steering wheel upper shaft play (not the tilt issue) Help Please

[SuperCAN]

Thanks in advance to anyone with ideas here...

Truck: 1985 k5

Issue: Steering shaft (the short shaft on the steering wheel side of the plastic ball joint) shakes/has excessive play.

Background: I took apart the steering column to tighten the torx bolts for the tilt steering mechanism thinking the looseness/play was due to these bolts being loose. According to the interwebs, this seemed like a common problem for these chevy's to have. I tightened them; however, this did not stop the slop in the steering upper shaft.

It almost seems like the upper steering shaft is loose in the bearing - is that a thing? I haven't found that it's a thing on the internet???

Media below:
1. Steering shaft/bearing.....in the pic where I'm pointing with the screwdriver, there is ~ ~3/16" gap when i fully deflect the upper shaft between the shaft and the bearing.

2. Video where I try and demonstrate the shake and try to demonstrate that the lower shaft does not move.

Any ideas or have you seen this before?

 

[imiceman44]

Thanks in advance to anyone with ideas here...

Truck: 1985 k5

Issue: Steering shaft (the short shaft on the steering wheel side of the plastic ball joint) shakes/has excessive play.

Background: I took apart the steering column to tighten the torx bolts for the tilt steering mechanism thinking the looseness/play was due to these bolts being loose. According to the interwebs, this seemed like a common problem for these chevy's to have. I tightened them; however, this did not stop the slop in the steering upper shaft.

It almost seems like the upper steering shaft is loose in the bearing - is that a thing? I haven't found that it's a thing on the internet???

Media below:
1. Steering shaft/bearing.....in the pic where I'm pointing with the screwdriver, there is ~ ~3/16" gap when i fully deflect the upper shaft between the shaft and the bearing.

2. Video where I try and demonstrate the shake and try to demonstrate that the lower shaft does not move.

Any ideas or have you seen this before?

View attachment 257825

To me looks like a blown bearing or when you put it back together you missed or misplaced a part.
Been a while since I took one apart so I can't give you a definite answer

 

[Fastereddie]

You’re missing the inner race for the bearing. It slips over the shaft and into that sucker.

 

[Fastereddie]

Number 3 in the pic.

 

[imiceman44]

Number 3 in the pic.
View attachment 257847

I knew it had to be something like that.
It's crazy play like something missing not something loose

 

[brans87]

https://www.4wd.com/p/crown-automot...MInOzs5fOw2QIVx1YNCh2RNQYoEAQYAyABEgLyIvD_BwE

Will work perfect and cheaper then the GM parts!!! Do research saginaw built these columns and jeeps.

Did this when I rebuilt my steering column and been great for some time now.

Don't replace one bearing do the whole kit for piece of mind!!!!

 

[SuperCAN]

Number 3 in the pic.
View attachment 257847

Thanks! are there assembly instructions? for example, it seems like the part #2 actually needs to face "up" (reverser from the pic) so that it holds the spring. I do have parts #2 and 3 so it must be that I'm putting them together in the wrong order.

Thanks!

 

[Fastereddie]

They go just the way they are shown in the photo.

 

[Fastereddie]

Like this...

 

[SuperCAN]

Like this...
View attachment 257856

Fastereddie - TY very much. you were spot on. Reassembly in the correct order and all play is removed. Thanks again!

 

[jeff in co]

Yep, did the same thing. I had the bearing in upside down. Went in, rotated it but then the bearing cup (second one down from spring), I put in upside down. TONS of slop. Went back in and rotated cup...perfect.

Definitely has an order!

I had two bearing in my kit. One on each end....

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product...sfl_title_62?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AG48EQ3TN25W7