That little wire clip under the steering wheel.

[wanderinthru]

Piddling with the Sprint, and the steering wheel is flopping around. It should make it in the shop this weekend and that is an issue I'd like to address. Figure that that little damn clip is gone. Is there a way to tighten the steering wheel other than jacking with that little wire clip, snap ring PIA thingy?

Thanks Guys

Shakey

 

[wanderinthru]

So, I assume either there isn't, or I'm dumber than even I think??

 

[Goldie Driver]

Piddling with the Sprint, and the steering wheel is flopping around. It should make it in the shop this weekend and that is an issue I'd like to address. Figure that that little damn clip is gone. Is there a way to tighten the steering wheel other than jacking with that little wire clip, snap ring PIA thingy?

Thanks Guys

Shakey

A bit lost - are you referring to the clip for the indicator wire ?

If you are dealing with a sloppy tilt column , it can be done in the truck w/o fooling with indicator clip.

It will have to be torn down a ways to get to those 4 bolts, though.

I need to do that to mine - been to damn lazy, frankly, to jack w/ it.

 

[wanderinthru]

A bit lost - are you referring to the clip for the indicator wire ?

If you are dealing with a sloppy tilt column , it can be done in the truck w/o fooling with indicator clip.

It will have to be torn down a ways to get to those 4 bolts, though.

I need to do that to mine - been to damn lazy, frankly, to jack w/ it.

No sir, tilt is ok. Maybe there is different columns? All I've delt with have a little hard wire split ring that fits in a grove in the splines, it is a PIA to deal with, but leave it out and the steering wheel will be all floppy. Or, am I old and thinking of something else? Don't think so. I'll get it apart and see.

You can get to the tilt mechanism and get it apart with out taking the column out?

 

[Snoots]

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[wanderinthru]

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Agreed.

 

[nvrenuf]

Sprint? I assume you're not talking about the little Chevette-like econo car?

On a square body there's a clip above the locking plate that requires a tool to depress the plate so you can remove it. If the clip were gone I could see where you might get in & out movement of the wheel because of the shaft "telescoping" in & out but I wouldn't think the wheel would flop around. any side to side play would likely be in the tilt mechanism or a bearing.

You can disassemble 50% of the column in the truck so I'd start there before removing it from the truck.

 

[Goldie Driver]

No sir, tilt is ok. Maybe there is different columns? All I've delt with have a little hard wire split ring that fits in a grove in the splines, it is a PIA to deal with, but leave it out and the steering wheel will be all floppy. Or, am I old and thinking of something else? Don't think so. I'll get it apart and see.

You can get to the tilt mechanism and get it apart with out taking the column out?

Sprint? I assume you're not talking about the little Chevette-like econo car?

On a square body there's a clip above the locking plate that requires a tool to depress the plate so you can remove it. If the clip were gone I could see where you might get in & out movement of the wheel because of the shaft "telescoping" in & out but I wouldn't think the wheel would flop around. any side to side play would likely be in the tilt mechanism or a bearing.

You can disassemble 50% of the column in the truck so I'd start there before removing it from the truck.

Yeah - you can take off the wheel, the lock plate, take off the turn signal switch - there is enough slack in the wires, or , if for some reason not, it's just a single connector on the bottom of the column - and then remove the upper cover and switch. The cruise lever ( if equipped ) has the same idea with the wiring. Once all that is out of the way you pretty much have to have the tool to get the tilt bushings out.

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Those bushings ( one on each side ) go in the hole shown here.

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NOW you can get at those 4 pesky little bolts.

 

[Goldie Driver]

No sir, tilt is ok. Maybe there is different columns? All I've delt with have a little hard wire split ring that fits in a grove in the splines, it is a PIA to deal with, but leave it out and the steering wheel will be all floppy. Or, am I old and thinking of something else? Don't think so. I'll get it apart and see.

You can get to the tilt mechanism and get it apart with out taking the column out?

Oops - got carried away. LOL

This, perhaps ?

( Like @nvrenuf said )

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[wanderinthru]

Sprint? I assume you're not talking about the little Chevette-like econo car?

On a square body there's a clip above the locking plate that requires a tool to depress the plate so you can remove it. If the clip were gone I could see where you might get in & out movement of the wheel because of the shaft "telescoping" in & out but I wouldn't think the wheel would flop around. any side to side play would likely be in the tilt mechanism or a bearing.

You can disassemble 50% of the column in the truck so I'd start there before removing it from the truck.

No sir this GMC Sprint. And yes, that little wire clip.

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[wanderinthru]

Oops - got carried away. LOL

This, perhaps ?

( Like @nvrenuf said )

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Exactly, that little clip. I was unaware there was a tool for it. Always took them off with a pick and put them back with a socket...cuss words in 3 languages, sweat, and sometimes blood and tears!!

Thanks! I'll have to find or make me one of them tools, sure there are pictures on the interweb somewhere.

 

[bucket]

The tool to depress the lock plate makes life so much easier. Then you only have the frustration of getting the clip out of the groove. When I bought the tool I think it was less than 10 bucks. It's been more that a few years though. Probably 20-30 bucks now, lol.

 

[nvrenuf]

"locking plate tool", most chain parts stores have them cheap or in their loaner tool program.

I still think that clip being gone or out of position would cause only cause in & out movement, not side to side slop. In fact, I think it only holds the plate so it may not cause play at all.

 

[nvrenuf]

oops, double post.

 

[bucket]

Looks like it's 17 bucks now. Still not bad for how much it helps.

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