yukonkink03
TYF Newbie
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2017
- Posts
- 14
- Reaction score
- 11
Since it's cooled off up here I started hearing a squeak when turning the wheel from side to side. So I thought I would go ahead and check that steering shaft bearing that seems to cause a lot of problems with our favorite vehicle.
I get my flashlight and squirm my way under the steering wheel to gets me a look. Well, "shazam Andy" there isn't one there, just the shaft flopping around. I'm wondering how long it's been like this. Being out here in the sticks there aren't a whole lotta parts stores around. So I find the bearing at O'reilys about an hour away.
I head out to our company shop and proceed to remove the lower shaft from the upper. That was probably the easiest part of the process. By the way, you don't have to remove the lower shaft from the steering gear inside the engine bay despite what all the videos show. You can get the bearing into position to push on but mine wasn't going anywhere. I don't think man act of congress could make ***** slip on. I took some emery cloth to the shaft but still no go. I popped the bearing part out of the case and took a small round file and knocked down those spines inside the sleeve.
Ok, it slides on about half way. Now I'm stuck. Not a whole lot of room to get my hands in there and get some leverage. Would have drank a beer but it was too early. Here's what I did. I put the bolt back in the shaft and using a 13/16 open end wrench I lever that bearing home. Whew!
The rest of the assembly is a can of corn. NO more squeak and the steering is as smooth as heck. I was originally going to replace the lower shaft as well, but this saved me about $75 for now.
I get my flashlight and squirm my way under the steering wheel to gets me a look. Well, "shazam Andy" there isn't one there, just the shaft flopping around. I'm wondering how long it's been like this. Being out here in the sticks there aren't a whole lotta parts stores around. So I find the bearing at O'reilys about an hour away.
I head out to our company shop and proceed to remove the lower shaft from the upper. That was probably the easiest part of the process. By the way, you don't have to remove the lower shaft from the steering gear inside the engine bay despite what all the videos show. You can get the bearing into position to push on but mine wasn't going anywhere. I don't think man act of congress could make ***** slip on. I took some emery cloth to the shaft but still no go. I popped the bearing part out of the case and took a small round file and knocked down those spines inside the sleeve.
Ok, it slides on about half way. Now I'm stuck. Not a whole lot of room to get my hands in there and get some leverage. Would have drank a beer but it was too early. Here's what I did. I put the bolt back in the shaft and using a 13/16 open end wrench I lever that bearing home. Whew!
The rest of the assembly is a can of corn. NO more squeak and the steering is as smooth as heck. I was originally going to replace the lower shaft as well, but this saved me about $75 for now.
