Steering Column Repair: 1976 trans am, pot joint, tilt mechanism

Question
I have a 1976 trans am with tilt steering. I need to replace the lower bearing as I can see that the bearings are gone. How do I get the knuckle or the pot joint apart? The manual says to remove a bolt that holds the clamp on, but I can't find the clamp or bolt.

thanks

Answer
Hello Alan,
I am not sure what clamp or bolt your manual is talking about either. If you have your column disassembled down to the tilt mechanism, you should see a spring on the the lower side of the column with a retainer that has a square hole in it. Use a screwdriver or 1/4 inch drive rachet extension to push the retainer in and turn 1/4 turn to remove it. Then you should be able to pull on the tilt handle to release the tilt mechanism from the locking side.
Once that is off, the shaft knuckle will come apart by "folding" the shaft at the knuckle. Once the shaftd are at or near 90 degrees, the plastic joint will release from the shafts.
Hope that helps.
Have a great day!
-Jay