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

**vetnat** · 11-12-2016, 02:18 PM

Hi. I am rebuilding a steering column that I purchased on eBay. As far as I can tell, it is a 69 to 72 column, because it has the collapsible intermediate shaft. I bought to use in my three on the tree truck, but the column came out of a truck that had a floor shifter I assume, because the column shift lever had been removed. The shift tube, both lower shift levers, etc for the column shift are all still there. Anyway, I am trying to replace the lower bearing, but was having a heck of a time trying to figure out what was in there, as it did not look like my replacement part. As far as I can tell, the bearing that was in there was for a floor shifting column. As the column is originally a column shifter, can I just put the column shift lower bearing back in? I will post a few photos. Thanks very much.

**vetnat** · 11-12-2016, 02:20 PM

Intermediate shaft.

**vetnat** · 11-12-2016, 02:22 PM

Replacement bearing on the left (column shift style). Bearing that came out of column on the right (floor shift style??)

**vetnat** · 11-14-2016, 02:39 PM

Anybody want to chime in? I'm assuming the column shift style bearing should work, since that is what should have been there originally.

fryed_1 · 11-15-2016, 01:31 AM

It's adjustable at the bottom and not difficult to get to. If the taller/newer one doesn't fit and is too long after tightening everything up, use the smaller one.

11-12-2016, 02:18 PM	#1
vetnat Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Moose Jaw, SK Posts: 511	steering column lower bearing confusion Hi. I am rebuilding a steering column that I purchased on eBay. As far as I can tell, it is a 69 to 72 column, because it has the collapsible intermediate shaft. I bought to use in my three on the tree truck, but the column came out of a truck that had a floor shifter I assume, because the column shift lever had been removed. The shift tube, both lower shift levers, etc for the column shift are all still there. Anyway, I am trying to replace the lower bearing, but was having a heck of a time trying to figure out what was in there, as it did not look like my replacement part. As far as I can tell, the bearing that was in there was for a floor shifting column. As the column is originally a column shifter, can I just put the column shift lower bearing back in? I will post a few photos. Thanks very much. __________________ 1961 GMC half ton, short step, Canadian model. Just starting work on it.

11-12-2016, 02:20 PM	#2
vetnat Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Moose Jaw, SK Posts: 511	Re: steering column lower bearing confusion Intermediate shaft. Attached Images __________________ 1961 GMC half ton, short step, Canadian model. Just starting work on it.

11-12-2016, 02:22 PM	#3
vetnat Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Moose Jaw, SK Posts: 511	Re: steering column lower bearing confusion Replacement bearing on the left (column shift style). Bearing that came out of column on the right (floor shift style??) Attached Images __________________ 1961 GMC half ton, short step, Canadian model. Just starting work on it.

11-14-2016, 02:39 PM	#4
vetnat Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Moose Jaw, SK Posts: 511	Re: steering column lower bearing confusion Anybody want to chime in? I'm assuming the column shift style bearing should work, since that is what should have been there originally. __________________ 1961 GMC half ton, short step, Canadian model. Just starting work on it.

11-15-2016, 01:31 AM	#5
fryed_1 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Fredericksburg Posts: 13	Re: steering column lower bearing confusion It's adjustable at the bottom and not difficult to get to. If the taller/newer one doesn't fit and is too long after tightening everything up, use the smaller one.



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