I have an 01 firebird. Last time to the track for some HPDE, the steering columm/wheel started to move a bit when I would turn the wheel hard into a corner. It is moving at the area of where the tilt section of the columm. Is this a common problem? More inportantly, is there an easy fix? Bushings, etc.

If memory serves me right, It pulls down and to the right a bit to the point where it affects your concentration a little in the turns. I don't think anything is going to break, but I would like to fix it to feel a little more confident.
Thanks in advance,
Ed

When we use the steering wheel to help hold us in the seat/driving position, it wears out the bushings. as does getting in and out of the car pulling on the wheel.

My fix was to install a junkyard column. Talk to Alan Blaine if you want to try to fix yours. I found it a very tough project...hence the new column.

Very common problem - the tilt pivots on pressed in pins, and one of the pins has worked loose, or the housing has worn around the pin. You can try removing the shroud in the hope of finding the pin and pressing it back in place.

Alan,

If the housing is worn, do you have a newly fabricated part? I don't know if those parts are available new from GM any more.

<<< Still new to the F-Body world.

I am not aware of any service replacement parts for the worn pivot mechanism - you might check with your local dealer, GM may have come up with a fix

For track cars I spec this column replacement: http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/index.php?showtopic=12242

Contact Jason @ unbalanced engineering. I just installed the first set over oversized tilt pins he is now machining. They are larger in diameter than stock, and made from a harder grade of stainless. My column was the worst I've ever seen in one of these cars; it was shot. With the oversized pins it is like new, absolutely no play in the tilt mechanism.

Having said that, if you are not mechanically inclined, or have a fear of tiny, easily breakable parts - don't tear apart your column. I'm pretty confident with a wrench, but man that job is a PITA. There are great write-ups online to guide on through GM tilt column assembly. Not an easy job but well worth it in my opinion. Feels like a new car.

I was planning on going with Alan's replacement, but the car is still street driven from time to time so I was not prepared to lose the lights/wipers/signal functions on the column. The other option is trying to source a column with no play, but I searched high and low for the last 2 years and couldn't find a tight one. These cars are getting up there in age.

Alan needs to come up with a way to allow the wiper/turn signal function to bolt to his column.

Or, has anyone come up with a way to have dash mounted controls?

That's great, I hadn't seen that Jason was making the oversize pins - they are in his catalog now: http://unbalancedengineering.com/GM/Pins/

Your fixed column should be saleable at a pretty good price if you ever do retire the car from street duty and go with the race column.

I have not marketed the Woodward column for street use since the airbag is eliminated, and adapting turn signals/etc to a dash mount would vary by model and year and user preferences enough that every build would be custom.

I just had mine rebuilt, and it's better but not perfect. I was told that something in my column wallowed out, the torx bolts were barely loose.... would a pair of Jason's pins fix all of the tilt slop?

In this old thread (http://ls1tech.com/forums/general-maintenance-repairs/1726385-steering-column-help.html) the guy said he replaced the lower column housing with GM PN 26016589, but I never ordered the part.

Yes, they will fix the slop. The column housing is what wallows out, Jason's pins are oversized to compensate for the larger holes. My column was really bad, you could pull it down with one finger. The previous owner really loved to pull on the wheel I guess. I only replaced the pins and its a 100% improvement. My torx screws were all tight, the only issue with the column was the pins.

Yeah, mine had gotten so bad, and after attempted the torx screw "fix"and finding that there was no improvement I tore the column down to see what was causing the issue. The holes in the aluminum knuckles were enlarged. So I had a few sets of prototype pins made and figured out the best size. We're now offering them as a single pin or a pair.

The reason for this is that for those of you with only a slight issue, the left side pin is easy to get to and only requires about 30 minutes of work. To do both pins takes significantly longer, but will result in less column slop.

Thanks for the post update Tom.

Jason

I ordered a pair. So, what caused the columns to wallow out with the OEM pins, and how do the oversized pins prevent the column from continuing to wallow out further after they are installed?

This post has been edited by JimMueller: Jun 3 2015, 09:38 PM

Hey Jim,

Thanks for the order. The pins are steel and the knuckles are aluminum. So with time and use, the steel pins works the holes open in the aluminum. With the oversized pins, this may still happen. I haven't had mine in long enough to know. But I'm thinking that the aluminum displaced when the holes opened up the first time should create additional surface/bearing area and at least slow the process going forward.

In any case, it will at the very least get you back to where you were when the column was new.

HTH,
Jason

This post has been edited by Unbalanced Engineering: Jun 3 2015, 11:05 PM

I knew going in that the potential is there for the condition to occur again; the aluminum in the steering column must be incredibly soft. To prevent this from happening in the future, I installed a quick disconnect so the wheel doesn't accidentally tugged on. Also, I don't move around much in my seat while cornering so hopefully the condition won't return.

For now, it feels really great to drive the car with a column that feels brand new.

Ordered! Been annoying me for years. Between me, my co driver, and a stock seat mine is a mess. Just thought i would deal with it since i was warned it would happen when i bought the car new in 2001. Didnt bother me so much on course, but felt like a pos driving to work. That and replacing hubs lol. Im excited to get these in.

I would not need air bag adaptability, as I have gone through (sometimes a VERY draconian) inspection without one for the last 14 years, but they WILL fail me for not having stalks, obviously, so I WISH that Woodward would produce one with them, as well as a quicker ratio, DIRECT BOLT IN, OEM style, POWER steering rack for these cars.

I do understand the fear of liability involved with manufacturing a 'street' column without the possibility of an air bag fitment though, EVEN IF there is a disclaimer/waiver involved. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

This post has been edited by dailydriver: Jun 28 2015, 11:50 PM

Going to finally be getting around to doing this next weekend...

A year later, how are things holding up? Is doing this as bad/difficult as everyone thought?

Thanks!