Anyone have the assembly manual procedure for proper installation of a steering gearbox and rag joint on a 69 Camaro (convertible if it matters)? I referenced the paper at the Corvettefaq website, but it says to reference the assembly manual for your respective year. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thx.

Doesn't seem anybody cares about steering box's this weekend, I am about to do the same thing. I have a couple books what exactly are you looking for maybe it's in my books.

Jeoff J.

Doesn't seem anybody cares about steering box's this weekend, I am about to do the same thing. I have a couple books what exactly are you looking for maybe it's in my books.

Jeoff J.
Thanks chuckboy. Looking for the correct procedure for installing the steering gearbox and for installing the flex coupler (rag joint). For the flex coupler, I've read that the wheels need to be on the ground and that the steering shaft bracket needs to be "pulled to" the gearbox shaft bracket (with the flex coupler in between obviously). After installing a new gearbox the first time (with old flex coupler that looks fine), something is binding. Car is real difficult to steer but has occassional spots of easy steering (where it feels normal) in what seems to be a consistent pattern (e.g. every 30 degrees).

On first gen Camaros you need to carefully align the steering column shaft so that it is pointing directly at the gear input shaft (with the flexible coupling in between.) The stop pins that are sticking out of the flex coupling and pointing toward the steering column must fit inside the cutouts in the steering column flange.

You need to look at the pins and determine that they are central in the slots and not touching the sides or the inside edge of the slots. Then rotate your steering wheel one quarter turn and recheck the clearances. They should always be central in the slots. Otherwise, if things are not aligned properly you can get very severe binding in some positions. Parts can end up like this:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y38/JIML82/FlexCplgWornStopPins.jpg
Note the severe wear (even on the inside edge of the pins.)

In a nutshell: The gear bolts to the frame. There is very little if any adjustment that can be made to the gear mounting. The steering column is positioned in three areas.
1). The vertical bolts (or nuts that mount to threaded rods) that hold it up into the dash.
2). The plates and bolts that hold the lower end of the column to the floor pan.
3). The flexible coupling to the steering gear.

You need to roughly set the position of the column by loosely installing the vertical bolts or nuts. Then attach the steering column flange to the flex coupling on the gear. Finally make the attachments at the floor pan. Then tighten all of the fasteners to spec.

At the factory, the flex coupling came into the plant with orange plastic spacers on the stop pins. These spacers forced the steering column flange to be mounted central on the flex coupling. The spacers were pulled off and discarded when the steering column was aligned and "buttoned-up" at the assembly plant.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y38/JIML82/FlesCplgSpacerPic-1.jpg
You could simulate the spacers by wrapping masking tape around the pins so that you had a 0.55 diameter collar on the pins. Position the column flange on the pins and wrapping. This will centralize the column to the gear. "Dig" off the masking tape when the steering column is "buttoned-up".

There were different methods of sealing and attaching the lower end of the steering column to the floor pan on GM vehicles for that era. I do not have the specific information on the design that was used on 1969 Camaros. You will have to refer to the correct procedure outlined in the AIM or the Chevrolet Chassis Service Manual for your Camaro for that attachement.

Jim

Wow..!!! Now thats what I call over and above on the info. scale. Thanks Jim, I'll be doing this in a week or so.appreciate it.

Jeoff J.

I am about to swap out for a tilt column on my Camaro soon. This is great info Jim thanks for posting. Question, instead of masking tape could I use a piece of flexible tubing (with the right wall thinkness of course) that fits over the pins and centers it inside the column flange?

Here is a picture of my tilt column flange, the flange is not symmetrical (there is an extra notch on one side...not visible in this picture)...what is the notch for?

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a130/z282nv/misc007.jpg

Thanks Jim, I never saw or heard any references to loosening the column itself but makes sense. When my new gearbox was first installed, there was intermittent binding even though I lined up the pins and did just about everything else you mention above. I'll also make some spacers for the pins this time to further help.