Loose Steering Wheel
Loose Steering Wheel Does anyone know how to fix a steering wheel that is looser than it should be? It moves up and down more than it should be, and in order for me to turn on the high beams I have to pull the steering wheel down a little bit in order to do it. What's the easiest way to fix it?
Does your car have tilt wheel? The pin that is pulled in and out of the mechanism can come loose or get worn so that it is loose in he hole it must fit into. When either of these occurs the wheel will move up and down about 1/2 inch. GM has a repair kit for this with all the necessary parts and this is what you will need if the pin is worn out. It goes for about $ 60. You have to pull the steering wheel to install the new pin. This is a several hour job and you need a special puller for the stearing wheel. Mine came loose two years ago and after discovering I wasn't able to pull the wheel I simply used a punch to reseat the pin and the problem was gone. It returned this year and I'm going to put some red Loctite on it and reseat it again.
We found a similar issue in the tilt mechanism of the column.
It was definitely the pin. But it wasn't about tolerences increasing, rather the pin had back out.
Close inspection found some peening marks on the housing and the end of the existing pin. So we used a narrow ended punch and tapped the pin back into the housing and the slop went away.
We then re-peened in it place.
The real issue is the colum has to be stripped in order to do this. We're lucky as we strip the columns anyway for race car purboses. What a PITA it would be having to put it all back together again.
It was definitely the pin. But it wasn't about tolerences increasing, rather the pin had back out.
Close inspection found some peening marks on the housing and the end of the existing pin. So we used a narrow ended punch and tapped the pin back into the housing and the slop went away.
We then re-peened in it place.
The real issue is the colum has to be stripped in order to do this. We're lucky as we strip the columns anyway for race car purboses. What a PITA it would be having to put it all back together again.
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there are also some inverted torx bolts usually in a gm column that are prone to coming loose. I havent had the issue with a f-body, but with many, many other gms. You have to tear the column down a long ways to get to them.
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ditto rpmauto
mine happened with GMC S15 Jimmy and it just kept getting worse. I didn't know what it was so I just started into it from the steering wheel, got that out of the way then blinker set and then it was obvious.
Good luck
mine happened with GMC S15 Jimmy and it just kept getting worse. I didn't know what it was so I just started into it from the steering wheel, got that out of the way then blinker set and then it was obvious.
Good luck
I've got the same problem, my steering wheel can be pulled down and to the left while locked in position, but springs back to the normal position. Dealer said it needed to come apart. I don't recall the price quote for parts and labor, but it wasn't cheap. I also have the high beam rod problem.
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
From: Harker Heights, TX
I have the same symptoms as JimMueller. It makes using the to left (I belive) blinker difficult. My wifes '91 Sierra had a simmilar problem because her mother would pull herself in by the wheel and busted both the bolts and the pin. At least that didn't have an airbag. I am dreading dealing with the airbag...
I never use the steering wheel to assist in entry/exit of the cabin, but once in awhile I'll let others drive at an autocross. My blinkers work as well as they ever did ... which means the the stalk always feels like it's going to snap off. If I'm just changing lanes I'll manually move them up and down for the turn signal. But I use the clicker at intersections.
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
From: Harker Heights, TX
If I move the wheel out of the rest position it is easier to use the turn signals. I know previous owner laid the seat way back so it stands to reason that they did the same as my mother in law, only to get out instead. I felt like a turttle on its back when I tried to get out when I was first looking at the car.
