Steering column, bushing or not?

[mrbill426]

The lower column in our '72 'Cuda seems to be missing a part like a seal or bushing.  All that is there is a white plastic collar that has retaining barbs around it that engage slots at the lower end of the column tube.  I have seen bearings for sale (WOW$$) for columns but they all appear to be held in place by screws; this column has NO screw holes at the bottom for those bearings.  None of the columns in my '72 factory parts book exactly match this one either. 

The closest match to it for an aouto matic floor shift is one that looks like it's made to collapse; a sort of basket weave tube, but ours is a "solid" tube end to end.  The illistration for it shows what looks to be the same retainer but also a seal (not bearing) part #3575227.  Is this the right one?  Is this seal available someplace? 

Perhaps the basket weave tube ("jacket" in parts book) was an option?  Ours in an early production '72.

Before I took the car apart I noted that the steering shaft was in no way "centered" at the base of the column "jacket" where it exits, so unless there is some flexibility at the coupling, things may not line up if a bushing or seal were there.  I see no real purpose for the plastic collar by itself though.

Thanks

 

[Chryco Psycho]

not bearing or bushing belong in the bottom of the column assuming it is an original column , if you loosen the 3 bolts for the plate on the drivers floor they have large holes to allow movement so the column can be centered with the steering shaft , the  white collar is more of a dust seal

[mrbill426]

   Thanks Chryco, I'll try that when I put it back together.  Thing is, there is a LOT of opens space between the ID of the collar and the OD of the shaft, can't see how it would keep out much dust 

Although this one is new from a catalog, mine looks like this with no apparent "sealing" properties.

[4Cruizn]

It doesn't seal the bottom of the steering shaft.      

[mrbill426]

Not that I can see, here are a few before/after photos of the way it is now.  The collar is not installed all the way but you can see the open space between it and the shaft.  There is nothing else in the lower end of the tube.