Tilt wheel's all wobbly '87 Caprice

[deesandvees]

My tilt wheel is really wobbly so I'm adding it to the list of things I need to get done on this thing. I've never taken a steering wheel off or a column out but it doesn't look like it'd be that hard. I know I'd need some kind of steering wheel puller, no big deal. Is the tilt wheel something that can get worn out and fixed? Some kind of bearing or bushing in there?

[silicon212]

There are some bolts, deep inside the column, that have worked loose and simply need to be retightened.

You will need a slide hammer and a #8/32 screw to put on the end of the slide hammer to remove the pivot pins. You can use a cheap dent puller for a slide hammer - but you'll have to somehow machine down the head of the screw so it fits inside it - a Dremel works well for this.

[mike561]

I know you need to remove the steering wheel to get to the key cylinder too, would anyone know if theres also a buttion where the ignition key gets insterted that makes the chimer ding as well? or was that a feature on later models?

[silicon212]

There's a little plastic clip with copper 'feelers' on it that snaps in at the base of the ignition lock cylinder. This butts against a little trapezoidal shaped plastic thing that protrudes from the lock cylinder when it's in Lock or ACC. This is what controls the chime. Pull this out, then remove the screw that holds the lock cylinder in, and it all comes out.

[comp]

Originally Posted by mike561

I know you need to remove the steering wheel to get to the key cylinder too, would anyone know if theres also a buttion where the ignition key gets insterted that makes the chimer ding as well? or was that a feature on later models?

(years ago) i pulled the wire at the buzzer on the girlfreind locked herself out in 2 days

[deesandvees]

Originally Posted by silicon212

There are some bolts, deep inside the column, that have worked loose and simply need to be retightened.

So I can do this without removing the whole column? Just remove the wheel and I'll be able to get to these bolts?

[silicon212]

Originally Posted by deesandvees

So I can do this without removing the whole column? Just remove the wheel and I'll be able to get to these bolts?

Well, you can do it (in fact, it's easier to do it) with the column mounted. There is a little more to it than that however, it does require disassembly of nearly the entire damn thing. Use a camera to take pictures of it as you take it apart, so you can look at those pictures and see how the parts go when you put it together again. The bolts I mention are sort of like reverse Torx head, where the head is male instead of female. They're pretty much located deep in the bowels of the column, once you see those bolts, there's not much left to disassemble. I've used a 6mm socket on them with no ill effects, but DO make sure you use Loctite on these bolts (if you don't want this to happen again).

[comp]

add pics here for others

[Scrapper]

the reason they usually flip the colum up and let it slam up when getting out or in..that makes work loose i'll say 90% of the trouble is because there doing that...good luck....

[mike561]

Originally Posted by silicon212

There's a little plastic clip with copper 'feelers' on it that snaps in at the base of the ignition lock cylinder. This butts against a little trapezoidal shaped plastic thing that protrudes from the lock cylinder when it's in Lock or ACC. This is what controls the chime. Pull this out, then remove the screw that holds the lock cylinder in, and it all comes out.

alright ill check that out

[EngineandJuice]

Originally Posted by silicon212

I've used a 6mm socket on them with no ill effects, but DO make sure you use Loctite on these bolts (if you don't want this to happen again).

Definitely use Loctite I had to have this done on 3 separate occasions until I used the Loctite and it hasn't moved since.

[Blue Bowtie]

Your car will be a little easier since there is no VATS wiring and SIR coil/wiring/gas bag.

Start by centering the steering wheel, so that the wheel can be replaced in exactly the same position on the shaft easily. The steering shaft is both marked and keyed, but centering the wheel makes the job easier to "eyeball", and keeps the turn signal canceling cam out of the way in later steps.

Next, remove the hazard flasher knob on the lower right side of the steering column. There should be a small (#0) Phillips screw holding the knob in place. Find the release clip or bolts for the horn sounder pad and remove it. As the pad is removed from the wheel, unplug the horn wire from the connector on the pad. Remove the horn sounder wire and the insulator that guides the wire through the steering wheel. The insulating sleeve needs to be pushed inward slightly, twisted ¼ turn anticlockwise, and removed from the wheel. There is a light spring in the sleeve, so make sure all the parts are removed together.

Remove the safety clip from the steering shaft, then remove the nut. You might have to have an assistant help hold the wheel while you turn the nut loose. Install the bolts from your steering wheel puller into the tapped holes in the wheel, and turn the puller screw to release the wheel from the steering shaft.

Depress the notched wheel locking plate and remove the locking ring located at the center of the plate. There is a special tool for holding the wheel locking plate while the snap ring is removed, and it will be worth the $15.00 you'll pay for it. It can be done without the tool, but it is an exercise in frustration unless you are an octopus. I've done it several times using the "Armstrong" method, now I have the tool and use the "Brainstrong" method instead.



When the wheel locking plate is removed, you can look at the left lower side of the turn signal switch and see a pan head Phillips or Torx screw that holds the turn signal lever in place. Remove this screw and plate, then move the lever out of the way. There are three more pan head screws that hold the turn signal/hazard lamp switch to the upper column. Remove those and lift the turn signal switch out of the way. You may need to feed some extra wire from under the column to allow the switch to clear the steering shaft and move out of the way completely.



Once the turn signal/hazard switch base is out of the way, you should see another pan head screw on the upper right side of the column. This screw holds the lock cylinder in place. Before you remove the lock cylinder, make sure you hold the plastic/metal foil contact assembly in place so you don't lose it down the column when the lock is removed. This switch assembly is what actuates the key warning buzzer/chime. If you have VATS, there should be an additional pair of wires to unplug and feed down along the column.



Remove the column tilt release lever by unscrewing it. Set it nearby since you will need to reinstall it after the upper bowl trim jacket is removed. Remove the turn signal / multifunction lever shaft by carefully pulling it out of the switch. Unplug the cruise control wire harness (if equipped). Remove the remaining upper bowl trim screws and lift the upper bowl off the column. Find the column tilt release lever and thread it back in hand tight for now.

Remove the upper steering shaft bearing nut and retainer clip. Remove the upper bearing set. Remove the actuator rod link from the rack/sector that operates with the lock cylinder. Disconnect the link from the clip in the lower column.



Remove the balance spring cap with a #2 or larger Phillips driver or larger square drive. This will allow the upper column fall to the lowest tilt position.

Remove the pivot pins from either side of the upper column using an 8-32 screw and nuts as a puller.



Once the pins are removed, operate the column tilt release lever and remove the upper column half. Note the routing of the ignition switch linkage rod(s) when you remove the upper column half. Tilt the upper stub shaft and universal joint to allow the joint to be separated.

At this point, you should be viewing the top of the lower column half and four HWH cap or Torx cap screws ('87 might be either way). Remove these screws one at a time, clean the threads, and apply a light coating of LocTite 242 or an equivalent medium strength removable thread locker. Tighten the bolts by hand until all four are reinstalled. Torque these bolts to 80 in/lb.



Reassemble the upper column half in reverse order. Take time to clean and grease all the moving parts so you can have another ten years of reliable operation. Every moving part, including the turn signal switch and cancelling cam, should be cleaned and lubricated with white lithium grease.

When assembly is complete, torque the steering wheel nut to 35 ft/lb. There are already enough loose nuts behind steering wheels on our roadways....

There is a possibility that some of the pan head screws are Torx instead of Phillips. I believe this was more common on 1985 and later cars, but your's may have them as well.

There is also a very remote possibility that your car has an inflatable restraint, in which case you'll need to disconnect the battery and insulate all connections before you start. You should also have a service manual to detail the proper procedure for removing and re-centering the triggering coil and pickup for the SIR. You don't want to have that done incorrectly.

(Before anyone starts to argue about having an air bag on an older car, I know that some GM vehicles had SIR systems as early as 1977. My mother had a '77 Toronado with an air bag, but back then GM called it the "Air Cushion Restraint System" - almost 15 years before the SIR was standard on many cars. GM knew that the air bags sucked eggs back then, and they know that they still suck. But no one can reason with the government when they get involved in our personal lives. Gimme a five point harness in a real car any day. )

[silicon212]

Actually, the first air bags were installed on a GM car (I believe it was the Toronado) in 1974, so yes, they have been with us for 34 years now.

[Blue Bowtie]

Some might argue that they have had passenger-side "air bags" for a lot longer than that, but we don't need to open that can of worms.