Wobbly Steering wheel

[JTKrupa]

Hi all,

This may sound like a silly question, but how do I get at the screws/bolts/nuts needed to tighten the steering down?

I have a 94GT w/tilt and I can move the steering wheel left and right without turning it. It doesn't move a tremendous amount, but I have noticed it getting worse slowly.

Is it something I can tighten down, or is it a bearing issue like I had in my Fiero?

If I can tighten it down, where should I look for loose screws? Do I have to remove the airbag?

Please advise if possible!!

Thanks a bunch.

JT
1994 GT 2-dr
3.1 w/145K

[Knifeblade]

I would first advise a front-end alignment diagnosis before you tear the wheel apart.

[JTKrupa]

I think you misunderstood what I was talking about.

Its not a wobble in the wheel as in a shake or shimmy at speed.

Its a case of I can sit in my car with it turned off and literally move the steering wheel left and right (no rotation). You know how you can hold the tilt lever and move the wheel up and down? I can do that left and right (though not as much movement as up and down) just by grabbing the wheel and pushing on the left side of it. It goes left and then comes back to center when I let go.

It as if something has worked loose on the column near the tilt point. So the steering wheel is literally loose inside the car and acts like it is pivoting on something, not as if the steering is loose when I'm driving, that's just fine.

Sorry if there was any confusion, I hope my first post to this thread makes a little more sense now.

[Knifeblade]

Ah, K, I hear ya now. There is only one nut that holds the wheel to the shaft, it'sw under the trim plate over the column shaft. If that is tight, then

1] either something internal has gone bad, or

2] the pinion joint from the shaft to the steering rack is going bad.

I'll post a couple links that I hope may help you zero in on the prob.

[Knifeblade]

http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBr...3d800e5cac.jsp

http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBr...3d800e5d2e.jsp

[JTKrupa]

Thanks for the links. I'll have to open up the steering cover and lower dash assembly (no worries, been in there before installing remote starter and when I did my stereo system) and see if I can locate anything loose.

I hope it isn't something huge...but who knows?

Thanks again for the tips.

[Chazman]

There are two "pivot pins", one on either side of the steering column were it tilts.

They can be removed and replaced with a hammer and punch.

Mine came in a kit from GM, fairly cheap.

[JTKrupa]

Thanks for the advice,

I'll have to open it up and see if that is what the problem is this evening...once it cools off a little bit...right now its too stinking hot to work on anything...its like 90 with 98% humidity...in other words, stifling hot...

Did you just go to a dealership to order the kit?

[kmarsh9809]

on most G.M. tilt wheels with problems like you've described there are 4 torx head screws on a ball socket type pivot joint (hard to explain) that have come loose,these screws are fairly deep in the column, its beyond the pivot pins chazman talked about those pins can be extracted with a small bolt as they're just a press fit, and yes the air bag will need to be removed, its not to bad a job if you have patients,a little mechanical ablity and pay attention to how things came apart (a digital camera can be a great tool) however if your lacking it might be better left to the pro
Good Luck and let us know if we can be of more assistance and how things turned out

[Chazman]

Yes, got it from the dealer.

[JTKrupa]

Chazman (or anyone for that matter)

Do you know what the part name or number is for that tilt bushing you were talking about?

I finally got the chance to tear the column apart and found that the left bushing that the tilt assembly pivots on is completely GONE...I have no idea where it could have gone...I didn't see or notice it fall out from the dash...it had to have been there when I got the car because the wobble in the wheel just started a month or so ago...when I originally opened this post...

I would like to know what I'm asking for when I go to the dealer so I can get in and out as quickly as possible since I will have to go there over my lunch break for work...I start before they open and quit after they close...

Any information as to what I should as for would be helpful.

Thanks in advance...

[gmack221]

Originally Posted by kmarsh9809

on most G.M. tilt wheels with problems like you've described there are 4 torx head screws on a ball socket type pivot joint (hard to explain) that have come loose,these screws are fairly deep in the column, its beyond the pivot pins chazman talked about those pins can be extracted with a small bolt as they're just a press fit, and yes the air bag will need to be removed, its not to bad a job if you have patients,a little mechanical ablity and pay attention to how things came apart (a digital camera can be a great tool) however if your lacking it might be better left to the pro
Good Luck and let us know if we can be of more assistance and how things turned out

kmarsh9809, do you know for sure that the grand am has the same torques, I ran into this problem on another buick one time, now my grand am is doing the same thing, not terriable yet, just would like to know for sure before I go digging into it weather I need bushings or if I can just tighten up some bolts. By the way I have a 95 grand am.

[Chazman]

Can't find my reciept, but they came as a kit along with the spring for the tilt steering.

[JTKrupa]

I found a part called "Spring Kit, Tilt" on GMPartsdirect.com

Does that sound right?

Maybe I'll call the dealer today and see what they have to say over the phone...

[Chazman]

I find it best to go to the dealer and look at the pictures on thier computers screens, but yes that sounds right.