Steering wheel play

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Feb 23, 2005 | 06:40 AM

tvvbsn

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Steering wheel play

I noticed the other day that my steering wheel has side to side play and play up and down in the steering column. It moves about 1/4 inch each direction. The column itself doesn't move, but the steering wheel moves inside the column. Also the cruise control lights do not light up, and the OD light on the shifter column is off and on at random times, doesn't blink. Is there a bearing at the top of the column that can be replaced? And if so how difficult of an undertaking would this be?
Thanks
Tim

Feb 23, 2005 | 07:45 AM

fixer1

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From: remlap USA

Is This A Tilt Steering Wheel??

Feb 23, 2005 | 09:51 AM

tvvbsn

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Yea its a tilt steering wheel, but there isn't any play in the part that tilts, just the wheel itself.

Its like the person that had the vehicle before me used the steering wheel as a handle to help himself up into the truck every time he got in it and put too much sideload on the steering wheel. It seems that there is a bearing at the top that is worn out and that the steering shaft wore through the wires that light up the cruise control switches.
I've never seen anything like this before in any other vehicle.
I took of the airbag and checked how well the actual steering wheel is attached to the steering shaft, and it is very tight, there isn't any play between the actual wheel and the shaft, the whole shaft moves inside the column with the wheel.
I don't know if I made that clear as mud, but ask questions if needed to clear things up.
Thanks
Tim

Mar 28, 2005 | 09:42 PM

65stangy

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Did you do any good on this problem?? I have the exact same thing with my 97 F250 with cruise and tilt, and was trying to figure out how to proceed with it. I pulled my steering wheel and took a look, but chickened out before I got it apart any further without knowing what I was doing, or what part I may need.

Regards,

Loren

Mar 29, 2005 | 08:10 AM

IB Tim

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Mar 29, 2005 | 10:06 PM

bradk

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From: Ontario

I have a 98 f150 with tilt. I just replaced all 3 bearings last weekend in mine. They only cost $25cad for the 3 of them. I had a lot more play like 1/2 inch and they were grinding. I wasnt that hard just time consuming and a quite a few parts to remove.I took my time 5 or 6 hours from start to finish. Its nice to have a diagram and a few instructions to help out. I had to pull the column right out and did all the disassembly on the bench all you need to remove the bearings is a few punch and a hammer and you need a 2 jaw puller to remove the steering wheel. Also it didnt look like it a first but the ignition cylinder and gear do have to come out and note the positon of the gear it was a bit of a problem to get it repositioned properly.
My cruise control lights didn't work either it turned out to be a bent pin on the clockspring connector at the steering wheel..
Hope this helps

Apr 1, 2005 | 09:46 AM

tvvbsn

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Bradk,

Did the parts come with diagrams? Or did you find them somewhere? I am thinking about tackling that problem this coming weekend when I don't need my vehicle for a few days along with ball joints, tie rod ends, and shocks. Are the parts just called steering column bearings?
thanks for the help

Tim