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Sloppy tilt steering column

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Old 08-11-2003, 12:53 AM
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Sloppy tilt steering column

Pretty much just overnight my tilt column has become sloppy. I can move the steering wheel up like 1/2 inch, but not side to side. I'm wondering maybe if there's some bolts that have come loose to make it move up (not down though) like that. It's funny how it just seemed to happen overnight; I never noticed it before...
Old 08-11-2003, 07:34 AM
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Car: 1992 Z28 Heritage Edition
Engine: L98
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 3.23:1
Have you had experience with tilt columns before. I took mine apart trying to fix it and wound up with a leftover bucket of bolts and lots of parts that I could not identify. Therefore., I replaced the steering column...

Replacement was _MUCH_ easier than trying to repair.
Old 08-11-2003, 09:16 AM
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Car: 85 IROC-Z / 88 GTA
Engine: 403 LSx (Pending) / 355 Tuned Port
Transmission: T56 Magnum (Pending) / T5
Axle/Gears: 3.42 / ?
it sounds like the bolts at the base of the tilt mechanism loosened up. It's very common, and if you do a search, you'll find plenty. Vader has a step-by-step how-to complete with pics. I did it last year on the GTA. It's a pain in the ***, but do-able.
Old 08-11-2003, 09:18 AM
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I had the same issue in the past week. It actually failed state inspection because of it. It ended up being some stripped screws in the steering column and the answer was lock tight.

Unfortunatly I was at a shop and just had them fix it for a low price of 400 so fix it yourself and save a small fortune

Chris
Old 08-11-2003, 12:24 PM
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Car: 1987 Trans Am
Engine: Lt1
Transmission: T56
This helped me. It's based on a Fiero but was almost exactly the same. http://home.t-online.de/home/O_Scholz/steering.html
Old 08-11-2003, 01:34 PM
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Mines is very lose but there is no way!! Im gonna try to repair it after reading that walktrough.
Old 08-11-2003, 02:45 PM
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It took me all of 2 hours. The only hard part was reinstalling that ring that holds the column lock plate on, but that's because I didn't have the tool, so I had to gorilla fist it. As long as you've got that tool, and a tool to get the pins out of the side of the column, you'll be fine.
Old 08-11-2003, 11:42 PM
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My dad just informed me that he has both tools and has done this many times because he always uses GM columns on his street rods. I guess I dont have to worry now.

Thanks guys for you help.

Also I found this: https://www.thirdgen.org/newdesign/t...ngcolumn.shtml
Old 08-12-2003, 12:51 AM
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It might not be loose screws in the column, most of the internal pieces are cast aluminum, however, the two pins that the column halves pivot on are hardened steel, so your can guess which pieces wear out, at least thats how mine is worn.
Old 08-15-2003, 05:05 PM
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Yeah so it did turn out to be the male torx bolts hidden way down in the bottom of the column that came loose. I had it done in like 1/2 hour.
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