steering column help! tilt bowl position!

[darkshadow]

I have my column torn apart now, my screws got so loose the fell out so my wheel was real floppy!~

I have every thing out including the tilt bowl, but the seat behind it (the one with the 4 bastard screws is out and off the plate it screws to.

I ca not seem to find a position it will fit in and sit against that plate! any help!



pics

 

[readymix]

I have seen that before. The colums itself was cracked. If you look at the last pic you posted you can see how the tilt bowl (sic) is supposed to sit inside the column tube. It is pretty thin metal and there is one area that has a wierd square cut shape to it.
In that area is where I have seen it cracked. A quick weld later and all was well.

 

[darkshadow]

it doesent seem cracked there is no play with that stuff.

if i line up the bowl to the shaft like in the seconed pic it hts the metel sleave lets call it, and wont go in.

the screws only protude out the back of the bowl maybe 1/4- 3/8th it need to sit right on the plate butwill not go in there, it is like the plate has sunk down ans need to be flush with that sleave, is that posable?

 

[readymix]

I think that the plate can actually move like that but, it has been over 2 years since I fixed that column.
I always remove the whole thing from the truck if it is that bad, and fix it on the bench.

 

[darkshadow]

i have never had to go this far befor so i dont have a referance, and i dont have another culomn to check!

 

[readymix]

My column is in my truck or I would take it apart for your reference.

It is pretty easy though. You will need to remove the steering shaft from the lower end of the column in order to remove the inner ball pivot and shaft (it is one piece)
From there you can remove the other piece (pivot bowl??) and you should be able to see the cause of your problem.

 

[darkshadow]

i got it in, took the plastic lower sheald off the column, pulled the shifter all the way down and pulled hard on the whole thing this gave me my play.

a note for others the plate will twist on the shaft slightly on its own and with the shifter also, so this can cause and help fix the problem, the bolw fits in the tight I used screw drivers and awls in the holes so i could see the line up of the screws to the holes they go to.


now i just need to get it all back togeather