I've been having some issues with a "squeaking" noise behind my steering wheel for a while now. I initially thought it was the bearings in the column going dry, even thought I had little to no play.


I contacted Steering Column Services out of Utah to find out about steering column rebuilds in the event this project didn't fix the squeak. I spoke to Doug and he was extremely helpful. I talked about my problem and what I planned to do and he guided me through the whole project. Really awesome to find such helpful experts even if it means they don't get to make money by helping me. Website is: Steering Column Parts, Replacement, & How to Instructions.

Once I got into the wheel I noted at the top right, maybe 2 oclock from the 3 prong contact. What I thought was a broken plastic piece, located in a square channel. Turns out Ford made them that way and its just a square gear for an actuator rod. Also learned this from SCS. Mine had crumbly dried grease on it.

It was the three spring loaded prong cruise control/horn contact under the steering wheel. These non airbag trucks have a three ring/channel copper disc behind the steering wheel instead of a clock spring. These copper pins hit/touch that ring, once they run dry of lubricant they squeak. If left dry long enough they will eat into the copper contact ring, which of course is no longer made!



Tools Required:
14mm Socket for Removing Steering Wheel Retaining Bolt
Steering Wheel Puller Wilmar W80651 ( I used a two jaw one, as my wheel didn't have threaded bolt holes. I would highly suggest the puller instead of doing the 9/3 human power pulling that a lot of people talk about. Maybe 2 minutes I had the wheel off, with the puller).
Simple Green/ Other Basic Cleaner to Remove Dirt
Can of Compressed Air/Shop Air
Clean Shop Rags
Q Tips
Di Electric Grease


Step 1:

Ensure that your wheels are straight and you have the steering column, and steering wheel to column shaft marked for re assembly. I used a pen.
Once your steering wheel is removed you will see this:



Dirt everywhere, with the small contacts at the lower middle of the picture.

I started by spraying everything with compressed air and wiping as much dirt away as I could with shop towels, qtips and simple green. (Please Note: There is some discussion on the corrosive nature of the original simple green formula on electronics. I chose to use nothing on the pins or 3 channel "clock spring", just wiped them down good.)

Step 2:
Once clean should look like this:



I took a small amount dielectric grease and put it in the square hole on the actuator gear, as well as on the copper pins and pressed them up and down a few times to get it worked in good.

Step 3:
I cleaned the copper " clock spring" with shop towels and put dielectric grease on it and smoothed it around with my finger.

I didn't go to crazy with the scrubbing for dirt because I didn't want to ruin it, knowing they are no longer made!



Step 4:

Re assemble everything. Ford suggests that use of a new steering wheel bolt every time it is removed. I opted not to use a new one as my old one appeared fine.

With any luck your annoying squeak will be gone!

I hope this helps someone.

 

Nice write up. Good to know there is a place out there that rebuilds these old colums. I will keep this in mind. Reps sent.

 

I also tried to rep, no go. Good job, good info!

 

I hope yours stays fixed. I used Di Electric Grease but due to the heat it doesn't seem to hold up, I had to go back to the green oem stuff.

 

Nice writeup. Thanks for sharing your experience. Reps sent.

 

Repped!8910

 

I Just replaced my steering column. pain in the ***.

 

Great tutorial! Almost like this procedure should b on a PM list...