Steering bushing bearing popped out and broke?! HELP!! Is it safe????

[98_black_knight]

This last week my heater core on my 98 mustang gt went out and you have to pull the whole dash and drop the steering column, everything with the heater went fine... dash reinstalled no leaks great... but when i went to put the steering column back up a little plastic race with little needle bearings had came halfway of where the steering shaft goes through the firewall, i tried to put it back in and it fell to pieces, ive talked to ford and their are three little bearings, bushing (whatever u want to call them ive also heard them called body bearings) back in there and i can get the parts but i just dont know what is involved with getting this deal fixed right and done and over with... Anybody who has done this before any tech advice would be greatly apprieciated, and is it safe to drive the car like this... also another little round rubber peice came out from where the steering shaft comes out from the fire wall on the motor side...

 

[Kilgore Trout]

This is very common for this bearing to fall out, it is not ideal to drive it like this there will be a lot of slop in the steering. I think there is a good thread on fixing this on Modular Fords.

 

[98_black_knight]

thanks for the info

Weell I went to the junkyard friday and took apart this bushing bearing thing and got the part i needed that broke, there is nothing to taking this thing apart just two millimeters bolts and it all comes apart and put the little needle bearing assembly into the rubber piece in i got from the junkyard and problem has been fixed... thanks for the info kilgore...