S-10 Steering Column Help Needed

Zen · « **on:** December 27, 2015, 05:46:57 PM »

The starter went out on my 84 S-10 a few months ago. I replaced it and on the first trip, the switch stopped working. I finally figured out that if you put the tilt all the way to the bottom, it would work . . . until last week when whatever was worn/cracked finally bit the dust for good. I had a piece break in the column of my old 88 Buick Reatta and I suspect this same piece is broken in the S-10 . . . but I can't figure out how to break the column down to get at it. I've got the steering wheel off and the pressure plate behind it off and the turn signal stalk removed from the turn signal switch. I've got the emergency flasher button removed and the turn signal switch loose, but I'm stuck on what to do next.

Does the column have to come out of the truck to finish breaking it down? Or better yet, does anyone have a good tilt column for a '84 S-10 (including the key) laying around in their way?

Zen · « **Reply #1 on:** December 29, 2015, 04:20:58 PM »

I found a video on youtube and got the column apart. The "rack" was broken. I was told at AutoZone it's a dealer part. Went to the Chevy dealer here in town hoping they had one in stock . . . no such luck. It's been discontinued. I tried O'reily's and they have a repair kit that has the part I need . . . it's $71 and some change, plus tax. It's not in stock, but they can have it later today. So I went home and check eBay. I found one for $9.99 with free shipping, but it wouldn't be here until next Tuesday. But, it was a Dorman brand "Help" part. I went to AuotZone's web site and they have it by that part number. It's $9.99 . . . plus shipping. Standard shipping wouldn't get it here for over a week and overnight shipping bumps the price up to the O'Reily's level. Two day shipping is a happy medium so I go to checkout. Even though it says "In Stock" it returns an error that says to adjust my quantity because they don't have that many in stock . . .

I'm just trying to order ONE!

After a little more searching, I've got one on the way from Amazon that will be here Thursday. Total cost was about $27. Hopefully I can figure out how to re-assemble this mess later this week.

ASBug · « **Reply #2 on:** January 05, 2016, 08:43:00 AM »

I had issues with the turn signal stock on my '88 S-10, bought the new switch (~$30) and all I ended up needing was a spring from the new switch. It was a good thing, I could not figure for the life of me how to thread the old harness out of the column nor get the new one in, it has a ginormous plug on the end that is soldered on and will not fit through the hole in the pathway...
Switch works now, but has since developed another worn out problem... 300K miles is the main problem with the switch.

Zen · « **Reply #3 on:** January 10, 2016, 03:41:27 PM »

I thought I was almost done, but I think I've got to back up and punt. I've got the switch rack in place and the tilt mechanism back together. I stuck the lock assembly back in and it works great. Then I noticed this hole at the top of the column that should have a small rod that moves in and out when you operate the switch (it's for the steering wheel lock). The rod is laying on the dash. I think it goes in before you engage the switch rack with the pinion. The lazy in me says leave it out. But, something is wrong with the dimmer switch. I think I've got to pull it all back apart to fix that . . . or cut and spice some wires, drill a hole or two and install a dimmer switch to the floor.

Note to self: If you take something apart and aren't going to put it back together for several weeks, MAKE LOTS OF PICTURES!

Zen · « **Reply #4 on:** January 10, 2016, 05:02:00 PM »

I found a good series of videos on youtube that shows how to take the column apart and put it back together. Apparently, I'm not the first one to leave the lock pin out.

volksnick · « **Reply #5 on:** January 10, 2016, 07:06:20 PM »

$8 and some change!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FPXUHK?colid=10SENXF8M079T&coliid=I36QC1H1ATKFLI&ref_=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl

Zen · « **Reply #6 on:** January 16, 2016, 05:29:27 PM »

If anyone has any problems with anything in a tilt column in just about any GM vehicle (and some Chryslers) built between 1977 and 1995, I now possess the tools and the knowledge to take it apart and re-assemble it. It only took about a dozen times of tearing this one down and putting it back together to figure out where all the parts went and in what order you have to install them.

I think it's about a 30 minute job if you know what you're doing. This one took me almost a month. All that's left is to glue the horn button center back in (I pried it out . . . didn't have to) and put the bottom dash panel back over the lower part of the steering column.

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Topic: S-10 Steering Column Help Needed (Read 7100 times)

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