Steering Collum ????

[Thunder]

My steering wheel is flopping around and loose. i cant pull it off and hand it to my passenger yet but i am beginning to wonder..... Yes the nut behind the wheel is tight. And getting tighter with every beer.
It is a tilt wheel 89 Blazer. The tilt mechanism works ok with no slop. It seems to be in the shaft or a bearing. I am going to tear it apart tomorrow. Any one tor apart a newer Column? Are the bearings plastic and break easy or something? Can you still get them? Or do i have to buy a new column. Any info will help. Other than turn switches and ign switches I have never had to fix anything on a steering column.

 

[BrianDamage]

common problem...you can get arebuild kit at the dealer (not expensive)

http://coloradok5.com/forums/showpost.php?p=364297&postcount=2

 

[Thunder]

Thank you. saved me some work. Wont tear apart till I get the rebuild kit. Need my truck in case it snows.
Dealer parts is closed so will have wait till next week to fx

 

[4X4HIGH]

From what you described it sounds like the upper shaft bearing is bad or gone. The link that was given is for repairing the loose tilt mechanism. The first few steps is all you'll need to do to repair your problem and it is easy. I've completely tore apart my 89 steering column and it is an easy job for me since i've done about 50 of them already over the years. Just take your time and pay attention to where or how things came apart and you'll be ok.

 

[Thunder]

Yeah the tilt unit seems to be ok. So i hope it is just the bearing. Glad it is a fairly esay job. I like it when i can work on my K5 stiitng down instead of hanging off a ladder or under it with dirt clods landing in my face.

 

[87BrnRsd]

I had the same problem on my 87 tilt column. The tilt worked fine but you could move the steering wheel all around. I didnt buy a re-build kit or anything. You just have to tear the column down far enough to get to the 4 little hex or torx screws in there. All 4 of mine were loose. I put locktight on them to make sure it wouldnt happen again.

I found it to be a major pita to do this job. Its not really that difficult, but gm loved to used that cheap yellow looking plastic in the columns....and that stuff will break if you look at it wrong so BE CAREFUL! Other than that just take your time and make sure everything goes back together right. I got mine back together and the horn hasnt worked since. Thats alright....I custom mounted a door bell button from lowes for my horn.

Although it isnt that diffiuclt of a job, it is tedious and frustrating. It was much easier doing an engine swap in my tbi truck with all of those crappy sensors and wires and whatnot than it was for me to mess with the column. I was cussing it all day...but i got it fixed.

-Harrison

 

[4X4HIGH]

I had the same problem on my 87 tilt column. The tilt worked fine but you could move the steering wheel all around. I didnt buy a re-build kit or anything. You just have to tear the column down far enough to get to the 4 little hex or torx screws in there. All 4 of mine were loose. I put locktight on them to make sure it wouldnt happen again.

I found it to be a major pita to do this job. Its not really that difficult, but gm loved to used that cheap yellow looking plastic in the columns....and that stuff will break if you look at it wrong so BE CAREFUL! Other than that just take your time and make sure everything goes back together right. I got mine back together and the horn hasnt worked since. Thats alright....I custom mounted a door bell button from lowes for my horn.

Although it isnt that diffiuclt of a job, it is tedious and frustrating. It was much easier doing an engine swap in my tbi truck with all of those crappy sensors and wires and whatnot than it was for me to mess with the column. I was cussing it all day...but i got it fixed.

-Harrison

His tilt is tight, he has a bad steering shaft bearing not the 4 loose screws.