Steering Column Play

[Cuda_at_last]

Hi All,

My steering column has in/our play of about 1/4 - 1/2 inch, sorry, thought I had a video, see picture. Anyway, this has been an issue for longer than I want to admit. I bought a rebuild kit for the coupler and going to fix that item. Doesn't seem the in out play should be normal? I can post a short video tomorrow if that would help. Just wondering if ideas of why so I can order other parts I need to fix the in/out play.

Thanks!

 

[Steve340]

The play is not normal.
Judging by your pic something is off centre as well.

 

[MoparCarGuy]

The shoes are sticking out of the coupler. There is a small "dowel pin" in the side of the coupler that should have prevented that from happening.
The dowel pin can be driven in from the outside after you install the new parts. Easier to do on a workbench, though.

Normal tolerance for "in and out" is 13/16" but the steering wheel/shaft should not be moving in and out after the firewall hardware is all in place and tightened.
Are you saying your steering wheel moves in and out?

 

[Kuruton]

Could be that the column is slightly collapsed. Until I was able to take my column out for a proper repair, I clamped on a pair of vice grips to the bottom half and used a prybar to pull the inner part further out from the outer sleeve.

 

[MoparCarGuy]

@Cuda_at_last ,
Tell us exactly what you mean by "in/out play". What are you doing to see the play? Pulling on the steering wheel? Moving the steering column shaft in the engine compartment?
We can better assist with more details.

 

[Cuda_at_last]

@MoparCarGuy
Yes, working on it today, the steering wheel and shaft would all move in out. The column is out now, was thinking about tearing down, but I think I found issue, the C clip didn't seem to be in groove. See pics might be hard to see, not as much play, will measure for tolerance. The coupler will be rebuilt and that will be good to go.