One of the more common problems that come with C4 ownership is a steering wheel that feels loose. In most cases, the wheel will tug freely down and to the left, and perhaps even vibrate disconcertingly on rough roads. If that describes your Corvette, you’ve come to the right place.
The problem is related to the tilt-steering system and the knuckle behind the ball-socket pivot point for the steering wheel. Actually there can be two problems, and on a theoretical 1-10 pain-in-the-rear scale of diagnosis and repair, one registers a 9.0 and the other a solid 9.5—and you can’t really fix one of them without tackling the other.
01 The loose feeling usually...
01 The loose feeling usually comes from loosing-fitting attachment pins in the knuckle. A replacement knuckle and pins cost about $140 from most popular Corvette-parts houses.
02 It’s a whole lot easier...
02 It’s a whole lot easier to remove the steering column before disassembling it. (On ’90-’96 models, the design of the instrument panel requires the column’s removal.) That part of the project begins with the removal of the knee panel.
03 Next to come off is the...
03 Next to come off is the steering wheel, beginning with this pair of airbag-cover fasteners. Always disconnect the battery before working around the airbag.
04 As the airbag cover comes...
04 As the airbag cover comes off, the airbag itself is disconnected and carefully set aside.
05 With the airbag out of...
05 With the airbag out of the way, the steering wheel can be removed. A steering-wheel puller is required for this step.
06 Next, the column is unbolted...
06 Next, the column is unbolted beneath the instrument panel, allowing it to drop out of place. Care must be taken around the delicate wiring harness snaking over and around the column.
07 Somewhere under the brake...
07 Somewhere under the brake booster/master cylinder in the engine compartment is the large bolt that connects the column’s steering shaft (arrow) to the rack-and-pinion’s shaft. It must be removed.
08 With the column free of...
08 With the column free of the shaft, it should slide out pretty easily. The best way to finish the disassembly and get to the worn knuckle is to mount it in a bench vise.
09 Disassembly continues on...
09 Disassembly continues on the bench, with the removal of a plastic cover on the turn-signal wiring harness. We don’t have room to show every small component removed from the column during this repair, so use this story as a basic guide, not an instruction manual.
10 The “clock spring” for...
10 The “clock spring” for the airbag must be removed from the front of the column; it’s held on with a simple snap ring. Note that it must be reinstalled correctly to ensure proper airbag operation.
11 Behind the clock spring...
11 Behind the clock spring is a spring-loaded lock plate that must also be removed. This step requires a compressor tool that can be rented from most auto-parts stores. You can also buy one from most Corvette-parts retailers.
12 The compressor tool compresses...
12 The compressor tool compresses the spring, pushing the lock plate down and exposing the snap-ring fastener that must slipped off. It’s very fragile, so be careful not to break it.
Here’s the deal: The aluminum steering knuckle is attached to the steering column with four screws and a couple of side pins. Stress on the steering column caused by drivers using the steering wheel for leverage when pulling themselves out of the car causes either the screws or the pins to loosen, and sometimes both. If it’s just loose screws, they can be easily tightened, but getting to them requires an involved procedure of removing the steering wheel and disassembling many of the steering-column components. This includes dropping or removing the column on ’90-and-later models.
But finding only loose screws isn’t quite the victory it seems, because by the time you’ve dug into the column far enough to reach them, you’re only a couple steps away from the removal and replacement of the knuckle, so you might as well swap it out. Of course, that requires you to purchase a new knuckle and pins for about $140, and you want to have the new knuckle on hand when you start the project, because if you bet on the loose screws and you’re wrong, you’ll be, well, screwed.
13 With the snap ring removed,...
13 With the snap ring removed, the lock plate slides off the shaft, exposing the hardware for the hazard-signal button, turn-signal switch, and more.
14 Next, the fragile plastic...
14 Next, the fragile plastic turn-signal cam and related parts are gently unscrewed and removed.
15 Delving deeper into the...
15 Delving deeper into the column allows for the disconnection of the ignition switch, which also must be removed.
16 When the ignition switch...
16 When the ignition switch comes out, examine the wire along its body (arrow), which tends to fray or wear over time. If it’s bad, you’ll save yourself a headache later by replacing the entire lock cylinder at this time.
17 Next comes the removal...
17 Next comes the removal of this Torx-head fastener for the tilt housing/bearing housing.
18 This plastic outer cover...
18 This plastic outer cover is removed next, exposing the tilt housing.
19 Next, the spring for the...
19 Next, the spring for the tilt mechanism is carefully removed. It’s what the tilt lever presses against when you pull it to adjust the wheel up or down.
20 The steering knuckle is...
20 The steering knuckle is finally in sight. If its four corner fasteners (arrows) are loose, that could contribute to the loose steering-wheel feel. Ours were tight, indicating that the knuckles’ pin bores were worn.
21 With tight pins, a puller...
21 With tight pins, a puller tool like this would be required to remove them from the knuckle. Only one of the pins on our project vehicle required any action with the puller; the other one pretty much fell out once the cover was removed. Not good!
The other thing to keep in mind about this project is the comparatively high difficulty level for the do-it-yourselfer. There are many small, intricate, and delicate components behind the steering wheel, and each must be carefully removed and replaced in exactly the correct position during the reassembly process. If you’re investing the time to tear down the steering column to fix the loose wheel, buy the new part and do the full repair. It’s comparatively cheap insurance, and more likely than not, stress on the knuckle has tugged the side-pin bosses out of round anyway, which is why the pins are loose. In our ’90 project car, the pins basically fell out, when they should have required some force to drive out with a hammer.
22 With the pins out, the...
22 With the pins out, the steering shaft is pulled out through the front of the column so the knuckle can be removed. There’s more to the shaft’s removal than this, but again, this story should serve as a general overview.
23 After all the tedious work...
23 After all the tedious work to bring us to this point, it was sort of anticlimactic when it came to the removal of the old knuckle. It simply pulled out of position and was tossed aside.
24 The new knuckle was then...
24 The new knuckle was then slipped into place. This was the easiest and quickest part of the entire project, which had already consumed about 2.5 hours.
25 With some Loctite on the...
25 With some Loctite on the threads, the four corner fasteners may be reinstalled on the new knuckle.
26 The steering shaft is reinstalled...
26 The steering shaft is reinstalled with some fresh grease on the joint for the ball socket. This mechanism allows the steering wheel to move up and down, while the rest of the column remains stationary.
27 Next, the new pins are...
27 Next, the new pins are inserted in the knuckle. They require a few taps from a punch and hammer to seat them properly.
28 Here’s a tip from a Chevy...
28 Here’s a tip from a Chevy dealership tech who’s done the job plenty of times before: Take the punch again and gently “smash” the edge of the pin bores. This helps lock the pins in place, preventing them from “walking” out if they get loose.
29 With the new knuckle in...
29 With the new knuckle in place, the reassembly process begins. Fortunately, none of the delicate components from the column were damaged during our project. Most of these parts are available, but your dealer or auto-parts store may not have them in stock. Check with the major Corvette-parts suppliers.
30 The reassembled column...
30 The reassembled column slips back under the instrument panel and is reattached to the steering rack in the engine compartment.
Since we weren’t comfortable attempting this highly complex job on our own, we turned to Cauley Performance, a former Chevrolet dealership (see sidebar) that is still home to some very knowledgeable and experienced Corvette technicians. We let them do the hard work while we photographed the repair process.
31 Finally, the steering wheel...
31 Finally, the steering wheel is reinstalled, followed by the airbag and cover. The firm feel behind the wheel makes this difficult, time-consuming project worth the effort. vette
The experienced technician, who had a full shop at his disposal, took nearly four hours to perform the repair and get our Corvette steering straight. If you’re planning to attempt the project yourself, plan on taking the better part of a full day, because you’ll want to photograph just about every step to ensure the column’s components are reassembled in the correct position and order.
With the knuckle replaced, there’s a greater feeling of confidence over the road. The steering wheel doesn’t shake as badly over bumps, and that nerve-wracking looseness is gone. Owning and driving a C4 in an involving experience, and few projects are more involving than this one. The results, however, feel great.
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Cauley Performance: Life After Chevy
It was about two years ago when dealer Jeff Cauley got “the letter.” It was the notice from General Motors that his Chevrolet franchise was terminated. Hundreds of other dealers around the country received similar notices, as GM reorganized after declaring bankruptcy. Cauley appealed the decision, but to no avail. He was a man without a bowtie—at least, officially.
The former Chevy dealership in West Bloomfield, Michigan, near Detroit, now houses Cauley Performance Automotive (
www.cauley.net), a store specializing in the sale, maintenance, repair, and modification of high-performance and luxury vehicles. During our visit we counted no fewer than 10 Corvettes in the service department, ranging from a concours-appearing C1 to a C4 ZR-1 and several modified C5s and C6s.
“As a past Chevrolet dealer we always put a huge focus on performance cars, mainly the Corvette. As we moved away from the Chevrolet franchise and became Cauley Performance Automotive, we continued to follow the performance segment,” says Jeff Cauley. “Corvettes are still our number-one specialty vehicle for sales, service, and modifications. Whether we’re a Chevrolet dealership or not has nothing to do with our technicians’ experience or our commitment to our customers. After 40 years in business, customer service is still our biggest priority and [it] always will be—regardless of whether there’s a big bowtie on our building.”