1972 Imperial Tilt Column - Help!

[Wile E Coyote]

Just my luck...
I get the new idler arm all installed - everything goes great - I pull the car out of the shop to close up and pull on the tilt arm lever to release the column upward and as the wheel is traveling upward, I hear a *snap* *ping* *clunk*!! I pull on the tilt arm lever and try to pull the wheel back down - and it ain't happenin'. The column will not tilt now and putting the gear selector into gear is possible, but met with some resistance.

Does anyone have any experience with tilt columns?

As I can imagine it - there must be some sort of detent/spring/ball-bearing type mechanism?

Is this repairable for the average mechanic - or will I have to ship it off to a steering column restoration place?

Thanks for any inputs, thoughts, knowledge or ideas!

Ron.

 

[CBODY67]

On many Saginaw tilt columns, there is a spring which causes the tilt section upward. It has a metal cap that holds it in place. Fully replaceable. Where the tile happens is a "sphere" (cut in half) with 4 sections on it. That's at the pivot point, It's white plastic. I do suspect the parts are Chrysler-specific, though, rather than any interchange with a similar GM tilt-telescope column, but I could be wrong. Therefore, sourcing them might be "a trick".

Once you get the snap ring off of the steering wheel lock, it's all "screws and bolts". There should be something in the service manual about rebuilding it. Hamtramk Registry has a good many service manual links for downloads.

Might seek out an old Cadillac service tech, rather than Chrysler per se.

CBODY67

 

[saforwardlook]

Just my luck...
I get the new idler arm all installed - everything goes great - I pull the car out of the shop to close up and pull on the tilt arm lever to release the column upward and as the wheel is traveling upward, I hear a *snap* *ping* *clunk*!! I pull on the tilt arm lever and try to pull the wheel back down - and it ain't happenin'. The column will not tilt now and putting the gear selector into gear is possible, but met with some resistance.

Does anyone have any experience with tilt columns?

As I can imagine it - there must be some sort of detent/spring/ball-bearing type mechanism?

Is this repairable for the average mechanic - or will I have to ship it off to a steering column restoration place?

Thanks for any inputs, thoughts, knowledge or ideas!

Ron.

Ron, save yourself some misery and get a good used tilt/tel column from Murray Park or maybe Wildcat Auto Wrecking. Even when you get the tilt/tel columns apart, the cheap plastic pieces crumble in your hands and finding replacements is not easy. Get one from a low miles Chrysler or Imperial vehicle if at all possible.

 

[traintech55]

Taking the column apart is not a problem EXCEPT to when you get to the pivot. You will need a special tool to remove the pivot pins. These have to be removed to get to the lock mechanism. Getting ready for work but send me a PM with your number and I will talk you through it later. Bill

 

[Wile E Coyote]

Oh my......

 

[Wile E Coyote]

 

[Wile E Coyote]

 

[Wile E Coyote]

Hello Murray?

 

[traintech55]

NO. You can do it. Talk to you later.

 

[CBODY67]

The "centering spheres" are the "plastic parts" and look to be the same or very similar to GM cars, as do other parts in the column. BUT as I found out when replacing the turn signal switch in my '80 Newport (a Saginaw tilt column, which outwardly looked just like a '85 Caprice) there are detail differences in the Chrysler-spec column. So suspecting you'll use available GM parts to fix it all might be a gamble, by observation. The other side of the deal is that there were quality/assembly issues with the GM columns, over time, which Chryslers didn't seem to have! Yet the designs were basically the same. Hence, my recommendation of finding an older Cadillac tech to help with the fix, as they'd probably know more of what they were looking at than you might.

NO rocket science! Just attention to how it comes apart and in what sequence.

ONE thing about used parts, they aren't NEW, but new-to-you. That means that anything which might come apart from age issues (the plastic parts?) are probably close to that situation in the "new" column, just from age/shelf life issues.

Before you take the steering wheel off, make sure it's turned "straight ahead" in position! At the "high noon" position on the upper shaft, there's a "dead spline" that indexes with the same thing on the splines of the steering wheel. Then depress the lock plate to get the snap ring out of its groove to proceed further "into" the column. At this point, it's very similar to things on my '77 Camaro tilt column.

In the main support housing, there are BEARINGS and races. These might look very "weak", but they do what they do rather nicely. Some new lighter grease on them will both help to keep them in place and make later operation smoother.

The spheres have that snap ring that's in the picture. Reason I mentioned the dead spline is that there usually is no particular way to put the two shaft halves back together, so make sure the upper shaft's dead spline is at "high noon", otherwise the steering wheel will not install correctly (in position!) which will also impact getting the turn signals to cancel as they should! Reason I know this is that when a tech fixed the "Thunderbird syndrome" on my Camaro, the upper shaft dead spline ended up at ("6 o'clock). As the steering wheel is the four-spoke wheel, it being upside down is not readily apparent, until you make a turn and the signals don't cancel as they should.

The support needed to fix the T-bird Syndrome is above the pivot point housing. The pins are slip-fit, but tight. Possibly a small slide hammer might get them out? I know there was a GM tool for that. There used to be many places that advertised "GM Steering Column Repair" in the '80s.

It might be new territory for you, but I suspect that if you can change spark plugs, you can fix your column. Please prove me right. But I also know that time can be an issue, too. You're judgment call.

CBODY67

 

[Big_John]

I'll bet that if you go on youtube and search for GM tilt column repair, you will come up with a repair procedure that will help.

 

[Wile E Coyote]

Thanks for all the info CBODY67. I rebuilt my first torque flight with nothing more than the factory service manual so I imagine this can be done as well. Having traintech55 as coach and cheerleader, I think I can tackle this. First hill to climb I imagine is finding the centering spheres (assuming this indeed is what gave-way) and any other parts that might/will be needed.

Another bit of advice I'll ask - can this be done easily with the column in the car or should I pull the column and do it on the work bench?

Thanks,
Ron

 

[traintech55]

The problem you discribred is pretty common but it does have to come apart to repair. Good thing about being a dealer mechanic in the 70's and 80's is I have done at least 500 theft repairs

 

[traintech55]

The problem you discribred is pretty common but it does have to come apart to repair. Good thing about being a dealer mechanic in the 70's and 80's is I have done at least 500 theft repairs.

 

[traintech55]

Sorry for the double post.