Lost Steering completely tonight!

North of 40 · 11-27-05, 03:30 AM

Beautiful night up here in Vancouver tonight. Thought I would take the wife out to a friends party in the 66 with manual steering. The party was nice and had a great time, all the guys coming out and talking about the old cars they had and sold. Left the party and while backing out of the driveway lost the steering completely!!

Had to have some of the guests come out and manually turn the wheels so I could limp the car back in the driveway.

Talk about embarassing and not the mention one not to happy wife!! She doesn't understand Guys and the old car thing. You know the look and the comments....

I TOLD YOU SO!!!!!, we could have bought a new converible for the money you've sunk into that Thing!!! Thing... Thats my Baby!!!!!

Well it was dark out(midnight), but had a quick look and looks like the Rag Joint completely let go..

Is it a difficult procedure to repair. Any tips?

What parts are necessary? I guess Corvette Central, Paragon etc. would be the place to order the parts from.

I guess I'll be calling a Tow Truck in the morning to bring her back home!! (The car, not the wife)...

Time for bed.

Thanks in advance to all for the assistance.

Good Night,

Nick

stepinwolf · 11-27-05, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by North of 40

Beautiful night up here in Vancouver tonight. Thought I would take the wife out to a friends party in the 66 with manual steering. The party was nice and had a great time, all the guys coming out and talking about the old cars they had and sold. Left the party and while backing out of the driveway lost the steering completely!!

Had to have some of the guests come out and manually turn the wheels so I could limp the car back in the driveway.

Talk about embarassing and not the mention one not to happy wife!! She doesn't understand Guys and the old car thing. You know the look and the comments....

I TOLD YOU SO!!!!!, we could have bought a new converible for the money you've sunk into that Thing!!! Thing... Thats my Baby!!!!!

Well it was dark out(midnight), but had a quick look and looks like the Rag Joint completely let go..

Is it a difficult procedure to repair. Any tips?

What parts are necessary? I guess Corvette Central, Paragon etc. would be the place to order the parts from.

I guess I'll be calling a Tow Truck in the morning to bring her back home!! (The car, not the wife)...

Time for bed.

Thanks in advance to all for the assistance.

Good Night,

Nick

Nick

You can get a "rag-joint" rebuild kit from both of thoses resellers for very few dollars, and it's an easy fix.

Stepinwolf

P.S. I would have left the wife, and brought the car home instead, but hey ! that's only me.

IH2LOSE · 11-27-05, 09:52 AM

Sorry for your troubles on this one, Should be a pretty straight foward repair once you get the rebuild kit.

If you could post a photo of it as I would like to understand why this failed,

What actually failed

Its a pretty substantial peices to tear up.

I would be hitting the fastners with some PB blaster while your waiting for the parts

Are you sure its just not loose or stripped

I know this is a fairley new car to you since July or so,I would highley recomend you look a every other safty related part in the car to assure no other hidden dangers are around.

Thankfully this did not fail when you were at speed.

Mac · 11-27-05, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IH2LOSE

Thankfully this did not fail when you were at speed.

No kidding! Can you imagine if you'd been screaming down the Sea-to-Sky Highway and had this problem... even at the speed limit?

-Mac

JohnZ · 11-27-05, 02:38 PM

I wouldn't use one of the rebuild kits on my car - the fasteners are flaky and the carcass element is inferior; we're talking about a primary safety system here. I'd replace it - LICS has new complete replacements for around $150.00 that include the internal horn ground strap (which the rebuild kits don't have).

Mac · 11-27-05, 03:15 PM

I don't want to hijack the thread but here's a picture map of the Sea-to-Sky Highway which runs from Vancouver to Whistler, a route which will be integral in the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympics. It's one of the most beautiful scenic drives in Canada (or the world for that matter) as it starts at Vancouver (sea level) and follows the coast up into the mountains to Whistler (2200 feet above sea level) and beyond.

-Mac

bluestripe67 · 11-27-05, 08:23 PM

This forum even covers digital mapping, we got it all!

Tom Bryant · 11-27-05, 09:10 PM

The rag joint is something I have been looking at on my '69 truck project. Even though the original looks good there is no way I'll head out on the road without replacing it or going to something better. If originality is not an issue with your car here is something I have been considering for the truck. It absorbs road vibration like a rag joint, will fit a variety of shafts with either splined or double D ends, offers 3" of colapsability in case of a collision and offers a precise splined slip joint that doesn't have the give that a rag joint has.

Flaming River EZ Fit

North of 40 · 11-28-05, 12:58 AM

Thanks guys for the feedback.

I had the car out last weekend on the Sea to Sky highway with my 10 year old Son. Went up to Whistler Mountain resort for a drive. This road in many areas has Shear rock walls on one side of the road and severe drop offs on the other. I hate to think what would have happend if the Rag joint let go on this drive. I know I probably would not be posting here anymore.

I will try to take some pictures of the rag joint tomorrow and post.

I had the car checked out by a certified mechanic that really knows his C2s and had all safety items taken care of Brakes, Cracks in Fuel line etc.

The Rag joint looked fine. But this is a Great warning to all..... These are 40 + old cars and just because something looks okay, we should not take anything for Granted with them.

I will contact LICS tomorrow and order one of their units. You can't put a price on personal safety!!!

Many Thanks,

Nick

North of 40 · 11-29-05, 01:06 AM

Tonight was really the first time I had a chance to look at the Rag joint with good light.

While I was taking some pictures I noticed something sparkle on the shields below the Steering shaft. Ball bearings!!!!!

Looking closer, I noticed that the Tele Lower Bearing Clip had moved down the shaft. I gave the Steering shaft a tug up and down and you guessed it the bearing has disintigrated.

Do you think this could have caused the Rag joint failure. Remember I was just backing out of a driveway.

The photos attached show a close up of the failed Rag joint shots from two sides. A shot of the entire firewall to Steering box(I know you'll like the Hose clamp used for a mast clamp, came with the car no extra charge). Proper Mast clamp on order along with the new Rag joint. Have a look at this picture and let me know if you see anything else wrong and pictures of the ball bearings.

Now for the big question!! I know you guys told me the Rag Joint is pretty easy to change.... How about the lower Steering shaft bearing, is it easy to change out also?

Is a complete Steering Column rebuild the way to go?

I have a feeling thats one expensive procedure especially for a Telescopic Steering column. I have a feeling that a total rebuild will not fit in my budget. Any estimates or best guesses as to the cost if this is the way to go.

I'll inform LICS to add a lower steering shaft bearing to the order along with any other parts necessary.

Thanks

Nick

vintagecorvette · 11-29-05, 02:52 AM

Is a complete Steering Column rebuild the way to go?

Since you will have the whole colum out of the car to do the lower bearing, I would go kkgive it a complete rebuild. Your upper bearing may be fine. The upper and lower bearings list the same and run about $35 USD. I notice from you photos that you have the wrong clamp on the bottom of the column, It is not suppose to be a gear clamp but a solid metal clamp with a bolt thru it, you may wnat to replace that.

Once you get the whole thing apart you will know what it up. I would not order your parts till you have it apart. But that is me. I hate the damn tax they charge to bring parts into Canada.

Good Luck.

oWEN

Mikey1 · 12-02-05, 05:54 AM

The thing that I see is that the car seems to be a rusty old hunk anyway that should have some resto work applied to it anyway. Rusted master and brake line give a strong warning that there is probably something wrong with the so knowledgeable maintenance guy. My recommendation is: Go and fix this first. Then have it repaired and maintained properly and you will not have safety issues like that anymore.

IH2LOSE · 12-02-05, 06:51 AM

Nick I am going to have my 66 down on sunday.I will take a photo of mine. it almost looks as though the steering shaft is too far away maybee pulling apart kinda stress, I have a replacement coupler in my garage and i just dont see how it could fail. It seam so substantial

Dave65 · 12-02-05, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mac

I don't want to hijack the thread but here's a picture map of the Sea-to-Sky Highway which runs from Vancouver to Whistler, a route which will be integral in the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympics. It's one of the most beautiful scenic drives in Canada (or the world for that matter) as it starts at Vancouver (sea level) and follows the coast up into the mountains to Whistler (2200 feet above sea level) and beyond.

-Mac

Played golf once at Furry Creek which is along the route - a neat mountain course - very remote. The people in the club house said the bears and grizzleys were not too much of a problem but we needed to be careful, be aware of and avoid the mountain lions. They said the bears and grizzleys will avoid you but the mountain lions will hunt you.

Pristine drive.

Dave

Ron Miller · 12-03-05, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by North of 40

Tonight was really the first time I had a chance to look at the Rag joint with good light.

While I was taking some pictures I noticed something sparkle on the shields below the Steering shaft. Ball bearings!!!!!

Looking closer, I noticed that the Tele Lower Bearing Clip had moved down the shaft. I gave the Steering shaft a tug up and down and you guessed it the bearing has disintigrated.

Do you think this could have caused the Rag joint failure. Remember I was just backing out of a driveway.

The photos attached show a close up of the failed Rag joint shots from two sides. A shot of the entire firewall to Steering box(I know you'll like the Hose clamp used for a mast clamp, came with the car no extra charge). Proper Mast clamp on order along with the new Rag joint. Have a look at this picture and let me know if you see anything else wrong and pictures of the ball bearings.

Now for the big question!! I know you guys told me the Rag Joint is pretty easy to change.... How about the lower Steering shaft bearing, is it easy to change out also?

Is a complete Steering Column rebuild the way to go?

I have a feeling thats one expensive procedure especially for a Telescopic Steering column. I have a feeling that a total rebuild will not fit in my budget. Any estimates or best guesses as to the cost if this is the way to go.

I'll inform LICS to add a lower steering shaft bearing to the order along with any other parts necessary.

Thanks

Nick

I believe you had some issues with the bearing failure before you had the rag joint failure. I'm not as familiar with the tele colum as with the standard, but if you'll notice, the studs on the lower clamp that extend towards the firewall are supposed to fit into the "u" shaped slot on the upper clamp. In normal operation there is sufficient clearance between the stud and the slot it fits into to prevent actual contact between the two. This provides a "fail-safe" link between the upper and lower steering shaft in case of total rag joint failure, providing the bearings in the upper shaft are still intact. You'd still have total steering control if the rag joint failed, though it would be with some play in the wheel.

In your case, bearing failure allowed the steering wheel to be pulled upward, disengaging the stud from its slot, and resulting in total loss of steering. That's why I believe you had problems with the bearings before you had rag joint problems, should have been some indication of this prior to failure.