hey guys i need help i dont hav powersteering and since i dont i have messed up my steering colum.... i have heard that there are 4 screws or bolts at the bottom of the collum that will back off but how do i get to them..... please help..... cant drive car.....

 

yup-got to pull column apart all the way to get to the bolts-loctite red-need tilt pivot pin tool, wheel puller and locking wheel depress tool-can hack around the need for them but its a pita w/o them

 

I have the same problem, where would I find those specialty tools?

 

snap-on truck, mac truck, matco truck-i dunno check out some tool places on line-i wouldnt use my own car for a learning curve, if i was you, quite a few parts in there and all must line up to go together in order to function-be careful and dont force\bend anything to do it. i dont want to discourage you-if you do it take your time-get an exploded view if possible prior to the dis-assembly later

 

I had the same problem last semester. It's not too difficult to fix if yout ake your time and pay attention to how everything goes together. I wasn't able to obtain the tilt-steering pin remover, so I was only able to get two of the bolts by using one of those extending magnets. Loctited em up and stuck em back in and had it tight as new. Would have liked to get all 4, but it just wasn't gonna happen. There is a tech article on this site explaining the procedure for the fix. Read it. There were a couple things I had trouble understanding, but I have the answers here.

Q. How does the tilt lever usncrew.

A. The tilt lever is the actual lever you pull to release the pawls from the rack to tilt the column up or down. The entire lever itself screws into the base. You may have small flats on the shaft to help turn the lever, but I've generally been able to remove them by hand with a little "dedication".

Q. "Now there's a circular thing under the spindle, using a big philips screw driver, push it down and turn it. Careful cause there's a spring under it. release the spring and remove it."

Is this circular thing bronze colored, about 3/4" in diameter and have a square hole in the middle? It would be below and slightly to the left of the spindle if it is. There is a pretty fat spring covered in grease behind it. How much force is required to push it down and get it to turn, because I can't get it to budge at all?


A. The tilt counterbalance spring cap (the "circular thing under the spindle") does indeed have a square hole at its center. A #3 Phillips or large Robertson driver will engage the square and allow you to remove the cap. It is a bayonet-type mount, like tail lamp bulbs. Just push in and turn counter clockwise. As the article statesm there is a heavy coil spring under the cap. Raise the wheel to its highest position and lock it in place before removing the spring cap to relieve as much spring tension as possible.

I have some pictures that will help, courtesy of Vader on the tech board.

 

Nice view of the column:

 

The tools mentioned above can be had at Advance or Auto zone, or a Napa auto parts store. Cheap steering wheel pullers are like $7, and I think I paid like $17-20 for the other tool, but it was a good KD brand item. I am a mechanically inclined individual, but wouldn't suggest any layman diving into their own steering column on this one. My Brother walked me through this repair and my head was spinning trying to learn the process enough to be able to put it back together with out his help. Could not have done it without him. Of course, this is the same little Brother that built my f-body tilt/telescopic column for me from a donor Caddy column. He can do this repair inunder an hour, the show off!!
If you feel brave enough to try this repair, an almost must have item to ensure success is a video camera. Video every tiny step of the way. And shoot all the partz as they come apart. It will be that one item you weren't paying attention to, that will come apart and you won't remember how it was assembled, and 9 out of 10 times you won't be able to find a detailed diagram or close up photo that will show you what you need to know.
Plan about 3 hours to do this job. 2 if your lucky, 4+ if you screw up.
Don't lay the parts on the dash board. One small peice of my column fell into the defroster duct. Then it was a special trip to the junk yard. Luckily I had 10 minutes and just enough time to get the part I needed before they closed for the rest of the weekend.
You do not need to take the column out of your car, unless of course you screw up and can't put it back together. Its easier to have it out take to the garage than having your car towed.
Another good idea, is to practice this process at a junk yard where you can pull your own parts. There you can take your time and try the repair process first and decide whether you can handle the repair or if it is over your head, and better deferred to a pro.
Make sure you use the best highest strength locktite on the screws you are trying to secure. While in the column, take the screws out and load them up with locktite.
They are special star head style bolts too. Another special tool socket that you may need to buy.
its easier to get the turn signal cancelor assembly over the column shaft if you unplug the turn signal wires on the column so you can pull this assembly up to move it over the shaft and out of your way, but you don't have to remove the turn signal cancelor assembly the whole way out of the column, that would make putting the wiring block back down in the column a PITA.
My advice, don't do it without a freind as an extra set of eyes, and without a video camera. Else you just may not be driving your car for a while.
Good luck
Be cool!
"TEACH"