steering column rebuild advice
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 372
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From: New Mexico
steering column rebuild advice
With the holidays coming, I going to replace the upper and lower bearings in my steering column. BTW, I have a 77.5 F250 4X4 with a manual 4spd floor shifter. I've searched the forum, but am still looking for some advice on how to take it apart and if I need any special tools or tricks. The truck has now become my daily driver, so I need to better plan the work. Also, I'm starting to see that I might want to also replace the column bearing sleeve? Thanks!
Joel
Joel
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2009
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The hardest part will be when you have to re-install the keeper bolts. If you have a second set of hands, then one can keep proper tension while the other sets the bolts. Other than that, make sure you have all the parts on hand that you want to swap.
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2012
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From: New Mexico
Another question. The upper bearing was definitely shot - pretty rough turning it. In putting the new one in, it still seems to have some play. It looks like the shaft surface where the bearing slides on used to have some grooves or really fine splines that are almost worn away. With the bearing not rotating well, I assume the inner bearing was rotating on the shaft wearing it down some. It's a bit hard to measure, but I get around 0.025" of play. Anyone have a sense for what it might have been stock? Seems I could make a shim to take up some of this.
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2012
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From: New Mexico
I started work on replacing the steering shaft with the Borgeson one I got from JBG. I've got the bolts loose on both ends, but it doesn't seem there's enough play to get the shaft out even with pulling up some on the column shaft. Do I need to take out the entire column or at least pull it back some from the firewall? Thanks!
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2010
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From: San Carlos, CA
Yes you will need to pull the column shaft out or at least partly out to clear the top U joint on the lower steering shaft. I fought with mine for an hour before I pulled out the column shaft.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,398
Likes: 6
I started work on replacing the steering shaft with the Borgeson one I got from JBG. I've got the bolts loose on both ends, but it doesn't seem there's enough play to get the shaft out even with pulling up some on the column shaft. Do I need to take out the entire column or at least pull it back some from the firewall? Thanks!
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 372
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From: New Mexico
Thanks all. Well, I pulled the entire steering column out which made removing the steering shaft easy. Plus it looks like the only way to really replace the lower column bearing. Upon pulling the column shaft, I noticed a groove at the bottom. Seems there could be an e-ring here, but I couldn't find one in any of the exploded drawings on the forums. Any idea why this is here? Thanks.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2010
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From: darlington
<table border="0" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="6"><tbody><tr><td vAlign="top" width="60"><img border="0" alt="New
1978-79 Ford Bronco
1976-79 Ford F100, F150, F250, F350 " src="http://broncograveyard.com/images/catalog/7879LOWERCOLUMNBRGTMB.JPG" width="60" height="57"></td><td class="normal" vAlign="top"># 27064
New
1978-79 Ford Bronco
1976-79 Ford F100, F150, F250, F350
Price: $35.00 replaced my bottom bearing with this setup,much better
</td></tr></tbody></table>
1978-79 Ford Bronco
1976-79 Ford F100, F150, F250, F350 " src="http://broncograveyard.com/images/catalog/7879LOWERCOLUMNBRGTMB.JPG" width="60" height="57"></td><td class="normal" vAlign="top"># 27064
New
1978-79 Ford Bronco
1976-79 Ford F100, F150, F250, F350
Price: $35.00 replaced my bottom bearing with this setup,much better
</td></tr></tbody></table>
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Nothing goes there.
More Turbo
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Great N/W
<table border="0" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="6"><tbody><tr><td vAlign="top" width="60"><img border="0" alt="New
1978-79 Ford Bronco
1976-79 Ford F100, F150, F250, F350
" src="http://broncograveyard.com/images/catalog/7879LOWERCOLUMNBRGTMB.JPG" width="60" height="57"></td><td class="normal" vAlign="top"># 27064
New
1978-79 Ford Bronco
1976-79 Ford F100, F150, F250, F350
Price: $35.00 replaced my bottom bearing with this setup,much better
</td></tr></tbody></table>
1978-79 Ford Bronco
1976-79 Ford F100, F150, F250, F350
" src="http://broncograveyard.com/images/catalog/7879LOWERCOLUMNBRGTMB.JPG" width="60" height="57"></td><td class="normal" vAlign="top"># 27064
New
1978-79 Ford Bronco
1976-79 Ford F100, F150, F250, F350
Price: $35.00 replaced my bottom bearing with this setup,much better
</td></tr></tbody></table>
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,172
Likes: 101
From: darlington
You can actually tack weld a few spots or it comes with screws to anchor it,I like the weld in a few spots,easily grinded for removal if need be,,,,also my column is a 75 manual and it fit like a glove
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 372
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From: New Mexico
I'm going with the replacement part that 'lafermedavid' posted - these pictures from another thread got me going down this road - thanks! Since I don't have a welder, I'm going to put a few screws in it. My next task is to shim the upper bearing around the shaft - just too much play. Plus I went ahead and ordered a new turn signal switch from JBG (and some halogen headlights, and a wiring harness, and . . . hey, 10% off coupon code that expired yesterday) - thought I could repair it for cancelling, but after looking at it, $45 for a new unit seemed wiser given it's all tore apart.