I have a 69 chevelle with a floor shift steering column. When I take the key out of the ignition (after placing the ignition in the lock position) I can still turn the wheel. There seems to be no locking feature any longer.

Any insight as to what I should look at to see if it is assembled improperly or if something is broken?

The steering wheel was changed to a Grant before I purchased the car so I do not know the history of what has been done to the column.

Help, please.

Thank you.

You didn't mention what transmission you had, but that really shouldn't make a difference I don't think. My example below may be a little different when dealing with an automatic.

I believe your problem is with the "reverse lock out" rods from the transmission. For a four speed car there is a rod that connects from the side reverse lever on the transmission which runs to a swivel bevel forward on the frame. Then another rod runs from that bevel up to the steering column just in front of the firewall. When the transmission is put in reverse, the actions of those two rods turn the steering column to the "lock" position. You should at least be able to see the upper rod looking down inside the engine compartment. The other rod should be noticeable from underneath. As I said, there may be a slightly different mechanism if the transmission is an automatic. The specific steering wheel I do not believe would have any effect on this.

If you have an Assembly Manual it is all illustrated in there. Hope this helps a bit.

My chevelle had headers so I removed the reverse lockout rod for clearance, My steering wheel locked fine. I beleive the lockout is just to keep the shifter from going into gear when the key is in the lock position.
In the top of the key cylinder there is a rod that goes up and down when you turn the key which locks the steering wheel its possible it needs cleaned and graphite (oil). Sound like its just sticking.

If you dont have a manual Pm me and i'll pull up a picture of the internals for you.

Thanks for the info, I'll have to dig in and take a look. The bass are still biting in NC and SC and the weather is too mild to keep me in the garage these past couple of weekends.

Best Regards

13667
1970 Chevelle SS convertible 396 TH 400 4.10
1969 Chevelle Pro Street 468 w/ 8-71, TH 400

Pull the wheel, sounds like someone left the lock plate out.

Someone could have disassembled the steering column and removed the locking bolt. Remove the steering wheel and hub. Then remove the metal cover (3 screws). You should see a round metal plate with square teeth around the outside. This is the locking plate. At about the 10 o'clock position, you should see a tapered nose of the locking bolt. You might need to rotate the steering shaft slightly (one of the lock plate teeth could be preventing you from seeing the locking bolt.) If the locking bolt is missing you will need to disassemble the steering column head in order to replace it.

I have fairly complete disassembly and repair instructions at the following websight:

www.corvettefaq.com
click on Jim Shea's Steering Articles
click on A and F-Car Steering Papers
scroll down to the Standard Steering Column Section
Download Disassembly & Repair Papers 1, 2, & 3.
Download the drawings entitled Disassembly & Repair Pics 1 & 2.

Jim

Or if the car was a column shift and now is a floor shift. It may be just as simple as the column sleeve is not moved up into the park position and is preventing it from locking as the column thinks it is in gear.
Bill

We always disconected the lock plate if we were going to race the car. Nothing worse to hear the engine start to go and turning off the ignition only to lock the steering at 130 mph!
That locking column didn't do anything to prevent car theft anyway. In late 1968 Oldsmobile took a Cutless to Jackson (state prison) and put in the courtyard. They let a car thief have at it. This guy had been in prison for a number of years so he had not seen this before. It only took him a minute to strart the car!:yes:

aint there a pin in there

Pin snaps into a cutout in the lock plate when the steering wheel is turned after moving the lock cylinder to the lock position.

Anything "could' have happened--but--my guess is that the lock plate didn't go back on the column when the Grant steering wheel went on.

Thanks Jchevelleman66 for the CD… Wow, the information. Thanks JimL82 for the awesome detail on the website. Thanks to the others that guessed the lock plate was left out of the steering column when the Grant wheel went on. This car spent its life in Michigan ¼ mile at a time until it went to Minnesota to be pro streeted and now North Carolina. Seems one of the former owners had no use for the lock plate, possibly for the reason mentioned by Animal69. Everything else on the inside looks like the pictures so I guess I am okay with it. Does anyone know where to buy the lock plate, not that I really need one. The pin in the column appears to work just fine.

Once again, thanks for taking your time to reply and point me in the right direction quickly. Snow flurries and rain today… not real good bass fishin’ weather by any means.

Kip

Kip, I hoped the CD helped. I would check your local junk yard for the locking plate.