steering wheel pulls in... HELP!

[Hottrucks]

ok heres whats happening is if you sit in the truck you can pul the wheel towards you like you are pulling the shaft out of it ....On the hood side it seems to be loose above where the spring and washers is on the shaft...this thing sat in the wood for 5 year before last month when I dragged it out to start running it again...... any help to tight'n it up would be great I have a tilt I wanna put in it just need to fix the broken turn signal lever on it..s really can I fix this one quick like or should I just suck it up and change it....Oh it's an auto on the col

thanx
Jeff

[dan42]

It's probably the bearings - to fix it, you have to pull the column and put in new bearings - not that hard. I have to do that with my '70, it's doing the same thing, but I'm lazy. There should be a FAQ somewhere, or get the shop manual, it's got a got step-by-step in it.

[Hottrucks]

I was a fraid someone would say that..I guess it's time for the tilt anyway and chance omeone has the link to the FAQ to rebuild?? I never have any luck with search...I tried before I started this post

[Longhorn Man]

why not install the tilt, and remove the sirn signal lever from the non tilt?

[cdowns]

i think there may be a nut under the steering wheel above the top bearing but you may need to move the turnsignal switch to get at it to try and tighten it to remove some slop and shaft movement

[LockDoc]

-
I would check the clearance on the lower bearing (where the spring is) If I remember correctly there is supposed to be 1/2" from the top of the washer to the bottom of the bearing. That was what was wrong with the '72 GMC I built last year, it had about 1". Adjustment instructions are in the Chassis Service Manual.

LockDoc

[Hottrucks]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

why not install the tilt, and remove the sirn signal lever from the non tilt?

this is my plan but I'm lazy I'm still working out small thigs like caontrol arm bushing the rest of he body panels...ahhhhh I'll put it on the list


Thanx
Jeff

[Todd Hepler]

I had this problem with my 72. Someone had changed it over from a 3 speed to a automatic in the past and half-assed the job. Dont even ask about the hole in the floor...
I rebuilt my column a few weeks ago and found that the shaft would slip out because there was a gap between the end bearing and the clamp for the u-joint. I put a hose clamp on it to keep from moving out - now the turn signal disengager works! I have no idea if the factory spec requires another part to reduce this play - I had about 2" of gap between the bearing and the clamp.

Godd luck!
Todd

[RustyParts]

At the end of the steering column opposite the steering wheel, there is a washer and spring with a locking sleeve, chances are the sleeve has loosened and let the spring back away from the bearing. These pieces place preload on the column bearing keeping everything tight.

[RustyParts]

Here's an exploded view of the parts I was referring to in the previous post.
Items 40 thru 43. Good luck.

[Todd Hepler]

Originally Posted by RustyParts

Here's an exploded view of the parts I was referring to in the previous post.
Items 40 thru 43. Good luck.

Exactly whats missing on mine - thanks for the exploded view

Todd

[Hottrucks]

my issue is in the 40 - 42 area it's like the spring isn't keeping things tight...it's pretty rusty I wounder if I lubbed it up if I could give some love and push that bearing back up the shaft..maybe it's just stuck on the rust??

any chance of that working?

it's not loose side to side just up and down the shaft??

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by Hottrucks

my issue is in the 40 - 42 area it's like the spring isn't keeping things tight...it's pretty rusty I wounder if I lubbed it up if I could give some love and push that bearing back up the shaft..maybe it's just stuck on the rust??

any chance of that working?

it's not loose side to side just up and down the shaft??

The only way to tighten it up is to adjust it as suggested.

LockDoc