Advice on cleaning steering column

[Chris E.]

I'm wondering if good old steel wool would be best to clean the last portion of the steering column before it goes into the rag joint.

Here are two pictures of my original column.

[Jim S.]

Re: Advice on cleaning steering column

Is your steering shaft bent? Or is it just the picture? If it is bent as I suspect, you will need to remove the steering shaft from the column and try to have it straightened. You will have very lumpy steering, flexible coupling wear, and most likely lower bearing failure with a bent steering shaft.

It appears that you have a steering column (standard 1967, non-telescoping) that was campaigned. I have drawings of the interim 1967 and late 1967 steering columns but I don't have any information on the original (early) column. That car would have been returned to the dealer, the steering column removed from the car and the steering shaft replaced. The replacement (campaign) steering shaft would have had a clamp like the one in your picture. However, you will note from the following picture that I constructed, your steering column has a clamp and what appears to be a plastic adjuster assembly. But it does not have a plastic spacer.

I have never been able to find any NHTSA liturature or GM service liturature on the early 1967 Corvette steering shaft campaign and what the parts looked like.

Jim

[Chris E.]

Re: Advice on cleaning steering column

Jim, thanks for the info. I think the clamp I show in the picture is NOT the same clamp as found on 67 late steering columns. That clamp has a ridge on it, and mine is flat.

My car is very early (100183), so it makes more sense to me that it should have the spacer style setup. Also, there are other parts I have bagged up and labeled, and it is very possible that the part you mentioned that is NOT in the picture is in one of those bags.

[Jack H.]

Re: Advice on cleaning steering column

Why not get the lower shaft as clean as you can (degreaser + mild abbrasive like Brillo pad), then put chemistry to work using a rust removal agent like Naval Gel?

[Chris E.]

Re: Advice on cleaning steering column

Why not get the lower shaft as clean as you can (degreaser + mild abbrasive like Brillo pad), then put chemistry to work using a rust removal agent like Naval Gel?

Any suggestions in terms of what stores carry Naval Gel? Doesn't sound like something I can get at Wal-Mart....

[Stephen L.]

Re: Advice on cleaning steering column

NAVAL JELLY is common at most hardware stores