Ways to make the steering wheel more secure? Has a tiny hair of play like it needs to be tightened.

[iboughtatahoe23]

I know you can tighten it by removing the airbag. But I am scared to touch mine cause there’s a recall for exploding air bag and sending shrapnel everywhere. Any other ways to tighten it?

 

[Doubeleive]

I know you can tighten it by removing the airbag. But I am scared to touch mine cause there’s a recall for exploding air bag and sending shrapnel everywhere. Any other ways to tighten it?

there is no recal for the drivers airbag, the recal is for the passenger airbag

 

[OR VietVet]

I know you can tighten it by removing the airbag. But I am scared to touch mine cause there’s a recall for exploding air bag and sending shrapnel everywhere. Any other ways to tighten it?

If you have the battery disconnected, you should be just fine.

 

[iboughtatahoe23]

Then I can tighten it? Will it stop that play in the wheel? Other ways to secure it more?

 

[B-train]

Depends where the play is. More than likely its further down the line if it's left/right play. The steering wheel is splined on. Up/down could be the wheel or the column. Elaborate on what you are experiencing please.

 

[iboughtatahoe23]

Depends where the play is. More than likely it’s further down the line if it's left/right play. The steering wheel is splined on. Up/down could be the wheel or the column. Elaborate on what you are experiencing please.

Just wobbles a tiny bit left to right. And I can feel it when turning left to right too.

Or if going over some bumps.

 

[Doubeleive]

Mine has developed a probably 1-2mm play in it, feels like it is the steering wheel I only feel it depending on what I am doing, I have a new steering wheel to put on which is the last stock of new ones that was available out there 2-3 years ago but just haven't pulled the old one off yet I was able to glue the wood trim back on with gorilla glue and it's holding up fine just showing a little age.
you can always just try tightening it up and see what happens, let us know if it fixes the problem

 

[iboughtatahoe23]

Mine has developed a probably 1-2mm play in it, feels like it is the steering wheel I only feel it depending on what I am doing, I have a new steering wheel to put on which is the last stock of new ones that was available out there 2-3 years ago but just haven't pulled the old one off yet I was able to glue the wood trim back on with gorilla glue and it's holding up fine just showing a little age.
you can always just try tightening it up and see what happens, let us know if it fixes the problem

Tighten that nut when you remove the airbag and what’s that other thing, the clock piece or Whatever.

 

[Doubeleive]

Tighten that nut when you remove the airbag and what’s that other thing, the clock piece or Whatever.

Just the one big nut don't mess with the clockspring

 

[Doubeleive]

I might just go out and mess with mine later today and see if I can tighten mine up I have to replace a axle vent tube anyway may as well do both

 

[OR VietVet]

Do you yank on it to climb in and out of front seat? If a bigger guy, like me, does that, the steering wheel tilt mechanism can develop slop.

 

[mikez71]

Really miss a driver's side grab handle! Thinking about making one and drilling a couple holes through A-pillar trim. I always have to step on running board and plop into driver's seat. Don't want to use door pull and break that!

 

[iboughtatahoe23]

I might just go out and mess with mine later today and see if I can tighten mine up I have to replace a axle vent tube anyway may as well do both

Hey, let me know how that goes! I’m really just afraid of the airbag to be honest

 

[iboughtatahoe23]

Do you yank on it to climb in and out of front seat? If a bigger guy, like me, does that, the steering wheel tilt mechanism can develop slop.

Ya I do haha. And I kind of hang onto it when doing quick turns

 

[Doubeleive]

Hey, let me know how that goes! I’m really just afraid of the airbag to be honest

I didn't get a chance to do it yesterday, ran into some unexpected surprises at home that took up the rest of the day and got snowballed with work this morning so might be later this afternoon or evening
airbag is nothing to be afraid of it's like a blasting cap it has to have electricity to fire.
I'm more scared of a strut spring killing me than a airbag
and be scared of people that have never messed with gasoline and have only seen it in the movies, we used to pour it on burn piles with a tire to make the green stuff burn, gasoline is no joke

 

[Doubeleive]

Well good thing I gave this a shot my main ground was loosy goosy, to get to the airbag release tabs you kinda gotta go in until you hit metal and then angle down a smidge. I have a REALLY bad habit of stripping bolts because nothing is ever tight enough, that being said I used a 22mm and made it maybe 1 inch tighter but I can see the parts behind the steering wheel moving so I don't think it made any difference and I don't want to strip it but I gave it a shot anyway.

 

[NickTransmissions]

Well good thing I gave this a shot my main ground was loosy goosy, to get to the airbag release tabs you kinda gotta go in until you hit metal and then angle down a smidge. I have a REALLY bad habit of stripping bolts because nothing is ever tight enough, that being said I used a 22mm and made it maybe 1 inch tighter but I can see the parts behind the steering wheel moving so I don't think it made any difference and I don't want to strip it but I gave it a shot anyway.
View attachment 401217

If you're getting play in/around the wheel, it could be the upper steering column bearing starting to go. Its a small caged roller bearing that sits between intermediate and upper shafts. When mine started wearing out, I began to feel a very slight amount of play in the wheel; at the time I only noticed it when turning but it got progressively worse over the next few months. Eventually it felt like the whole wheel was going to literally come off but the 22mm steering wheel nut was never loose. And even if it was, it wouldn't cause any play as you can't simply pull it off even with the nut removed. You need a small puller.

I ended up swapping out the entire column for one from the junkyard that I pulled out for $50. Swap itself took about a half hour then I had to do a manual reset for the VATS so it would start back up and run (no tools, scanners or anything needed).