loose steering

[Rudan]

Is there any place between the rag joint and steering wheel that can be adjusted to remove play out of the steering. When installing the borgeson shaft I noticed some play in the upper shaft.

 

[SAndreasen]

I asked this same thing awhile back apparently. Nobody knows it seems to me like there should be a bushing but I don't know

 

[Simplysmn]

How much play do you have ?

 

[dodgenstein]

If you have a tilt wheel, there is a u-joint that may have some wear.

 

[JLEONARD]

If you have a tilt wheel, there is a u-joint that may have some wear

Yes, but also is the play back and forth as in a worn bushing/bearing, or in and out, or does the steering wheel move rotationally?

Please describe the movement and also give us some measurement of that movement if possible.

 

[Rudan]

The play is rotational right to left. When I was installing the borgeson, and the upper shaft was free from the lower shaft, with a pair of vice grips attached to the upper shaft just above the rag joint, i moved the shaft right to left, and you could feel the play. it was real obvious. I'd say there is about an 1/8 inch or better of play. A blogger from 1st gen told me he removed the whole upper steering assy, removed the collapsable mesh from the lower part of that assy. He then had to melt some factory plastic inside the assy, so that the lower shaft can slide out of the upper shaft. You then rotate that 180 degrees. You place the shafts back together, and that eliminates the play. You the have to weld back the collaspable mesh before reinstalling the assy. He did say that eliminates the steering assy ability to collapse in the event of a wreck.

 

[JLEONARD]

He did say that eliminates the steering assy ability to collapse in the event of a wreck.

Yes and then you may take your life in your own hands in the unfortunate event of a crash. Besides the two mating parts are intended to be symetrical so just because his got tighter doesn't mean your will. That was luck. I used to work for a company that makes that kind of assembly not for the 1st gens though, we started making for truck in 1994.



I would leave it if it were me, or buy new guts if they are available.

 

[Rudan]

Besides the two mating parts are intended to be symetrical so just because his got tighter doesn't mean your will. That was luck. I used to work for a company that makes that kind of assembly not for the 1st gens though, we started making for truck in 1994.





I was not able to find any kind of breakdown of the upper steering assy in the Dodge shop manual. This make me think that Dodge intended for this assy to be sold as a single assy instead of the various parts that make it up. Given what you say above, I may need to find the whole upper steering assy to fix this problem.