1/2" slack when I pull up on steering wheel

[Arl37]

69 C10.
Stock steering column.
When under hood I can push grease hood up and it moves 1/2 inch. Steering shaft below grease boot does not move. Nut holding upper shaft is tight.
What is causing the slack. Worn upper bearing at steering wheel? Lower bearing or something else?

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by Arl37

69 C10.
Stock steering column.
When under hood I can push grease hood up and it moves 1/2 inch. Steering shaft below grease boot does not move. Nut holding upper shaft is tight.
What is causing the slack. Worn upper bearing at steering wheel? Lower bearing or something else?

Are the large washer and spring in place, that the arrow is pointing to in the picture below?

LockDoc

[Arl37]

Yes washer and spring are in place but there is slack above the spring where the bearing is located. I can push up the housing below the washer and spring and it takes up the slack

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by Arl37

Yes washer and spring are in place but there is slack above the spring where the bearing is located. I can push up the housing below the washer and spring and it takes up the slack

Can you post a picture of that area on your truck? If the top and bottom bearing are both good there should be no space there.

LockDoc

[Arl37]

Attached is a photo

[Dr Jekyll]

Your lower bearing is not seated in the column.



Here’s mine

Loosen the bolt under the washer. Have someone push down on the steering wheel from inside the cab. Grab the steering rod below the grease boot and push up towards the column. The idea is to get bearing seated and apply pressure on the spring and then tighten the bolt. You might need to loosen the bolt at the steering box too.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by Dr Jekyll

Your lower bearing is not seated in the column.

Attachment 2059192

Here’s mine

Loosen the bolt under the washer. Have someone push down on the steering wheel from inside the cab. Grab the steering rod below the grease boot and push up towards the column. The idea is to get bearing seated and apply pressure on the spring and then tighten the bolt. You might need to loosen the bolt at the steering box too.

The upper bearing being bad can cause that also. It lets the cancel cam drop down which in turn drops the shaft and steering wheel. The most movement you can get out of the intermediate shaft clamp is about 3/8 of an inch. It is something to try though.

LockDoc

[Arl37]

First of all Lock Doc let me thank you for your comments.

Have a couple more thoughts/questions.
Pulled steering wheel to look at upper bearing. Has some slack in it. Maybe a 1/16 to 1/8th inch. However, when I push the bearing in into the race and rotate the race it is nice and smooth. Thinking this is not my problem. Your thoughts?

Haven't had chance to loosen bolt on intermediate shaft but I don't see how you can get any slack from loosening it as bolt goes through a grove on shaft and there is little or no slack because of the grove.

I'm not sure how long I have had this problem. It may have been for a while. I replaced the manual steering with power steering a couple of years ago. It could be the loosening lower bolt just above the gear box and below the rag joint may give me the ability to take up the slack. Do you know if this part of the shaft has a slot like the upper bolt?

Unfortunately, I cant try to adjust the shaft for a while as just finish some minor surgery and Dr doesn't want me lifting or straying for a couple more weeks.

[rechinca]

I would agree with your lower bearing is not fully seated. I had my column apart to work on it and recondition it. If the column was apart, I did not get the upper collar seated right when assembling and when I went to correct it, my lower bearing looked like yours. Took a little help from the wife pushing up and pulling from the inside to get everything back in to place. Once I did that and tightened it back down everywhere, I was able to correct it.

[custom10nut]

Great info

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by Arl37

First of all Lock Doc let me thank you for your comments.

Have a couple more thoughts/questions.
Pulled steering wheel to look at upper bearing. Has some slack in it. Maybe a 1/16 to 1/8th inch. However, when I push the bearing in into the race and rotate the race it is nice and smooth. Thinking this is not my problem. Your thoughts?

Haven't had chance to loosen bolt on intermediate shaft but I don't see how you can get any slack from loosening it as bolt goes through a grove on shaft and there is little or no slack because of the grove.

I'm not sure how long I have had this problem. It may have been for a while. I replaced the manual steering with power steering a couple of years ago. It could be the loosening lower bolt just above the gear box and below the rag joint may give me the ability to take up the slack. Do you know if this part of the shaft has a slot like the upper bolt?

Unfortunately, I cant try to adjust the shaft for a while as just finish some minor surgery and Dr doesn't want me lifting or straying for a couple more weeks.

Sounds like the upper bearing is working like it should.

Yes, the bolt in the top of the intermediate shaft is in a groove but that groove should allow some adjustment.

Let us know when you are able to try the suggestions posted here.

LockDoc

[Arl37]

will do

[Arl37]

Got her fixed.
On closer examination this morning I noticed the groove/slot that the bolt goes through was visible. As Lock Doc pointed out there is some room for movement within the slot and it is not just the width of the bolt. With minor modifications I did as Dr Jekyll suggested and took out the slack and seated the lower bearing.

My modifications from how Dr Jekyll suggested were to run a strap through the steering wheel ands under the brake pedal and cinched it tight.

Took a small pry bar rested middle against the bottom of the grease boot and the end against a header tube and pried the grease boot, washer, spring and bearing up to seat the the lower seal and then tightened the bolt while maintain pressure with the pry bar.

Hope this explanation will be of benefit to someone someday. Easy way to do it by yourself.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by Arl37

Got her fixed.
On closer examination this morning I noticed the groove/slot that the bolt goes through was visible. As Lock Doc pointed out there is some room for movement within the slot and it is not just the width of the bolt. With minor modifications I did as Dr Jekyll suggested and took out the slack and seated the lower bearing.

My modifications from how Dr Jekyll suggested were to run a strap through the steering wheel and under the brake pedal and cinched it tight.

Took a small pry bar rested middle against the bottom of the grease boot and the end against a header tube and pried the grease boot, washer, spring and bearing up to seat the the lower seal and then tightened the bolt while maintain pressure with the pry bar.

Hope this explanation will be of benefit to someone someday. Easy way to do it by yourself.

Good deal. Glad you got it fixed. Now on to the next challenge....

LockDoc

[Ol Blue K20]

Very creative idea on the strap to hold tension. Congratulations on the fix.