Suspension Play in Steering Column

[Jamesmcga]

Any idea what I can do to tighten up the play in the area I have circled. It has about a 1/8th-1/16th of play.

 

[General karthief]

What year?

 

[Jamesmcga]

1992. The movement is inside the inner most shaft.

 

[General karthief]

Upper bearing?
not hard to disassemble to check.

 

[Jamesmcga]

Upper bearing?
not hard to disassemble to check.

Sounds good. I assume once I pull the steering wheel it will be right there

 

[General karthief]

Nope. Wheel, plate for horn/cruise, a spring and a very stubborn clip, not necessarily in that order, I'll see if I can find some instructions, the hardest part is the C clip.

 

[Wayne Waldrep]

I've had to tighten those 2 bolts on mine a couple of times over the years. I'm assuming you've checked that though, huh? When they are loose they let the whole steering wheel slightly lift up and down.

 

[Jamesmcga]

I've had to tighten those 2 bolts on mine a couple of times over the years. I'm assuming you've checked that though, huh? When they are loose they let the whole steering wheel slightly lift up and down.

Yes the whole steering wheel lifts slightly up m/down it looks like it’s the innermost steering shaft so it must be a bearing. Those two bolts are tight

 

[Wayne Waldrep]

Your tight or my tight??? I tend to apply gorilla tightness to everything....not good.

 

[General karthief]

A little lock tight cures that.

 

[Jamesmcga]

Your tight or my tight??? I tend to apply gorilla tightness to everything....not good.

the outer shaft is firm and in place it is the inner shaft in the picture that moves up and down

 

[Wayne Waldrep]

A little lock tight cures that.

Took me a few years to learn that...lol.

 

[General karthief]

the outer shaft is firm and in place

Sorry, couldn't help myself
have you taken it apart to see what it is?

 

[Jamesmcga]

I can't get the steering wheel off. The center bolt will not loosen ...I've tried to loosen it with and with out the 3 surrounding bolts (since I wasn't sure if they were connected)

 

[manicmechanic007]

Jamesmcga,
The 3 outside bolts just connect the hub to the steering wheel
The center one may need a impact wrench to loosen
Then you can use the other 3 with a puller if the hub is on there too tight to jut pull off by hand
You need to make sure the hub is not the looseness anyway, so it's good that the guy torqued the crap out of it
35 lbs is the torque spec on the 15mm steering wheel bolt

 

[Jamesmcga]

Jamesmcga,
The 3 outside bolts just connect the hub to the steering wheel
The center one may need a impact wrench to loosen
Then you can use the other 3 with a puller if the hub is on there too tight to jut pull off by hand
You need to make sure the hub is not the looseness anyway, so it's good that the guy torqued the crap out of it
35 lbs is the torque spec on the 15mm steering wheel bolt

So I got the wheel off but now I need to get this other piece off and I’m not sure if this is the part that requires a puller?

 

[limp]

 

[General karthief]

So I got the wheel off but now I need to get this other piece off and I’m not sure if this is the part that requires a puller?

Yes, a steering wheel puller could be used, I would bolt the steering wheel back on, screw the center bolt in about half way then as you pull on the wheel with both hands at like 3-9 or 12-6 o'clock have someone tap on the center bolt, when it 'pops' you should be able to unscrew the center bolt and lift the wheel off.

 

[manicmechanic007]

Yes a puller is what you need
Most steering wheel pullers will work
Screw the bolt back in a little ways (something to press against besides the hollow shaft with threads)
I think you can use a harmonic balancer puller on your 3 screw hub