Hi i have posted before but this is a different set of questions all together so here it goes. with the steering columb i figured out how to get the bolt out of the top part of the first joint but i cant get it to slide off. does it just come straight off or do i have to do it some special way. it is really rusted on and the car has 172k on it and as far as i know it has never been removed and i cant get it to come off i can get it to move up the shaft but not down any farther than it originally was. have used alot of pb blaster on it too. also im taking my engine out of the bottom of the car and have a setup to do it however i dont want to take out the ac assembly if i dont have to. because i dont want to have to depressurize the system and get that yellow crap everywere. so is there anyways to do this without removing it.

 

You just have to tap off the steering shaft. Don't hammer IN on the column going into the firewall or you might collapse the shaft (it is made to collapse in a wreck).

As far as the a/c goes, you just have to unbolt and float the compressor (tie it up with a strap to keep tension off the hoses/fittings). It is a bit more trouble and things can be hard to get to, but I did it when I took mine out the bottom.

 

ok but u didnt need to remove anything.... u still removed the pump or did u just remove the hoses from the pump?

 

at the bottom there is another bolt, unbolt that and pull up and ta da, but thats the one directly connected to the rack &pinion

 

just be careful not to break the clip on the cover that goes around the steering shaft. they are discontinued.

 

That burns me up....now is when we need parts...as they get old. I never have thought as my Z28 as "classic", but when ordering parts from GM they constantly come from the "classic parts warehouse". I think GM told me that anything 10 years and older is considered classic.

Didn't mean to get off topic.

As Shoebox mentioned, you may have to gently "rap" the steering knuckle with a ball peen hammer(may need a friend to "rap", hehe I see the jokes coming, while you move the knuckle). Be sure to clean the shaft of any crud and you can use emery cloth on it to help smooth it out.

 

The a/c? I left it all intact and unopened-just unbolted from the engine.