Waahhhh...More Steering Problems/Broken Parts

[Judhudson]

I've been working on an issue with my steering column for quite some time.  Well, yesterday I got to it and started to pull it out. 

See, my problem is that when I turn the wheel, the spinning plate is rubbing against the metal backing of the locking lever.  At first, Nacho mentioned that this may be a problem with the snap rings not being on correctly.  But it turns out they were   I pulled up on my shaft, and it pulled up away from the metal locking plate like it should be.  However, if I put it together and push down on it, it'll collapse.

I took out the whole steering column out of my car to see if there are pins on the bottom.  My dad thought that there might be plastic shear pins in the very bottom which holds the shaft up until force is pushed down on it causing it to collapse.  Unforunately, no plastic shear pins were to be found.  The only two pins were a huge metal pin (good) at the end of the shaft, and then a small little pin in the body at the very bottom where the shaft goes in to.

We have no idea what to do.  The parts breakdown I have shows there is suppose to be a big shear pin at the bottom of the body, but nothing!

Also, when taking out the body, my dad accidently dropped the shoe - see pictures breaking it.  So now, I think I am screwed.  Anybody know of a place that might have them for sell?  Oh, and do they sell seals for the cover for the body?  Mine is almost all tore up

[Judhudson]

After doing some research, I found out that the broken parts can be bought in a steering coupler rebuild kit, so hurray for me!

However, I still need to figure out why the column tilts down to where the spinning plate is rubbing against the lock plate....Would it have to do with the lower bearing moving?

[Judhudson]

Okay, so now after more troubleshooting occured, I found out that the reason the shaft collapse is because the lower bearing at the bottom of the shaft moves.  It moved down, which caused the whole shaft to dip and thus I got that grinding noise from the lockplate.  However, does anything keep the bearing in place to where it won't move?  Or did mine just move due to the fact that it is old and the inside of the bearing is worn?

[Nacho-RT74]

weird... sinde the piece that keeps in place the shaft against the column outer collar pieces is just the ebaring with rings at least as far I know.

UNLESS the lower bearing is in fact out of place an that it could make the shaft play up and down, non parallel with column, making the locking plate cuts/grinds diagonally like a saw against the lock retainer plate.

If that's the case, maybe you were able to move the wheel ( just the wheel )up and down like a telescopic one, with slope modification...

But the only stuff that keeps in place the shaft is as stated the upper bearing with snap rings. Is the only relation ship between shaft and outer column collars

After doing some research, I found out that the broken parts can be bought in a steering coupler rebuild kit, so hurray for me!

buymopar.com has it DIRTY CHEAP... for a while some dealers sell it on $50-60 range, they sell in less than $10... I bought 2 sets.

look on restoration parts on that website... very interesting stuff and cheap there.

[Judhudson]

Ah, I paid 14 for it thru ebay.  Oh well, live and learn.  Do you know of a place that has a lower bearing for the steering shaft that is a decent price.  Paddock and Year1 is about 80 dollars 

[Shakey]

Check your local Dodge Dealership - that's where I bought my stuff.

Some common items were used right up until the mid-90's on the p/u's.