Steering wheel swap gone wrong!
 

Guys I need help, I have a 71 with a manual column. My neighbor was moving and gave me a steering column out of a 90's C1500 that has a nice stock 4 spoke steering wheel. Well considering my stock wheel was trashed, dry and breaking to pieces, I thought it would be cool to change out the steering wheel! Off with the old, slapped on the "new" one and boom! Looks good, feels better, smaller however still easier to turn (no power steering) BUT for some reason, the shafts moved forward about 3/4"...? At first it was no big deal, and the 3/4" helped in the ride comfort. It seemed like all was right with the world....THEN I noticed the bottom bearing flopping in the wind, and the gear selector now has so much slack, it will hang up EVERYTIME so I don't drive it.
Question, and I have searched before posting, does that wheel need a kit or something to keep the shafts pulled tight?

Any help would be great, I have the truck 90%complete to put back on the road and now this!

Re: Steering wheel swap gone wrong!
 

You have some other problem, nothing to do with the wheel. Check the clamp at the coupler under the hood. Sounds like maybe by tightening the nut at the wheel it drew the upper shaft from the coupler. Is that bolt missing? There is a bearing at the bottom of the column. Could be disintegrating? I'd look under the hood.

Re: Steering wheel swap gone wrong!
 

I will take a look!

Re: Steering wheel swap gone wrong!
 

X2 The lower bearing is held in with a with a large spring, pre-load is set with the intermediate shaft clamp, manual says spring should be compressed to 1/2". Have a helper hold down on the steering wheel, loosen the clamp, compress the spring & re-tighten the clamp.

In my mind, 1/2" seems like coil bind, I,m thinking it should be more like 1.5"? Someone correct me on this.

Re: Steering wheel swap gone wrong!
 

Borrowed this from sduckworth13

Re: Steering wheel swap gone wrong!
 

I don't think that pic is correct the big washer should go on the other side of the spring, right next to the clamp. Still give a good idea how it should look.

Agree with others has to be something that came loose on the bottom of the column. There is a spec on what the clearance should be on the gap from the washer to the bearing.

Do you have a pic of the lower column?