Stock steering column does not like autox

[Texastransam]

I have been racing in SCCA Solo for four years now and I seem to have killed my poor steering column. My wheel moves up and down more than it should. At normal speeds it's not that bad, but once I start driving over 90mph or racing it feels like I'm going to rip the steering wheel off the car.

Does anyone have a solution?

My idea is to replace the whole thing with a younger piece from another car, or if I feel crazy a new GM one.

[Ironhead]

The joint in the steering column is rather weak. Your entire coulmn will probably have to be replaced.

You can kill it by using it as an assist to get in and out of the car if you have a race seat.
You can kill it by using it as a brace when driving the car if you don't have a race seat.

I try to take care of mine and tell everyone who drives my car the same thing.

[Texastransam]

I do have over 100k on the car. The LS1 went at 98k. I guess it's not surprising that the column is going out.

[Dustin AZ]

I can actually move the steering wheel down roughly 1/4-1/2", almost feeling like the column is spring-loaded.

Hopefully this isn't a huge safety concern, because I'm not replacing the steering column.


- Dustin

[12secSS]

Both of our SS do the same. Mine has well over 170K miles, but her's just has 70K miles. Either way, I am going to look into replacing them in the future.

[Sam Strano]

The rule for ANYONE driving my f-bodies has always been to NOT use the wheel as an oh-sh*t handle, and DO NOT use it to get out of the car. If you have to pull yourself out, you use the A-pillar with your right hand.

I had over 100k miles on my '91, and no issue. My '01 has 45k on it, and it's been autoxed and beat on since brand new including a few National Championships under it's belt in ESP, and no column issues.

You can replace it, but if you don't quit pulling on it, the new one will just wear the same way.

And most cars have junk columns because so many folks use them to pull themselves out of the car and it wears the tilt mechanism (which is junk, thank you GM).

[mitchntx]

I bought a column rebuild kit from GM a few years ago. It was ~$30 IIRC.

This rebuild kit replaces the roller bearings at the top and bottom of the column. It doesn't have anything for the tilt joint. The description sounds like a trashed bearing.

When you see these bearings for the first time, you will understand why they fail when you load up the column

[Stealthjr]

I have the same issues and was wondering if it is a safety issue!

So, does the rebuild kit fix this issue? For $30...it seems silly not to rebuild it verses searching for another column!

Thanks!!!

Robert

[mitchntx]

I trashed mine in my race car wedging the column down trying to get the dash in. It just wouldn't clear the column and roll bar.

I was lazy and didn't remove the column. Oh well, live and learn.

After about 2 or 3 turns of the wheel it became looser and looser, till it was flopping around in the housing.

I repeat ... it had nothing to do with the tilt mechanism or joint. This was the actual steering shaft floating around in the column.

If yours is play in the tilt joint, remove the outer cover of the column and the tilt is easy to service. It's basically just a single pin holding the 2 sections together. And that pin is held in place by the outer cover. It's a friction fit. weird and scary.

The kit comes with a crap load of parts ... some I used some I didn't. But I also have my column stripped ... no key, no lock, no turn signal, no security, no horn, no air bag ...

If you'd like, I can snap a couple pics of my stripped column. Not sure it would help, but thought I'd offer.

[Stealthjr]

mitchntx,

Thanks for the info. I looked through the Service Manuals and it doesn't look like fun trying to remove and re-install the "pivot pin" I need to do to fix this column. I wonder what the dealer would charge me to fix it?

See ya!

Robert

[Texastransam]

I think I'll take Strano's advice and be very kind to my steering column from now on, and not take it for granted, because I now know it's as weak as a kitten.