Telescoping Steering Wheel

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joelsplace
Posts: 1950
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2010 12:51 pm
Location: Northlake, TX

Re: Telescoping Steering Wheel

Post by joelsplace »

You twist the ring in the middle of the steering wheel to loosen it and then pull the steering wheel toward you or push it away. When it is where you want it tighten the ring.
157 Corvairs, 5 Ultravans and counting
Northlake, TX
erco
Posts: 1489
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2020 8:45 pm

Re: Telescoping Steering Wheel

Post by erco »

OK phew, then I don't have the telescoping column. Thanks Joel.
66vairguy
Posts: 4528
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2010 3:44 pm

Re: Telescoping Steering Wheel

Post by 66vairguy »

NO the Corvair telescopic unit is NOT the same as the Corvette, but does use many of the same parts. A fellow in the Mid West used to convert the Corvair telescopic to the the Corvette style for about $5,000 EACH! (Corvette folks will pay it too and why Corvair telescopic columns tend to sell fast). Note there is a small round plastic part that fits between the horn button and locking ring - often lost, but reproduced.

Keep in mind there is an early 65 telescopic unit that required a telescopic column specific steering box due to the unique shaft length and came standard with the sport steering wheel. Seth Emerson might have an adapter to make a later steering box work.

The later 65 and 66 units were designed to work with the standard or quick steering boxes used with the non-telescopic steering wheels.

The 67 design was again different and was ALSO crash absorbing as well as adjustable. The lock ring went away and a new "safety" steering wheel was used with a lever to lock the wheel - many of the parts were used in the 67 Corvette telescopic AFAIK.

And finally - in 1966 a version for less money was sold that had a plastic painted steering wheel (the sport wheel became an option on the 66 model cars with telescopic). It has a unique horn mechanism unlike the parts used with the sport steering wheel. The steering wheel is also unique - not like the standard plastic steering wheel. This is the unit it took me six years to find in good condition - and has the least in common with Covette telescopic steering units so it's the most expensive to convert and makes them least appealing to the Corvette folks. Since most folks opted for the sport steering wheel the 66 plastic wheel tele unit is not seen very often.
65Monza140
Posts: 50
Joined: Sat Aug 26, 2023 1:23 pm

Re: Telescoping Steering Wheel

Post by 65Monza140 »

Do you have any pictures of the one you finally found? Would be great to see one.

I think my '65 sedan has a tele column also, but can't move it when I unlock the ring/knob in the center....It has been sitting for a long while and may need to be cleaned up internally.
66vairguy
Posts: 4528
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2010 3:44 pm

Re: Telescoping Steering Wheel

Post by 66vairguy »

I may be incorrect --- but based on my old memory, the "telescoping" steering column was revised for the 67 models to meet the "energy absorbing" standards. If you look at the 67 model year shop manual you'll see the coupler was moved down to the steering box to allow and inside shaft to slide into an outer shaft. The upper mast bracket was "enhanced" to make sure the steering wheel/mast/column did not move into passenger compartment, or at least very little, in a severe front end collision.

As far as I can tell, you can unbolt the model 67 standard "collapsing" steering column and bolt in the "telescoping/collapsible" steering column.

I recall they changed the telescoping "lock" to a lever above the horn button that looked out of place.
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sethracer
Posts: 19
Joined: Sun Dec 13, 2009 5:06 pm

Re: Telescoping Steering Wheel

Post by sethracer »

You tube on disassembly/reassembly of the 65-66 tele column:
Corvair Enthusiast.
66vairguy
Posts: 4528
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2010 3:44 pm

Re: Telescoping Steering Wheel

Post by 66vairguy »

65Monza140 wrote: Sun Mar 24, 2024 12:38 pm Do you have any pictures of the one you finally found? Would be great to see one.

I think my '65 sedan has a tele column also, but can't move it when I unlock the ring/knob in the center....It has been sitting for a long while and may need to be cleaned up internally.
Seth posted a great video on getting the many parts out to get at the turn signal switch. As shown the part that locks the shaft is attached to the chrome bezel with two screws. This part screws in and pushes on a small rod that locks the column. The rod and the shaft parts it pushes against were lubricated and the lube dries out so the parts won't release.

Some use brute force to free things up, but that could break parts. Dismantling, cleaning, and lubing the unit is the best way to go. Some just spray a light oil into the hole the rod is in and it MAY free up. The shop manual shows the parts, BUT it is NOT intuitive. I've done a couple, but it took a while to carefully figure it all out. If you have good mechanical skills you can do it. If not -- find someone who can.

As mentioned it is the same mechanism as the Corvette used, but NOT exactly the same. The Corvair unit has to be modified to work in a Corvette. That said the Corvette guys know folks who can make the telescopic unit work.
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