Hey guys, my 78 Z28 is coming along well. Repainted the interior burgundy and it's almost all back in. When I first got the car, the steering column was really loose. The whole wheel could kind of move in all directions about an inch. Took the wheel off and it was missing the metal disk thing right behind the wheel, so got a new one, put it on, pushed it down, and pushed the little metal ring clip down, and steering was perfect. Drove it around for a few weeks, and it must have slipped off somehow, cause now I'm back where I started, but for the life of me I can't get the damn metal disc to stay back down again. Is there a certain way it needs to be positioned? This is the thing that you have to push down on really hard, then have someone take a pair of screwdrivers to slide the thin metal ring down on to make is stay in place. Let me know if you can't picture what I'm talking about and I'll take a pic of it. Any knowledge is appreciated, thanks!

 

The metal thing with the notches is to lock the wheel Slop should be from somewhere else.

 

Steering slop could be an issue with a worn out rag joint, or a worn steering box. Both under the hood, not in the wheel or column. Look under the hood at the bare column and turn the wheel back and forth. Watch the rag joint to see if there's play there. Then look at the steering arm as you turn each way, and see if it responds quickly.
If both of those are good, then you may have bad tie rod ends.

 

What do you mean by "The whole wheel could kind of move in all directions about an inch"? Just the steering wheel, or the column? If it's the upper part of the steering column that's slopping around, it could be a broken pivot pin in the tilt mechanism (provided you have tilt wheel).

 

tilt steering wheels from the 70's/80's had 3 or 4 bolts behind the horn/ locking plates the like to loosen up. remove the wheel ,locking plate, and horn assembly and you should see the bolts/screws probably phillips head or torx head remove them one at a time apply some locktight and reinstall tightening up the colum as you go that should fix the problem unless there is mecanical damage of course