steering column lower bearing - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

chris989 · 04-10-2013, 09:57 PM

Hello everyone,

I am trying to correct any slop in my steering and noticed the lower bearing on my column was not in the plastic retainer on the column. It was just hanging around on the shaft.

Funny thing is,, I can not install it were it is supposed to go. The shift tube is to close the the end of the column an will not allow the bearing to slide into place. I can get it on some, but not enough to install the retaining clip.

Is there a fastener somewhere in the column that has allow it to slide from its correct location? I can not find anything to raise the shift tube back into the column a little, Maybe just 1/4 inch? I am guessing the shift tube is what push the bearing out and cracked the plastic sleeve?

wraprail · 04-11-2013, 04:17 AM

I too would like some info on this mysterious bearing.
Can it be replaced?
Who sells it?
And most importantly, what is it called?

Thanks
Posted via Mobile Device

INSIDIOUS '86 · 04-11-2013, 07:06 AM

There's a thread with part numbers and a diagram. Let me see if I can find it. It's years old but somewhere if anybody knew what It was called
Posted via Mobile Device

chris989 · 04-11-2013, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wraprail

I too would like some info on this mysterious bearing.
Can it be replaced?
Who sells it?
And most importantly, what is it called?

Thanks
Posted via Mobile Device

My local chevy dealer has all of the parts in stock, It is just called the steering column lower bearing.

They should have a exploded view in their parts catalog. I

also 4wheel parts
http://www.4wheelparts.com/Steering-...pn=oai18019.03

bammax · 04-11-2013, 01:32 PM

Last time I got into a column rebuild I reused the original lower bearing and retainer, but I had it out a bunch. Basically the bearing slides in like you're trying to do, and then a metal cover piece clips over it to hold it in place.

Your second picture has the bearing on upside down. The metal disc goes to the column and the plastic piece sits below that. Then the metal cover piece goes over the plastic part and clips into those slots in the shaft housing that you can see in the pic.

chris989 · 04-11-2013, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bammax

Last time I got into a column rebuild I reused the original lower bearing and retainer, but I had it out a bunch. Basically the bearing slides in like you're trying to do, and then a metal cover piece clips over it to hold it in place.

Your second picture has the bearing on upside down. The metal disc goes to the column and the plastic piece sits below that. Then the metal cover piece goes over the plastic part and clips into those slots in the shaft housing that you can see in the pic.

If i turn it around I can not slide it in at all, The shift tube prohibits the bearing from sliding into place.

bammax · 04-11-2013, 01:47 PM

I just glanced at the column in my basement and it looks like there's a big spring that holds the shift arm up high in the column and not down at the base like you have in the pics. That may just be because it's a different column than yours though so we'll ignore it for now

Try this out

First flip the plastic piece over and slide it back on like you're doing now so that the raised box tabs fit into the housing cutouts. You may have to lightly tap it into place.

Second flip the metal disk over and slide that up against the plastic piece so that the wide end of the disc is even with the body of the plastic piece. That will let the small end of the disc fit inside the metal cover.

chris989 · 04-11-2013, 01:57 PM

i used a dial indicator, the shif tube is 1.250 ID and the bearing is 1.375 OD.

It can not physically get in there. What year is your column with the spring?

bammax · 04-11-2013, 02:04 PM

The plastic piece and the metal disc are separate units. The plastic piece appears to be upside down, so flip it over and see if it'll slide on all the way. Leave the metal disc out for now.

If the plastic piece slides in than the metal disc gets flipped over and slides on the end and butts up against the plastic piece. In this configuration the metal disk will never contact the shift tube since the plastic piece is sandwiched in between.

Do you have the metal cover piece? if so than put the metal disk into it and you'll see how it all goes together.

My columns are '71-'76 GM big cars

bammax · 04-11-2013, 02:09 PM

I get what you're saying now about having the plastic piece correct and the shift tube itself sitting too low. I forgot about the bearing part inside the plastic piece. You have to forgive me since I haven't done this stuff in a year.

Check out the very bottom section of this "how-to"
http://www.buickperformanceclub.com/...lumnwobble.htm

If you can't get it to go together like it is in the writeup than you may have a piece out of line or a wrong part in there.

chris989 · 04-11-2013, 04:55 PM

the plastic piece fits perfect alone with the outside metal band and clip.

There is just no room for the bearing to catch any part of the plastic piece. So the bearing is on the saft but nothing supports the out part of the race.

Chris

bammax · 04-12-2013, 01:30 PM

The only thing I can think of is that the shift collar is sitting too far down in the housing. I'm trying to think of every combination you could run those parts in and that's the only conclusion I can make.

When I built mine the issue I had was that the shaft had collapsed some and it kept everything from fitting when I tried to install it in the car. You don't seem to have that issue which is good, but yours looks like a more complicated issue.

If it were me I'd try shifting through all the gears while I watch the shift arm and see if it's moving cleanly or not. My column has a big spring keeping the shift arm up high in the cutout and yours doesn't seem to have that. Maybe that's supposed to be like that, maybe it's not

bammax · 04-12-2013, 01:32 PM

Here you go. A direct link with a huge picture showing everything nicely.

http://www.carcraft.com/howto/56459/photo_10.html

Hopefully it helps out some

chris989 · 04-12-2013, 02:07 PM

the very first picture in the article shows how my shift tube is 100% in the wrong place. in the photo, the shift tube is tight up to the opening nearest the firewall. Mine is nearest the steering gear.

I will remove the column and did into it.

chris

chris989 · 04-12-2013, 07:39 PM

I could not take it any longer and pulled the entire steering column. The outer column (inside the firewall) is only fastened to the inner column (engine side of the firewall) by a rubberish and extremely tight seal. It is a collapsible crash test design.

Once out, rotate the column to expose a small slot within the opening that is about a foot from the end. I used screwdriver to pry the inner column up/out. Once it moved a little, i had to use a spacer to get another bite. A few steps with a larger bite and i moved the inner shaft over 1/2 inch. Now there is a ton of room for the bearing. I am not sure if this can be done while in the truck. After the reinstall I will check to see. Not sure if anyone else has this issue. Taking the column out is a pain.

MY DEMON SEAL is somewhere inside where these two columns meet.

04-10-2013, 09:57 PM	#1
chris989 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Boise, Idaho Posts: 561	steering column lower bearing Hello everyone, I am trying to correct any slop in my steering and noticed the lower bearing on my column was not in the plastic retainer on the column. It was just hanging around on the shaft. Funny thing is,, I can not install it were it is supposed to go. The shift tube is to close the the end of the column an will not allow the bearing to slide into place. I can get it on some, but not enough to install the retaining clip. Is there a fastener somewhere in the column that has allow it to slide from its correct location? I can not find anything to raise the shift tube back into the column a little, Maybe just 1/4 inch? I am guessing the shift tube is what push the bearing out and cracked the plastic sleeve?

04-11-2013, 04:17 AM	#2
wraprail Registered User Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Lake Havasu City Arizona Posts: 863	Re: steering column lower bearing I too would like some info on this mysterious bearing. Can it be replaced? Who sells it? And most importantly, what is it called? Thanks Posted via Mobile Device __________________

04-11-2013, 07:06 AM	#3
INSIDIOUS '86 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: washington Posts: 4,178	Re: steering column lower bearing There's a thread with part numbers and a diagram. Let me see if I can find it. It's years old but somewhere if anybody knew what It was called Posted via Mobile Device __________________ 377 sbc thumpr cam autogear m23 muncie 3:73 Detroit trutrac 3''spintech prostreet mufflers xpipe 1 3/4 headers build thread !http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=577217 Iroc gauge threadhttp://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=554511

04-11-2013, 01:32 PM	#5
bammax Registered User Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Framingham, Ma Posts: 29	Re: steering column lower bearing Last time I got into a column rebuild I reused the original lower bearing and retainer, but I had it out a bunch. Basically the bearing slides in like you're trying to do, and then a metal cover piece clips over it to hold it in place. Your second picture has the bearing on upside down. The metal disc goes to the column and the plastic piece sits below that. Then the metal cover piece goes over the plastic part and clips into those slots in the shaft housing that you can see in the pic.

04-11-2013, 01:47 PM	#7
bammax Registered User Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Framingham, Ma Posts: 29	Re: steering column lower bearing I just glanced at the column in my basement and it looks like there's a big spring that holds the shift arm up high in the column and not down at the base like you have in the pics. That may just be because it's a different column than yours though so we'll ignore it for now Try this out First flip the plastic piece over and slide it back on like you're doing now so that the raised box tabs fit into the housing cutouts. You may have to lightly tap it into place. Second flip the metal disk over and slide that up against the plastic piece so that the wide end of the disc is even with the body of the plastic piece. That will let the small end of the disc fit inside the metal cover.

04-11-2013, 01:57 PM	#8
chris989 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Boise, Idaho Posts: 561	Re: steering column lower bearing i used a dial indicator, the shif tube is 1.250 ID and the bearing is 1.375 OD. It can not physically get in there. What year is your column with the spring?

04-11-2013, 02:04 PM	#9
bammax Registered User Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Framingham, Ma Posts: 29	Re: steering column lower bearing The plastic piece and the metal disc are separate units. The plastic piece appears to be upside down, so flip it over and see if it'll slide on all the way. Leave the metal disc out for now. If the plastic piece slides in than the metal disc gets flipped over and slides on the end and butts up against the plastic piece. In this configuration the metal disk will never contact the shift tube since the plastic piece is sandwiched in between. Do you have the metal cover piece? if so than put the metal disk into it and you'll see how it all goes together. My columns are '71-'76 GM big cars

04-11-2013, 02:09 PM	#10
bammax Registered User Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Framingham, Ma Posts: 29	Re: steering column lower bearing I get what you're saying now about having the plastic piece correct and the shift tube itself sitting too low. I forgot about the bearing part inside the plastic piece. You have to forgive me since I haven't done this stuff in a year. Check out the very bottom section of this "how-to" http://www.buickperformanceclub.com/...lumnwobble.htm If you can't get it to go together like it is in the writeup than you may have a piece out of line or a wrong part in there.

04-11-2013, 04:55 PM	#11
chris989 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Boise, Idaho Posts: 561	Re: steering column lower bearing the plastic piece fits perfect alone with the outside metal band and clip. There is just no room for the bearing to catch any part of the plastic piece. So the bearing is on the saft but nothing supports the out part of the race. Chris

04-12-2013, 01:30 PM	#12
bammax Registered User Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Framingham, Ma Posts: 29	Re: steering column lower bearing The only thing I can think of is that the shift collar is sitting too far down in the housing. I'm trying to think of every combination you could run those parts in and that's the only conclusion I can make. When I built mine the issue I had was that the shaft had collapsed some and it kept everything from fitting when I tried to install it in the car. You don't seem to have that issue which is good, but yours looks like a more complicated issue. If it were me I'd try shifting through all the gears while I watch the shift arm and see if it's moving cleanly or not. My column has a big spring keeping the shift arm up high in the cutout and yours doesn't seem to have that. Maybe that's supposed to be like that, maybe it's not

04-12-2013, 01:32 PM	#13
bammax Registered User Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Framingham, Ma Posts: 29	Re: steering column lower bearing Here you go. A direct link with a huge picture showing everything nicely. http://www.carcraft.com/howto/56459/photo_10.html Hopefully it helps out some

04-12-2013, 02:07 PM	#14
chris989 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Boise, Idaho Posts: 561	Re: steering column lower bearing the very first picture in the article shows how my shift tube is 100% in the wrong place. in the photo, the shift tube is tight up to the opening nearest the firewall. Mine is nearest the steering gear. I will remove the column and did into it. chris

04-12-2013, 07:39 PM	#15
chris989 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Boise, Idaho Posts: 561	Solved I could not take it any longer and pulled the entire steering column. The outer column (inside the firewall) is only fastened to the inner column (engine side of the firewall) by a rubberish and extremely tight seal. It is a collapsible crash test design. Once out, rotate the column to expose a small slot within the opening that is about a foot from the end. I used screwdriver to pry the inner column up/out. Once it moved a little, i had to use a spacer to get another bite. A few steps with a larger bite and i moved the inner shaft over 1/2 inch. Now there is a ton of room for the bearing. I am not sure if this can be done while in the truck. After the reinstall I will check to see. Not sure if anyone else has this issue. Taking the column out is a pain. MY DEMON SEAL is somewhere inside where these two columns meet.



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