Lower bearing steering column question

[Heavy12]

I just replaced my lower bearing with one from Crown. My old one seemed to have lots of play in it. The new bearing has no play but fits a little loose in the new plastic housing. Feels much like my old one when I wiggle the end of the steering shaft.
I cleaned up my old one to see. The bearing was dry and dirty. Cleaned up nicely but the difference is the bearing fits tight into the plastic housing and the bearing itself has a little play. I could use the new bearing in the old housing and have a zero play lower bearing.
My question is should there be some play in the bottom bearing/housing by design.
Thanks for any responses. I don't want to reassemble the rest of the steering until I figure this out. Been searching to no avail.

[Heavy12]

Originally Posted by Heavy12

I just replaced my lower bearing with one from Crown. My old one seemed to have lots of play in it. The new bearing has no play but fits a little loose in the new plastic housing. Feels much like my old one when I wiggle the end of the steering shaft.
I cleaned up my old one to see. The bearing was dry and dirty. Cleaned up nicely but the difference is the bearing fits tight into the plastic housing and the bearing itself has a little play. I could use the new bearing in the old housing and have a zero play lower bearing.
My question is should there be some play in the bottom bearing/housing by design.
Thanks for any responses. I don't want to reassemble the rest of the steering until I figure this out. Been searching to no avail.

This is on a 1979 gmc.

[Heavy12]

Originally Posted by Heavy12

This is on a 1979 gmc.

One last query as I am ready to put things back together. I am very tempted to pull the new bearing out and see if it works in the old housing.

My steering is fine but I feel a slight rattle when in the steering wheel when I hit a bump. Pitman arm is new and lower ball joints have been replaced. I just am not sure if if the play in the lower bearing would cause that feeling in the steering wheel. The new bearing kit from crown is designed with play between bearing and plastic housing.
Any help appreciated.

[MikeB]

OK, so you have old and new bearings, along with old and new plastic adapters. I assume you have the metal retainer and the clip to hold the entire assembly on the tube, right?

Unless the old plastic adapter is broken and the old bearing is super rough, I'd use them if they make for the least amount of movement between shaft and housing.

It's been 2+ years since I rebuilt one for an 82 truck, but I remember the lower bearing and plastic adapter being in surprisingly good shape after I cleaned them up.

Just found the new adapter I didn't use! It's GM #7805365 and is called "bearing, lower, bowl" and was used in an 82 C-series pickup. Is your new one a real GM part, and the same P/N as mine?

[Heavy12]

Thanks for your reply.
The new bearing and housing I have is Crown part 4487696k. With this part the bearing has a loose fit in the plastic housing so some wiggle at the shaft end. The bearing itself is solid.

When I cleaned up my original I was surprised how good of shape it was. There is more play in the old bearing than the new one but the bearing fits snug in the plastic housing.

I guess my confusion is with the new bearing assembly having some play due to the fit in the housing and the old bearing having some play due to a looser(worn?) bearing is it a normal thing. Is the design not to have a tight lower bearing but allow it to float a bit?

[MikeB]

I can't answer that. But I'd say the tighter, the better, within reason.

[Heavy12]

Thanks Mike. Thats what I' looking to do. Ran into some problems that I will post when I solve them. I am going for the tightest fit. Turns out the new bearing is loose in the old plastic housing as well so that option is out.

[MikeB]

Probably an imported POS. Wonder if a GM dealer would have them in stock? I mean they probably sold 10s of millions of those trucks.

My adventures with a 3-on-the-tree column: Parts? We ain't got no parts for that column!

[Heavy12]

Originally Posted by MikeB

Probably an imported POS. Wonder if a GM dealer would have them in stock? I mean they probably sold 10s of millions of those trucks.

My adventures with a 3-on-the-tree column: Parts? We ain't got no parts for that column!

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[Heavy12]

Originally Posted by Heavy12

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Wow, that looks downright scary. Have you checked for jeep parts. They used gm columns up to 95 or something.
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[MikeB]

Few to no parts ANYWHERE. I can't tell you how many hours I spent trying to find them. Spoke with at least three column rebuilders who said they didn't have any usable "shift bowls", and new ones were no longer available. 3-speed manual trans trucks must have been quite rare compared to automatics and 4-speed manuals.

I was able to get the column working pretty well, using shim stock to eliminate wobble between the worn out pot metal shift bowl and shaft. I even used a hard plastic cap modified to act as a thrust bushing! But the shift bowl was cracked where the shift handle attached. I repaired it with epoxy, but it probably would have been only a matter of time before the shift handle fell off! Lots of leverage working on the pin and pin boss.

I had the P/N for the shift bowl, but couldn't find one anywhere. I actually saw couple advertised for sale, but they had already been sold. Gotta think there's a few still sitting in dusty boxes on shelves somewhere.

Ended up selling the column to a guy who had an NOS shift bowl, so hopefully it worked out well for him.

[Heavy12]

I hate when a thread just goes dead so I will finish this for anyone who may be interested.
I decided to pull the new bearing and housing back off the steering shaft and I am glad I did because just the tapping it on caused the bearing to mostly seize.
I then tried the new bearing to see how it would fit in the old housing and it was loose there as well so the bearing is a little undersized compared with the original. This made me turn to the option I had been leaning to and that was to use the old bearing and housing once it was cleaned up and regreased. The only thing bothering me was the outside of the bearing was missing any dust protection like there was in the new bearing. I resolved this by pulling the new bearing apart and using the felt like piece from it in my old bearing. It turned out good and I was happy.
I realized as well that the steering shaft was deformed to a more oblong shape from the bolt that crimps the shafts together. I had to file the top and bottom of the shaft bit by bit until the bearing would slide on with little resistance so it would not be deformed when installing it.
Turned out the steering is solid now and I got rid of most of the feeling of rattle in my steering when I hit a bump. Still slight rattle when there are multiple bumps in a row.
I think the Crown replacement parts would have been fine as well if your original parts were too bad. Just make sure you can slide the bearing on with very little force. After it gets to the solid part of the shaft is has an easy fit. No need to file there.

[51Chevy3100]

I know this is from last year but I've been searching and haven't found a solution to my issue. My truck is an 87 and it's a floor shift so I'm not sure if the column bearing set up is the same or not. It looks as though I have no bearing or anything on the end of my intermediate shaft where to steering shaft attaches and I can't seem to find replacement parts anywhere online. Any ideas? Thanks.

[StorminNorman]

Need a pic.

[51Chevy3100]

Originally Posted by StorminNorman

Need a pic.

Don't have one, I'll have to come back when I can get one.
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[StorminNorman]

Are you talking about the bearing shown in this thread, Or the flex joint on the end of the intermediate shaft ?
The lower end bearings on the column itself are the same across the board, I think. You can get them from http://www.steeringcolumnservices.com/ . $$$

[51Chevy3100]

Originally Posted by StorminNorman

Are you talking about the bearing shown in this thread, Or the flex joint on the end of the intermediate shaft ?
The lower end bearings on the column itself are the same across the board, I think. You can get them from http://www.steeringcolumnservices.com/ . $$$

The one that I think is missing would go on or in the end of the column and the intermediate shaft would go thru it to attach to the main shaft.
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