steering wheel locking

[rsefczek]

after completely redoing the dash and reinstalling everything i took the car out for a test and found that the steering wheel "locks" and won't turn. if i jiggle the wheel or move the ignition key slightly i can turn the wheel. disconcerting when you're trying to make a turn! any suggestions where to start looking?

bob

[BQS4]

your ignition switch is the culprit. That's where the lock is built in. You may not have the steering column aligned properly if you just had it out.

[opelbits]

I had a similiar issue with my GT. The lock always felt a little odd. It turned out the switch to lock mechanism was installed just slightly off. With the ignition on, the lock was barely clearing the lock recess.

[73Manta72gt]

unless your really worried about your car being stolen I would remove the steering wheel lock mechanism. I've heard that it can lock while driving if the turn signal switch is lose or miss aligned.

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by 73Manta72gt unless your really worried about your car being stolen I would remove the steering wheel lock mechanism. I've heard that it can lock while driving if the turn signal switch is loose or miss aligned.

Where can I meet this Miss Aligned? . . . misaligned

[saxybiker]

Probably with her sisters:

Miss Take
Miss Understood
and
Miss Trust

and all their cousins, which we will not even try to list right now.



Vickie

[namba209]

Ho Boy, talk about a double gotcha.

[rsefczek]

when you say remove the lock cylinder do you mean the ignition switch and all and go with a starter button? are there any alignment marks for reference when i take this thing apart?

bob

[BQS4]

Bob;
If you didn't remove the ignition switch, then, the steering column is mis-aligned itself. There is a allen screw head sticking up on top of the column just down from where the steering wheel attaches to the column. It has a hole in the bracket under the dash that it has to mate with to correctly align the steering column. Check this.
Gene

[Bill Hoffmann]

I don't know about Miss Alignment, but I'm familiar with Miss Take.

When I disassembled the steering column in my GT for the first time, I found that it had been taken apart before, and the lock assembly was installed in such a way that it would have been possible for the steering wheel to lock while driving. It can be put together several ways, but if done correctly I don't think it could lock unexpectedly. This was about ten years ago, so I can't give you better details, but that's how I remember the situation.

Bill

[rsefczek]

hi gene, no i had disassembled the column to rewire and messed around with the switch as well so the alignment problem is probably more that just the button on the plate you were describing. when i finally get some free time i'll try and pay attention to document what's going on (or what went wrong!) for future people with this problem.

bob

[dmills500]

I just finished going this whole steering wheel lock delima on my 70 GT yesterday. My problem was that the steering wheel would not lock if the ignition key was set to the off position. The steering wheel would sometimes lock with the ignition set to the run position.. not cool!! If the steeing wheel sometimes locks when the ignition key is set to the run position then the ignition switch was inserted with the cross shaped driver in the steering lock in the off position. Both the ignition switch and the cross-shaped driver need to be in the run postion when assembled. Here is the fix.

Insert the ignition key and turn it to the run position.

Make sure the steering wheel is not locked.

Turn the key to the off positon.

Remove the steering wheel. (Do not remove the steering column it's not necessary.)

Remove the negative battery cable for safety.

Insert the ignition key and turn to the run position.

Depress the small spring loaded button on the front of the ignition switch housing and pull the ignition switch out. (The ignition switch turns a crossed-shaped driver at the base of the ignition lock housing to control the ignition.)

Using a flash light and a pair of needle nose pliers turn the crossed-shaped driver inside the steering lock housing from the off positon to the run position.
(Be careful not to booger the crossed-shape driver. The run position is clockwise just before you feel spring tension.)

Verify the ignition switch is still in the run position. (It will not go into the ignition lock housing unless it is in the run position.)

Reinstall the ignition switch.

Reinstall the steering wheel and verify the steering lock now works properly.

I hope this helps.

[rsefczek]

well, the final outcome for my problem wasn't quite as easy as i had hoped. my switch and column were correct but, inside the column are plastic insert (part of the whole collapsing steering column in case of accident thing). apparently one of the piece of plastic was broken and occasionally jamming the column until i shook it loose. had to replace the column and re-install my switch etc. and now it works fine. so add broken plastic to the list of causes.

[2 Fast 4 U]

Originally Posted by tekenaar Originally Posted by 73Manta72gt unless your really worried about your car being stolen I would remove the steering wheel lock mechanism. I've heard that it can lock while driving if the turn signal switch is loose or miss aligned. Where can I meet this Miss Aligned? . . . misaligned

Originally Posted by saxybiker Probably with her sisters: Miss Take Miss Understood & Miss Trust and all their cousins, which we will not even try to list right now. Vickie

Originally Posted by namba209 Ho Boy, talk about a double gotcha.

Nope :, triple gotcha

[rsefczek]

well, after months of no problem, the gt steering wheel lock issue came up again. driving down the road making a nice gentle turn when i hear a click and the wheel locks. i was able to get off the road without hitting anyone (or thing). turned the key to off, then back to run and the wheel was free again. at this point i'm ready to disable the steering lock mechanism but i'm not sure how to do that. any suggestions?

bob

[BQS4]

After looking at the FSM, it looks like the steering wheel HAS to come off. I hope that you won't have the same problem that I'm having with my nephew's GT. Even using the correct puller, the steering shaft has boogered up.

[namba209]

Had the same thing happen to me on Willit?, after I replaced the turn signal plate, luckily, it happened in the driveway. You gotta removed the steering wheel. To keep from screwing up the shaft, just loosen the nut so it's flush with the top of the shaft, then use the puller. After the wheel breaks loose from the splines, you can take off the nut and the wheel. Remove the plastic trim up against the instrument panel on the column, (2 screws). Then you can feel the ends of the three sheetmetal screws that hold the metal cover on that's around the ignition switch and turn signal stalk. Remove the turn signal stalk, then remove the three screws with a #1 phillips screwdriver. You'll need a magnet to retrieve the screws. Position the cover so you can remove the 1 screw that holds the ignition switch, on the left side of the assembly. Take off the switch and you'll see the shaft that runs from the key tumbler to the switch. Pull the shaft out enuff to disengage it from the tumbler cylinder and rotate it 90 degrees, counter clockwise, I think, I don't remember for sure, this will keep the lock from engaging. You can look at the locking setup and make sure. Then slide the shaft back into the key tumbler and put the switch back in place and install the screw, carefully. Too tight and you'll break the plastic housing. Use a small dab of grease on the end of the screwdriver to install the three sheetmetal screws, then install the plastic trim and steering wheel. Oh yeah, don't move the shaft while the steering wheel is off, to check the lock. I did and now I've gotta re-align the steering wheel. HTH.

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by namba209 Had the same thing happen to me on Willit?, after I replaced the turn signal plate, luckily, it happened in the driveway. You gotta removed the steering wheel. To keep from screwing up the shaft, just loosen the nut so it's flush with the top of the shaft, then use the puller. After the wheel breaks loose from the splines, you can take off the nut and the wheel. . . . don't move the shaft while the steering wheel is off, to check the lock. I did and now I've gotta re-align the steering wheel. HTH.

. . . abman is correct, that's the best way I've found too! . . . doesn't release steering wheel enough to mess up alignment with the shaft this way either!

[PROPEL]

Originally Posted by namba209 Oh yeah, don't move the shaft while the steering wheel is off, to check the lock. I did and now I've gotta re-align the steering wheel. HTH.

You can also re-align the wheel from the lower steering shaft joint. It's really easy to do if you have the right star bit.

Originally Posted by tekenaar the best way I've found too! . . . doesn't release steering wheel enough to mess up alignment with the shaft this way either!

I use a 10mm deep socket to cover the threads. (No-pun, THREAD HIJACK WARNING: Along these lines, what size die would you recommend to re-cut the steering column threads if they are totally bunged-up by a PO? The original thread is something like 10-1.5; so would an undersize SAE be appropriate?)

[Wolfman3002]

Originally Posted by PROPEL I use a 10mm deep socket to cover the threads. (No-pun THREAD HIJACK WARNING: Along these lines, what size die would you recommend to re-cut the steering column threads if they are totally bunged-up by a PO? The original thread is something like 10-1.5; so would an undersize SAE be appropriate?)

Along these same lines (and further risking the wrath of the moderators for continuing this thread hijacking), is there such a thing as a reverse helicoil? What I mean is, a cylinder with inside threads to match the current steering wheel mounting shaft, and outside threads to match a slightly larger nut. I realize that you would have to lock it in place somehow to prevent it coming off every time you removed the nut (loctite?), but it should reinforce the soft metal of the shaft. Good idea? Maybe no? Just thinking outloud. ...
Randy

[yellaopelgt]

Heli-Coil | Helicoil | Helicoil Insert | Helicoil Tap | Helicoil Inserts | Helicoil Gauge | Helicoil Kit

[Wolfman3002]

Originally Posted by yellaopelgt Heli-Coil | Helicoil | Helicoil Insert | Helicoil Tap | Helicoil Inserts | Helicoil Gauge | Helicoil Kit

Thanks. Yes, I've seen helicoils before, but they're meant to go inside a tapped hole, not outside on the threads of a shaft, as in the steering shaft (unless I missed something on the website). I guess a person could make one w/ the right tools (drill press, taps and dies, etc.)

[yellaopelgt]

Originally Posted by Wolfman3002 Thanks. Yes, I've seen helicoils before, but they're meant to go inside a tapped hole, not outside on the threads of a shaft, as in the steering shaft (unless I missed something on the website). I guess a person could make one w/ the right tools (drill press, taps and dies, etc.)

Is there a difference(inside/outside=same thing)??? The point of me directing you you to the website was for you to look up reverse threads.......
Not trying to be a joker, maybe I just understand what your trying to say??

[kwilford]

Originally Posted by yellaopelgt Is there a difference(inside/outside=same thing)??? The point of me directing you you to the website was for you to look up reverse threads....... Not trying to be a joker, maybe I just understand what your trying to say??

I think he is asking if there is a thread repair available for an external thread, such as to repair a bolt or shaft with a "male" external thread. What heli-coils do is repair INTERNAL "female" threads (in holes), not external threads.

Interesting question. I haven't ever seen an external thread repair device except for something like
http://www.nes.co.il/Fastener_repair...d_guides2.html
and if repairing the thread doesn't work then usually you have to re-thread the part to a smaller size. I guess that you could fabricate a threaded sleeve, with both internal and external threads, with the external thread the same size and pitch as the OEM, and the internal thread some smaller size, but presumably the same pitch, in a sort of reversed insert heli-coil sort of way. Anyone else know of such a thing?

[GTJIM]

The steering column shaft is made of quite soft steel and the threaded bit is delicate - the force needed to remove a frozen on steering wheel will crush it ... every time. Even with the nut left on the thread beneath it can collapse - so it is necessary to transfer the thrust down to the shoulder at the bottom of the thread using a sleeve ... or suitable socket.

If the thread becomes damaged beyond repair then it is possible to cut the thread off and tap an M8 x 1.25mm pitch thread down into the column and use a cap screw to hold the steering wheel on. Loctite it!

See here: http://www.opelgt.com/forums/32075-post13.html

Keith, The trouble with a 'repair sleeve' would be that the thread would then only be as strong as the 'new' and smaller thread inside the repair sleeve.