Sloppy Steering Column Fix

I looked around on TW and I couldn't find a fix for a sloppy steering column, but when I looked around elsewhere I found this thread. Route1286 wrote a really nice how to on taking out the steering column in the cab and doing a fix to eliminate any slop between the shafts.

Planning on doing this fix in the next couple weeks. I will be using this thread as a guide.
Thought I would just leave this hear for others to check out

 

@mechanicjon used a roll pin instead of welding it - I may go the same route so I don't have to pay anyone to weld it.

 

yep roll pin is much easier. 1/8 inch home depot roll pin. Hole is already there, you just have to drill it a little bigger.

 

Yep, its on my to do list. Lots of info in that thread. It seems like someone even mentioned doing this without removing the column from the truck(although no one confirmed this, including the the one that mentioned it).

I plan to weld mine since I have access to a welder and can weld.

 

Make sure that you go down to post #42 in the thread that you referenced, as this gives you a much easier version than that provided by the original poster. You only need to remove the plastic clam shell behind the steering wheel, the springs for the tilt, two allen bolts, and another bolt at the floorboard. You definitely need needlenose visegrips for those springs. They are a b**ch! Tack weld or a roll pin (perhaps a shear pin???) and put it all back together. Be aware that the knuckle at the floorboard will likely flop to the side, and the column won't automatically go back in place. It will amaze you how much better the steering feels.

 

Awesome. Thanks for the reminder and inspiration Tom.

 

Yep, that guy is a wizard.

 

I used a TW members video for reference @SafetyDang https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O01xIDnuk8

Also, I have had to do this twice now, the first time I had NEVER welded, so in retrospect the roll pin would of been better. The second time, I cleaned off the booger and welded it more better. Since the first repair, I had worked as a professional welder for a few years. Big difference, and funny when I saw my first weld.

This most recent time I did it, I found that the bearings in the column had a hair of play so replaced them, along with the intermediate shaft that goes to the rack, AND the dust seal on the firewall for the intermediate shaft to pass through. My old dust seal was mostly gone. Just the outside "race" remained. The seal was super cheap, the intermediate shaft not so much. But check yours for weird play. Mine had ALOT.

 

Pics of any of this? Good info. Thanks

 

I do not have anything super relevant to the job no, I did snap a few so will share shortly. The nicest thing was it was extremely straight forward. Take notes of how everything goes together and it was a breeze. Took me an hour to replace 3x bearings, the plastic race thing in the column, the dust boot, and fix my weld.


I replaced parts 8, 9 (x2, the other not shown on diagram), 19, and 22.

https://parts.camelbacktoyota.com/p...siteid=214329&vehicleid=69979&diagram=8510263




I also did the halfshafts, I got down to about 15 minutes a side now when replacing them. The one was very obviously bad when driving, yet the other had far more end to end play, so they both got yanked.

 

I've jumped off in it too. I'll do two tack welds tomorrow at work and put it back together tomorrow evening. As mentioned in the writeuo, the spring on the drivers side is the toughest part of the whole thing. Once I had the two 6mm bolts and bolt near the firewall out, it helped to tap on the joint near the firewall to break it loose. Btw, I've never done anything with removing a steering wheel or column before.

 

Nicely done guys! Mine has still held up all these years with two small tac welds.

 

Awesome. Glad to hear it.

 

Since welding that joint now, is there any concern now that in the event of a front end impact that the steering column won't collapse as designed? Or is that another piece of the mechanism?

 

With any off-road modification you are always taking a risk. You can say the same thing about an off-road bumper. That issue has been argued quite a bit, mostly by Jeep guys.

http://www.wranglerforum.com/f274/h...ion-legal-additional-risk-factor-1558361.html
http://www.wranglerforum.com/f274/stock-bumper-vs-aftermarket-metal-bumper-safety-423874.html

The steering joint safety was also shortly discussed in our TTORA thread linked above. This is why some people use the roller pin instead.

 

If I hit something hard enough to drive the steering wheel through my chest, I don't think it's going to matter much if these two welds are in place or not. Either way, it's probably my day to go. I certainly understand the other sides argument though.

 

Can't find it again but someone posted the force required to break the 1/8" steel roll pin and it was pretty high, so it's probably a wash between welding and using the pin.


I need to do this on my (non-tilt) steering column.

 

I have already tack welded mine, recently, and am not concerned that they would hold longer than the upper portion that is bolted in, in the event of a crash. But let me throw out yet another possibility. Could you put the slider in a hydraulic press and dimple one or more of the flats, in effect tightening the outer shaft onto the inner? This would keep the intended use of the slide in tact.

 

I think so - that's a good idea.

 

After

Yep, I like the sound of that. I could have done that today instead of welding it but too late now. I suspect that a drilling hammer and a sharp punch might do the trick.