Folks,

I recently looked at reducing my steering wobble. When I took the column apart, I couldn't remember if there was an upper and lower tilt column bearing, or just an upper. The bearing I am referring to is right at the tilt joint at the steering wheel.

I have an upper that looks like this:
1974-1979 Ford Bronco and F-Series TruckColumn Bearing, Upper-Broncograveyard.com

However I'm not sure if there is a lower, and if so, how is it retained?

 

A/T or M/T?

 

It's an Automatic Transmission.

 

Upper and lower bearings are shown as 3517. The lower bearing also uses a sleeve (3518). 3D681 is the lower bearing retainer.

Lower bearing retainer comes with the bearing & sleeve that were also available individually.

D3TZ-3D681-A .. Lower Bearing Retainer - Tilt/non tilt makes no difference / Obsolete

1973 F100/250 4WD & Bronco from serial number S20,001 / 1974/79 F100/250 4WD & Bronco.

No Ford dealer or obsolete parts vendor has any. Try Bronco Graveyard.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
F23Z-3517-B (replaced C7SZ-3517-D) .. Upper & Lower Steering Column Bearing-1978/79: Use with Tilt Wheel / Available from Ford.

1978/79 F100/350, Bronco & Econoline / 1980/91 F100/350, Bronco & Econoline (upper only-with/without Tilt Wheel) / Misc. 1967/97 Passenger Cars.

 

So I can order the upper from Jeffs then?

I didn't realize that it was inside the tilt jaw. I thought it would be on the outside. that makes sense.

 

I don't know what Jeff's has, see post #4.

Edit: I just looked, the upper bearing (with tilt) is the same as the lower bearing.

 

Thank you for the fast response. I just placed the order.

I just put a new steering gear in, and this should be the last thing I need to fully tighten up the steering on the truck.

 

See pic below:

Loosey-goosey steering can also be caused by worn steering track bar bushings (3B116), drag link (3304), right tie rod (3289), left tie rod end (3A131), steering shock bushings (3E655).

And, if you bought an auto parts store steering gear box, it's nothing more than a resealed gear box.

Ford/Saginaw P/S boxes have a flaw, there are no bearings on the sector shaft, it rides directly on the housing.

So, before too long, fluid begins leaking from the sector shaft seal. Not pleasant!

redheadsteeringgears.com takes the housing, machines it to install the sector shaft bearings that Ford omitted, so they could sell a gazillion sector shaft seal kits!

Pic shows single shock front suspension, dual shock is similar.

 

I have two bearings already. The upper one in blue is the smaller of the two. The one that fits in between the two jaws is larger in blue. There appears to be a machined surface that can accept another bearing, but I'm not sure if it's supposed to have one. When I try to slide the upper in the place, it physically can't clear the shaft. The shaft appears to be deformed slightly.

Is there supposed to be a 3rd bearing there where the red arrow is? If so, how is it retained?

 

 

Any thoughts on this? Everything I've reviewed mplies that there is only two bearings, and not a third.