Replace your lower column bearing: Better and Cheaper!!!

[CUDA JAS]

Ok, a little update...

I managed to get the bearing to the right spot on the shaft (or at least very close).

I have some old fence posts at the back of my property that are about the right diameter to fit onto the bearing. Ok, so property my be exaggerating a little, they are at the back of my yard..lol.

I took the shaft out there, initially to try and wack the bearing off.  Of course the cross pin prevented that so I decided to flip the shaft over and give the bearing a wack and see if I could drive it down a little. Success!!  It moved quite a bit. 

So I tried it again...thunk...wait what was that....yep the top portion of the shaft dropped out of the shaft.  Ah crap.

Anyway I managed to drive the bearing down to where it needs to be. The weird part is that the bearing really freed up and now turns with very little resistance.  So I think I am going to leave it and go with it.

Then I cut down the fence post to retrieve the other half of the shaft. 

No damage there.  So now I can fix the shafts properly, so that's good.

So all in all, a good night.

Jason 

[Topcat]

 

Your length to coupler might be off now when you go to install but don't fret.
Mine was off too.

It'll be a trial fit, on and off situation when you are ready to bolt the entire steering assembly in.

Took 4 attempts before it was just right to hammer the pin thru to the steering box.

[CudamanTom]

Your length to coupler might be off now when you go to install but don't fret.
Mine was off too.
Took 4 attempts before it was just right to hammer the pin thru to the steering box.

Dito on that. 

[dakota]

I'm in the middle of taking my column apart.   I'd like to go ahead and add the lower bearing, but I'm having some trouble getting the shift tube loose.   I think I found and moved the 2 metal tabs at the top of the shaft that have to be bent in, but the tube isn't moving at all.   I've shot some WD40 into the area around the tabs since it looks like it's stuck with some light corrosion.  Before I start banging on this to unstick it, please let me know if I'm missing something. 

[CudamanTom]

Did you remove the allen screw on the side inside the top part of the column?

[dakota]

CudaTom - No, I missed it.  Once I loosened the set screw, everything came apart with a bit of tugging.   Thanks!

[73restomod]

I just order my bearing, figured now was the time while Firm Feel rebuilds my box to a spec 3...

[stinger]

I have one of these bearings on order and want to try this mod but I don't know much about steering columns but I'm going to give it a try. I have a 70 floor shift column but it has the park lock lever on the end,what needs to be done to remove the lever?

[HP_Cuda]

Once you have it apart you can just yank it off

Thats what I did

B

[stinger]

Once you have it apart you can just yank it off

Thats what I did

B

yeh I figured.got my bearing and pic tutorial on hand so gonna clean up and paint the column this weekend

[stinger]

in the middle of this mod,I sanded and cleaned the shaft with a d.a. and 150 grit where the shaft was completely bare metal and no way that bearing was going down that shaft. I ended up metal finishing the shaft with a grinder and a 50 grit disc then resanding it in 150 to a smooth finish. the bearing easily fits now. just thought I'd post this for anyone in the future who might run into an issue.

[Topcat]

in the middle of this mod,I sanded and cleaned the shaft with a d.a. and 150 grit where the shaft was completely bare metal and no way that bearing was going down that shaft. I ended up metal finishing the shaft with a grinder and a 50 grit disc then resanding it in 150 to a smooth finish. the bearing easily fits now. just thought I'd post this for anyone in the future who might run into an issue.

Yeah, I mentioned that it was a tight fit earlier in this thread.

The shaft is a few mils too thick for the bearing to slide on.

[73restomod]

Finished this mod a little bit ago, will post a pic when I get a chance, not hard just remember to sand the shaft clean, and she'll slide right on with a few taps from a rubber mallet. Than I tightened the set screw and primed and painted it. Looks like it belongs there and that wobbly feel is all gone. My friend has a 2000 Camaro and he says the column feels tighter than his.

[AussieMark]

Another thing you can do is warm up the bearing with an electric heat gun (not too much) and put the shaft in a freezer for a while before assembly. We use this method when doing gearboxes with press fit bearings so if this bearing only has a little resistance this method should work real well.

[WildJones]

Guys, I need some help. The pin that sits perpendicular to the end of the steering shaft that connects to the steering coupler - my understanding is that needs to be removed so that I can slide the bearing from that end up into position, correct? How do I do that?

Also, there is another portion of the steering column that rotates maybe less than 45 degrees each way. When it goes in one direction it locks the ignition key into the ignition. Can this piece be removed? When we got the car it wasn't connected to anything. Do I need it? If so, what should be connected to it.