What size socket, and where do I go? to tighten wobbly steering wheel? (Page 1/2)
kevin JUL 25, 07:27 PM
Fellas,
I am going to tighten my wobbly (loose?) steering wheel. When I take apart (disassemble) the steering wheel assembly on my “85 SE, is there a special nut size I need to purchase in order to tighten everything up? Please let me know.
Cordially,
kevin
Patrick JUL 25, 07:36 PM

Kevin, you better look up the procedure. It's posted here somewhere, probably in numerous places. It's more involved than you might imagine!
dremu JUL 25, 07:49 PM
Assuming this is the infamous tilt column issue, look about halfway down page 3 of http://www.fiero.nl/forum/F...2/HTML/088020-3.html

You'll want something like Lisle #19940 Pivot Pin Remover ; the rest is your basic Torx and metric stuff you use on the rest of the car.

And a ton of patience.

-- A
Patrick JUL 25, 08:02 PM

quote
Originally posted by dremu:

And a ton of patience.



I did this procedure on my first Fiero back in mid-90's before I had internet access. Twenty-five years ago it was quite a challenge acquiring relevant info... at the library! I think I still have those photocopied pages here somewhere.
kevin JUL 25, 08:22 PM
Thank you Patrick and dremu,
The good news is I think I have the patient🤨 I would appreciate your best guess: how much time do yo think it might take me? Additionally, it is foreseeable that in the next 11 years (+) or (-) that this situation will need to be addressed again. Therefore, do you recommend that I put a dab of a “bolt tightening” product on the GM bolts? [I forgot the brand name🧐] is this a good idea or not?
Cordially,
kevin
Dennis LaGrua JUL 25, 08:26 PM
I also did this procedure on my 87GT 20 yrs back and recall that I had to pull the wheel, remove the lock plate and strip the steering column completely down past the U joint to get to the four bolts that secure the column bowl. It was a lengthy procedure that took about 2 hours. The good news is that the column will only reassemble one way. If you do not have a great memory take pictures as you go.
Before you start get a steering wheel puller and a lock plate removal tool.

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sourmash JUL 25, 09:39 PM
I sorta expect the Fiero to be similar to the older tilts, but what we did to those was just tighten 3 of the 4 bolt/screws. You can get to 3 of them without a total tear down. And that worked.
dremu JUL 25, 11:28 PM

quote
Originally posted by kevin:

Thank you Patrick and dremu,
The good news is I think I have the patient🤨 I would appreciate your best guess: how much time do yo think it might take me? Additionally, it is foreseeable that in the next 11 years (+) or (-) that this situation will need to be addressed again. Therefore, do you recommend that I put a dab of a “bolt tightening” product on the GM bolts? [I forgot the brand name🧐] is this a good idea or not?
Cordially,
kevin



Loc-tite is your friend. I'd use the blue stuff, not the red; the red, the guy at the hardware store says "You could just weld it in place..."

Can't tell you for time as I had the column out to convert to power steering, so it took me FOREVER.

-- A
Patrick JUL 26, 02:15 AM

quote
Originally posted by Dennis LaGrua:

Before you start get a steering wheel puller and a lock plate removal tool.



I was too cheap to buy a tool that I'd probably use once, so I made a "tool" for removing the lock plate.


quote
Originally posted by Dennis LaGrua:

It was a lengthy procedure that took about 2 hours.



Anyone that can do that job for the first time in "about 2 hours" deserves an award! Probably took me closer to 2 days.
longjonsilver JUL 26, 06:17 AM
i did it using some excellent instructions on this forum, n if i can do it then lots of people can. i'll look to see if i have the link. i worked at it for several days, there is a plate in there with three (?) bolts in it, n the plate is not made thick enuf and flexes and the bolts work loose. You can tighted them with a socket and use locktite - why not red? How many times are u going to tear down ur steering column to titen bolts?

Here it is, but the author deleted all his posts. Why?

http://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/088020.html

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Astronomy says we will find a coded signal from outer space. Then we'll KNOW that life exists there, for coded signals aren't by chance.

Biology says there are coded genetic signals in every cell, but we KNOW that no intelligence created life.

I'm the original owner of a white ' 84 2M4 purchased Dec 10, 1983 from Pontiac. Always garaged, no rust, 4-wheel drifts are fun!

[This message has been edited by longjonsilver (edited 07-26-2020).]