Steering wheel movement

[ironmoo]

As of the past few weeks on my '82, I've notice a bit more play in the steering wheel stem than before. This is in the area of the upper column where the signal posts/ steering adjustment post resides and slides into the lower column.. While the car is driveable, the play is about 1/2 inch from side to side or up and down when driving straight down the road while holding on the steering wheel. The lower portion of the column is rock solid and I've gone under the dash to make sure all the visable bolts/nuts are tight.
Looking closer, it really seems to be within the knuckle junction of the upper slides into the lower stem. Looking at the build manual, it's hard to tell if there are nuts,bolts,bearings, etc to tighten or work on from within the internal column.
Before I pull off the horn contact and steering wheel and jump in blindly to explore inside the upper column, I'd was hoping you all may have advise or your thoughts from your experience with the telescopic wheel.

Thanks in advance.

-Moo

 

[smurfvet]

Just had mine apart on my 74 a couple of weeks ago. I have a small (compared to yours) amount of slop in the hinge pins. Nothing major, just enough to cause a little excess movement at the "flat" steering wheel position.

In looking at the 74 service manual I have, there are two pins that act as the hinge point from the upper section (with the key cylinder) to the lower section (with the ignition switch). You need to pull the steering wheel and internal telescopic lock assy. off, then the turn signal switch assy and the lock ring for the steering wheel. After this, you can remove the lock cylinder and slide the upper section cover off the column. It's a pain, but if you have the factory shop manual, the pictures are all I needed. THere is a trick to getting the lock cylinder out in one piece, and having the blowup of the steering column is good.

It appears these two hinge pins are the only point that movement in the upper section can occur. The internal shaft has a knuckle that would give you steering wheel slop (possibly) but not the whole upper column assembly like you described.

I didn't get as far as pulling the pins- I needed a special puller, and I wasn't about to try the slide hammer trick. In the meantime, after walking away for the evening and restarting the next day I found the cause of my particular problem was the lower cover rotating and jamming the switch linkage. Doesn't apply to your problem though.

If you need to pull the pins, Harbor Freight has a puller for 5 bucks- well worth the cost as compared to cobbing something up from parts. I'm buying one just to have it at that price.

 

[ironmoo]

Thanks for the input. Much appreciated.