Steering column falling apart?

[jimmydean]

I put my new steering wheel on last weekend and then last night I went to show a friend my new motor and noticed the shaft of my steering column had come apart. This is tough to explain, but I will try.

There is a tube that comes out of the firewall, then the steering shaft comes out of that leading to the steering box. The shaft that comes out of the tube has fallen down and it looks like there is a bearing that goes into the tube. It hasn't come out completely, but it is hanging out.

Do I just push it back in? Is there a set screw or bolt that holds it in? I've never noticed this before and didn't try driving my truck the way it is. If this doesn't make sense, I will take a picture tonight when I get home if I haven't figured it out myself before then.

[JimKshortstep4x4]

I am assuming that you don't have a tilt column. If you have the non-tilt column then there should be a compression spring and washer between the bearing and the steering shaft extension. It sounds like the spring and washer are missing on your column.

The tilt column has a retainer for the bearing to keep it in place and does not use a spring/washer setup as the non-tilt does.

Jim

[Bob D]

If this helps, here is a pic of a non-tilt column:

Bob

[jimmydean]

It does looks just like that, it's not a tilt column.

So the washer presses the spring and the bearing together, correct? The bearing is still on the shaft, but is no longer in the tube. The shaft has slid down about 2 inches it seems, so the shaft is laying on the tube.

So if you were to grab the shaft and pull it out 2 inches, that's how mine looks now. I can push the shaft back in, but it doesn't stay. What holds it in there? Is it just pressed in, or is there a set screw or bolt or something?

It's dark, but I can see if I can get a pic.

[jimmydean]

Ok, you can see the bearing is outside and the shaft is resting on the side of the tube. I can put the shaft back in, but I haven't pushed hard and it seems snug. Is it pressed in, ot is there something that holds it in place? Thanks for the help fellas.

[pjmoreland]

There's another bearing up at the top of your steering column that supports your steering wheel and should keep that shaft from falling down like that. Actually the white plastic turn signal cancelling cam should be sandwiched between your steering wheel and the upper bearing. Sounds to me like there's something funky going on with your steering wheel. Maybe the cancelling cam piece is broken or missing. What kind of steering wheel do you have?

[jimmydean]

I have a 4 spoke Formuling, but it's a bit small and I am going to change it out with something a little bigger.

When I installed the new wheel, the cam was fine and the wheel is fully seated (or so it seems). I noticed the column moved a little bit in and out, should it not?

<edit> What factory tilt columns fit our trucks? I will want to upgrade at some point anyway.

[pjmoreland]

The column should not move in and out. I'll bet if you pull hard enough on your steering wheel, you can pull that bottom bearing right back up to where it's supposed to be.

[JimKshortstep4x4]

If you compare your picture with Bob's it is very clear that your spring is compressed a lot more than his. I suspect that when you pulled your old steering wheel the lower bearing was forced out of the column and down the shaft compressing the spring. Since the shaft has some rust on it the bearing stuck onto the shaft and the spring could not push it back into place.

I would suggest that you spray the bearing and shaft down with penetrant and tap the bearing back into place where the spring should be able to keep it from coming back out. Hopefully it is not to stuck!

Truck tilts or converted 73-81 Van tilts will work in your truck.

Good luck!

Jim

[mblackburnjr]

Older motorhomes have them too! I believe they are the same as a van tilt, they just have a very short intermediate shaft that you have to swap w/ your non-tilt.

[jimmydean]

Thanks for the help. I am going to service the bearing before puting it back in, I just wasn't sure what was supposed to hold it in there. Once I shoot and lube everything, I'll see if I can pull on the wheel and get it back in place.

[JimKshortstep4x4]

Pulling on the wheel will not help. The bearing needs to be driven up the shaft and pulling on the wheel will make the bearing slide down the shaft.
The spring holds the bearing in place because it pushes against the upper joint on the steering shaft extension which is keyed to the steering shaft with a bolt and clamp, (the bolt will only go in with the splines properly lined up as there is a transverse groove in the steering shaft).

I can take a pic of the setup if you need it.

Jim

[jimmydean]

I do because now I'm lost. I will give it a try, but i don't understand how the spring holds anything in place when the shaft isn't on there.

Is there a bolt I need to loosen somewhere?

[jimmydean]

Nevermind. I pulled on it, now it's fine. The new wheel wasn't seated as far as the old wheel. I pulled the new wheel off, bolted the old one on, now it's fine.

The wheel didn't seat as far as the old one by about 1/2 inch. It looked like it was seated, but that's because the shaft was pushed in. When I pulled on the wheel, you would tell how far off it was. When I mounted it, the shaft was in, so it looked fine.

Thanks again for all the help.