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Is it possible for a string column to be too bad to rebuild? I have a power steering column i was planning on using, but bearings are all shot in it. I know that the uppers can be changed, but I'm not sure about the bottoms. The shaft is very rusty, but doesn't appear to be worn. When I took it apart, the pieces of what was left just fell out. What I can assume is the race in the end of the tube looks a little worn
Hard to say for sure but, it looks like to me the open end of the column tube has been sawing on the steering shaft (looks like there's a rusty groove present in it).
If this is so, that's usually an indication that either the metal cab mounts are rusted/rusting out or, that the rubber cab mounts are old and compressed/collapsed.
If either of these conditions are present, it'll pitch the cab. If the front cab mounts are rusted or the rubber mounts compressed, it'll pitch the front end of the cab downward. Since the column tube attaches to the dash and the engine side of the firewall, this will put a downward force and strain on the steering shaft. This will place a bind on the lower column bearing and eventually chew it up and all of the lower bearing will simply disentegrate, fall out and disappear. With nothing left to keep the steering shaft centered in the column tube, the open end of the tube will start gnawing on the steering shaft.
If the rear cab mounts are bad, the back end of the cab will drop down and the forward end of the cab will be pitched upwards, causing the column tube to do the same thing to the bearing and steering shaft, only, the tube will be sawing on the underside of the steering shaft.
This is the result of compressed rear rubber cab mounts to the old fixed column steering shaft (where the awl is pointing) that used to be on my '69 F100.
Groove cut into steering shaft. A good portion of the clamp and nearly half the head of the bolt and the hex of the nut were worn away where they had been dragging around against the inner portion of the column tube, at the open end of the tube. The stress of the cab being out of alignment (caused by the rubber cab mounts) destroyed the (raggedy) rag joint.
Is it possible for a steering column to be too bad to rebuild? I have a power steering column i was planning on using, but bearings are all shot in it. I know that the uppers can be changed, but I'm not sure about the bottoms.
What year is the steering column? If it's from a 1967 thru 1973 F100/250 2WD, the upper and lower bearings (C3DZ-3517-A) are the same and are available from Ford.
The lower steering column bearing retainer (C5TZ-3D681-A) is reproduced
This bearing was also used on some 1961/66's, 1974/79's, misc Ford/Merc Passenger Cars like 1965/66 Mustang's.
It appears to be a 71 or 72 column. I've attached some pictures of what came out and the end of the column tube. From the pics, do you think it would be alright to rebuild? I'm not sure what the pieces are that I'm looking at, in relation to the part numbers listed above. I know the retainer is the clamp on the end.
I think the center piece is part of the 3517. The piece on the right is the 3510.
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Can't be a 3510. Both choices are listed as thicker than the one in the pic. So the center and right pieces in the pick have to be both halves of the 3517 bearing.
Well, the only thing left is the 3510. But the way they describe it doesn't sound right. Here is how the 3510 is listed for a Bump:
65/69 F100/250 (4X2), 65/69 F350 before ser #D96,001, ALL, D0TZ3510A.(replaced C5TZ3510A) Replaced by D0TZ3510B.
69/72 F100/250 (4X2), 69/72 F350 after ser #D96,001, also D0TZ3510B when used with 3 speed manual-manual steering, auto trans-manual steering, 4 speed -manual or P/S.
D0TZ3510B is 1 5/16" O.D. X 3/8" thick.
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69/72 F100/250 (4X2) , 69/72 F350 after ser #D96,001, C9TZ3510A. When used with P/S with 3 speed or A/T.
C9TZ3510A is 1 5/16" O.D. X 1/2" thick. This one has 2 tapped holes.
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but bearings are all shot in it. I know that the uppers can be changed, but I'm not sure about the bottoms.
