New 1967-68 Standard Strg Column Paper

[Jim S.]

FYI I just posted a new paper on Disassembly & Repair of the 1967 (late) and 1968 Corvette Standard Steering Columns. This paper just covers the removal of the steering wheel, horn parts, turn signal lever, and turn signal switch. There is also a steering column blowup picture from the 1968 Chevrolet Chassis Service Manual with several corrections added.

http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/67-68-corvette-std-strg-column-disassembly-repair_1.doc

I would appreciate any comments, corrections, etc.

(I am currently working on D&R Paper #2 that will cover the upper and lower bearings.)
Jim

[John H.]

Re: New 1967-68 Standard Strg Column Paper

Thanks, Jim - another great paper!

[Bill T.]

Re: New 1967-68 Standard Strg Column Paper

Good work! Makes it look sooo easy...

[Gerard F.]

Re: New 1967-68 Standard Strg Column Paper

Jim,

Just replaced my signal switch this past weekend on my 67, and there are some slight differences in the 67 column and signal switch replacement than for the 68 you show.

In your drawing of the column covers, a 67 has only two covers, and instead of a closeout panel on the bottom, it has a collar which attaches to the dash panel. Because of the collar you need to use a slightly different method of removing and replacing the switch, as the wiring threads through the collar, and the semi-circular connector won't fit through it.

The service manual way to remove the switch was simply to cut the wiring above the connector as it was a non-servicable part (but no not this kid).
The new switch wiring without the connector is then thread down through the collar. To get it through and remove the clip-on wire protector. The collar needs to be slid back up the column and the column dropped slightly.

This sounds confusing, maybe these pictures will help:

Removing the connector:



Here's the path of the wiring coming out:



Here's how it goes through the collar:


You need to thread only a few connectors at a time through the collar.

Jim, not meaning to highjack your thread, you asked for comments or corrections. I have pictures of removal of the steering wheel down and other parts down to the switch which you're welcome to have.

I was intending on doing a Restorer Story on troublshooting and repair of the switch itself.

Regards,

[Timothy B.]

Re: New 1967-68 Standard Strg Column Paper

Jerry,

Where did you locate the new T/S switch?

[Jim S.]

Re: New 1967-68 Standard Strg Column Paper

Jerry,
Please refer to my corrected blowup drawing of the 67-68 strg column.

The assembly drawings and the Chevrolet Chassis Service Manual describe removing the cover assembly consisting of the upper flange #1, signal switch cover #9, upper bearing housing #8, and the signal switch #7 from the column jacket. You first remove the retaining ring #13, thrust washer #14, and wave washer #12, and then remove the three radial screws #2. The whole unit comes off of the column jacket sliding the wires (without connector) through the panel closeout escutcheon.

Can you just remove the signal switch alone? It seems that by removing the three screws #6 you could slide the switch up and out leaving the bearing housing still retained on the column shaft because you did not remove the retaining ring.

The shop manual is rather inflexible as it describes the disassembly of the steering column.

Jim

[Larry M.]

Re: New 1967-68 Standard Strg Column Paper

Jim:

Thanks for an excellent paper. Any plans for 67-68 telescopic column? Info and parts for these are very scarce.

Larry

[Gerard F.]

Re: New 1967-68 Standard Strg Column Paper

Jerry,
Please refer to my corrected blowup drawing of the 67-68 strg column.

The assembly drawings and the Chevrolet Chassis Service Manual describe removing the cover assembly consisting of the upper flange #1, signal switch cover #9, upper bearing housing #8, and the signal switch #7 from the column jacket. You first remove the retaining ring #13, thrust washer #14, and wave washer #12, and then remove the three radial screws #2. The whole unit comes off of the column jacket sliding the wires (without connector) through the panel closeout escutcheon.

Can you just remove the signal switch alone? It seems that by removing the three screws #6 you could slide the switch up and out leaving the bearing housing still retained on the column shaft because you did not remove the retaining ring.

The shop manual is rather inflexible as it describes the disassembly of the steering column.

Jim

Jim,

The 67 steering column drawing from the 67 Service Manual is slightly different from your drawing in that it shows what I all the collar at the dash panel (they call it an Escutcheon)

Below is a pdf file of the 67 column. I think your drawing is a late 67 for a 68 car.

If you are just going to replace the signal switch, there is no need to remove the Upper Flange, Upper Bearing Housing, and parts 12,13,14.

Like you said above, you can just remove the 3 switch retaining screws, slide the switch out with the connector removed from the end of the wiring.

The 67 signal switch procedure in the Service Manual is confusing in that they do remove the a number of parts not necessary and still remove the connector at the end. I'll bet they soon found out that one could save some time by removing the connector.

I suppose if you were taking the whole column apart anyway, you would not have to remove the connector on a 67, and with no collar on a 68 you probably wouldn't need to remove it also.

But it sure's saves time on a 67 switch replacement.

[Gerard F.]

Re: New 1967-68 Standard Strg Column Paper

Tim,

I got it from the partsladi on ebay. It's red but seems to be a pretty exact reproduction of the original white switch. I think that there is only one reproduction out there, and the partsladi had the best price of all the other vendors.

Actually the switch came from Bob Rush, great delivery with Fed-Ex, had the part in less than a week.

[Henry J.]

Re: New 1967-68 Standard Strg Column Paper

I'm with Larry Mulder on this. Any plans for 67-68 telescopic column?

[Jim S.]

Re: New 1967-68 Standard Strg Column Paper

Jerry,
I have a switch drawing that calls out wiring color, gage, function, and position in the connector.
White #18 GA, Stop Light, P
Dark Green #18 GA, Right Rear, N
Yellow #18 GA, Left Rear, M
Purple #18 GA, Flasher, L
Brown #18 GA, Hazard Warning, K
Dark Blue #18 GA, Right Front, J
Light Blue #18 GA, Left Front, H
Black #18 GA, Horn, G

Evidently some of your wires have stripes indicating the correct color as compared to a solid colored cover. Was there any type of alpha coding on the plastic curved connector that would indicate wire position?

The retaining ring #20 is the infamous campaign part that was seated in a groove in the steering shaft. Also the blowup drawing does not show the plastic adjuster unit that was used with the retaining ring at start of 1967 production. Since all early C2 steering columns were campaigned and the steering shafts replaced, I have opted not to discuss the retaining ring, plastic adjuster and other parts associated with the design.

Jim

[Jim S.]

Re: New 1967-68 Standard Strg Column Paper

I have to complete D&R Paper #2 that describes servicing the lower bearing on the 67-68 Vette standard columns.
I will start a 67-68 telescoping column D&R Paper(s) after that.

I have the engineering assembly drawing of the 1967 telescoping column. I don't have the 67 Chassis Service Manual. If someone would scan the 67 blowup of that column I am pretty sure that I can work it out along with my 68 Service Manual.
Jim

[Bryan M.]

Re: New 1967-68 Standard Strg Column Paper

Jim,
Looks great! I just rebuilt my 68's standard column this past year. Thanks for the great advice. The column feels like it's new. I have another 68 column that I'm going to rebuild when I get the time.

[Jim S.]

Re: New 1967-68 Standard Strg Column Paper

Here is the link to the latest revision to the 1967-68 Standard Corvette Steering Column Disassembly & Repair Paper #1

http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/67-68-corvette-std-strg-column-dr_1rev04de08.doc

Thanks to Jerry Fuccillo for the corrections and tips that have been included.

Jim

[Gerard F.]

Re: New 1967-68 Standard Strg Column Paper

Jim,

The attachment below is a pdf scan of the 67 Telescoping column from the 67 Chassis Service Manual.

Saw you finished article, looks just great.

Regards,