/?cat=5

Gary

[Donald H.]

Re: 67 Steering Column

http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/?cat=5

Gary

Thanks Gary, I missed those docs. The diagram on page 4 of Paper #2 looks more like my column. It does not have the Bearing Retainer that the vendors say is for the 67 Late Standard Column.

Don

[Donald H.]

Re: 67 Steering Column

Now I need to find pictures of the two parts that he identifies in the diagram on page 4 that are missing in the diagram. the Spring Seat 262474 and the Washer 7802124.

[Richard M.]

Re: 67 Steering Column

Don, not the best resolution but see 2 pdf's in the DoRD Sticky.
Post #77 HERE

0049.pdf & 0050.pdf

They're the Saginaw prints for the 1967 Late Std column. Best to download and zoom in as they're not very good scans.

Rich
P.S. Early 1967 Std print is 0051.pdf

[Donald H.]

Re: 67 Steering Column

Thanks Rich,

When I zoom in on the blueprint, the assembly looks just like mine except I didn't find any packing.

It shows assembly order from rag joint end as CLAMP, PLASTIC COLLAR, PACKING, SPRING, BEARING, SPRING SEAT, SPRING.

That is the same order as in the diagram in the Shea article and as mine was assembled.

Now my question is where did the vendors come up with the bearing retainer that I show in my first post?

ZIP, CC, Paragon, and I even checked my old LIC catalog and they all sell this part as applicable to the Late 67 column.

Thanks again,
Don

[Richard M.]

Re: 67 Steering Column

Don I recall that retainer cup you show is for the Tele column. I'll check later on the laptop for photos.

EDIT- YES, Tele. See....

http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/67-68-telescoping-column-blowup-rev15ja2009.jpg

Item14
67-68-telescoping-column-blowup-rev15ja2009.jpg

BTW, the reason you didn't find the packing is because it was a felt like material and probably disintegrated many years ago.

Rich

[Donald H.]

Re: 67 Steering Column

Rich,

You cleared it up for me. Mine is correct, so now I can get on with the rebuild.

Thank you for the help,

Don

[Donald H.]

Re: 67 Steering Column

This information may already be in the forum, but I was not able to find it fully explained. So, I am documenting my findings in case someone else is looking.

The first picture is from Jim Shea's second paper on the 1967 corvette standard steering column. When I disassembled my column, the components matched this diagram. In ordering parts for a rebuild I found that all the corvette parts vendor online stores that I visited listed some parts as being for the 67 standard column, but they are actually for a tele column. Or they didn't make it very clear the application of some parts for early versus late and standard versus tele.

Mine is a late column and was as shown in the diagram attached. I did in fact have the two parts that are missing in the diagram as indicated by the notation Not Shown 7802124 Washer and Not Shown 262474 Spring Seat. These two items are shown in the second and third pictures attached. Note that both have a 'lip' that curls up. the Spring Seat lip fits into the original bearing race and the lip of the Washer fits to the end of one spring. I was unable to locate either of the items listed by the parts vendors.

Something that was a little troubling is the difference in the original bearing and the replacement bearing. The original is ball bearings and the replacement is roller bearings (picture 4). The only issue with this is the original bearing has an outer bearing race that conforms to the balls and the replacement bearing does not (pictures 5 & 6). So, the Spring Seat fits nice and tight to the original bearing race and doesn't work the same with the replacement bearing.

I'm not sure yet whether this will be a problem when I put it together or not.

[Richard M.]

Re: 67 Steering Column

Don, I recall I got the repro lower bearing for a Tele column, and it would not work. The repro design inner roller bearing will ride directly on the shaft. Original design had a inner race that slid over the shaft, held fast by the spring and retainer.

I think it's the same bearing used on the LATE Std column. Early '67 used a differently configured lower bearing.

I found a NOS bearing in my parts bin and used that. It matched the original perfectly.(shown below 1st photo) It's 7800407, as I found it Here in the parts book just now. It doesn't specify column type so I believe it's for both STD and TELE. I also found my old post HERE in THIS thread, describing the issues using the repro.

NOS 7800407 left, Repro upper right, original lower right.
PC310083.jpg

Couldn't read the bag.
PC310084.jpg

This was the repro I returned. Same as yours.
PC310086.jpg

Just searched and found This One on Ebay, albeit pricey.
s-l1600.jpg s-l1600.jpg

And This One there too.
s-l300.png s-l300.png

Now there's one more possible holder of a NOS bearing. I sold all of my C2 parts to a vendor here a year or so ago. Try contacting him, he may still have some that I sold him. Ian Johnston, Groveland, FL 352-429-5695 ianjohnston@hughes.net


See this thread for some more info too....

See post 3 from John H re order of assembly.
https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthre...olumn-assembly


Rich

[Richard M.]

Re: 67 Steering Column

Don, I spoke with Ian yesterday at his swap meet space at the Daytona Show & Swap Meet. I didn't know he was there until then. He has a swap space there in row 23.

He told me you called him. He's quite certain he still has those NOS lower bearings I sold him back at his shop, but won't be back until he gets home Sunday or Monday. If you can wait he should be able to help.

Rich

[Donald H.]

Re: 67 Steering Column

Don, I spoke with Ian yesterday at his swap meet space at the Daytona Show & Swap Meet. I didn't know he was there until then. He has a swap space there in row 23.

He told me you called him. He's quite certain he still has those NOS lower bearings I sold him back at his shop, but won't be back until he gets home Sunday or Monday. If you can wait he should be able to help.

Rich