2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Steering Wheel Clunk / Rattle : Solved With Column Bushing Fix !

[Willys]

It's easier if the steering column is out in a vise or you have someone to hold it.



Use a screwdriver perpendicular to the column to separate the edge of the cup from the end of the column housing. You might need to use something sharper like a knife blade to get it started. Pry(twisting the screwdriver) back and forth until its loose. You'll have to work your way around the column.



Vise grips or channel lock pliers grip it pretty well, but it was easier to pry it out with the screwdriver.

 

[JessePayne]

the problem is that there is no edge to grab onto. The plastic cup is actually in past the outer metal edge. I am going to pull the column this week and try it that way. Thanks

 

[DBazley]

Save you the time, try this....thanks David

the problem is that there is no edge to grab onto. The plastic cup is actually in past the outer metal edge. I am going to pull the column this week and try it that way. Thanks

Hi Jesse:



Sounds like the cup may have 'slipped up' inside the outer column tube. You can do this to remove it anyhow:



Once your OEM retainer is cut off, and the spring removed from the lower column, then:



(As Willys already said), a fine, flat screwdriver can be used to pry out the plastic base that the spring end seated against (under which is the oem bushing), just pry the edge loose and it will fall out.



This will then expose the defective bushing/bearing underneath. There is a small gap in this assy, so

take a 'drywall type' screw, and thread it carefully up inside that gap, then grasping the screw head with pliers, pull down with some force, and the bearing/bushing cup should fall out in your hand.



Way quicker than pulling the column, trust me.



None of these worn stock parts can be reused anyhow, so don't worrry about hurting anything.



Just try not to nick the inner shaft and if you're an auto column, don't hammer hard on the column - gentle tapping only, please, when putting in our retrofit bushing into place.



Let us know if this works for you.



Regards, David B.

 

[JessePayne]

I have everything removed. I cut the spring with a dremel tool I came out no problem. The plastic washer is off and the the metal shim came out with no problem. I have tried to thread a screw into the gap without success yet. Iam going to try it again this weekend

 

[DBazley]

Jesse:



You're on the right track it sounds.



It may be that the forcing cone (small metal tapered 'ring') is somehow stuck onto the inner shaft, preventing it from just falling out as is more normally the case.



Try shooting some lube up inside this area to soak while you 'wait for the weekend' - it may just fall out by Friday !!



David B.

 

[JessePayne]

The forcing cone came out easily. I will try penetrating oil and let it sit.

 

[JessePayne]

I pulled the shaft today and got if figured out. Knicked the shaft a bit, smoothed it out with emery cloth. The new bearing fit a little loose so I used some silicone to hold it in. no more clunk.

 

[DBazley]

Good deal, Jesse. One may also use a punch to slightly dimple the outer tube at or near the lower edge to secure it in more fully, or use a small, short set screw to accomplish the same (make sure the screw is shorter than the bushing wall thickness, of course. )



DB

 

[JJanetka]

Although my stock bushing/bearing from steering shaft to transmission selector is tight, the selector shaft to steering column has substantial amounts of play. I bought a used auto steering column to pull apart and found the following. The transmission selector tube is made up of two pieces as described by prospector Tim before. The bottom(larger diameter) tube is attached to the top w/ the use of 2 plastic inserts which fill two slots on either side of the tube. The top is attached to the shift selector collar at the steering wheel with the use of one rivet. After removing this rivet and a small bracket(also riveted) that moves the selector pointer(PRND21), the tube slid right out. This revealed a non solid, plastic bushing that is basically spring loaded to allow for expansion and contraction. I am headed to the dodge dealer today to see if it is available(I know, wishfull thinking). If not I am going to try and turn something out on the lathe. I hope this picture works, if not and you want to see it let me know. img[http://www1.snapfish.com/gettnurl?a_=143084969&u_=83963802&n_=SFOPRD12&subscribername]

 

[DBazley]

Thanks for your descriptive dissection of the auto column - (less messy than biology class, at least. )



I think you'll have to fab this part you need, or locate from another auto column.



You're up against the essential problem undergirding this whole effort of either fixing or upgrading the Ram truck column in it's various aspects - irrespective of if it's the lower bearing / bushing upgrade (common to both auto / manual columns) or the particular aspects of the auto trans column shift mechanicals: Namely, that Dodge sells the whole column as a complete assembly, not individual parts.



Maybe the good thing however, is that as our Ram trucks age, the wrecking yards should be getting a fresh supply of 'donor trucks'.



I'd way prefer this compared to paying Dodge $ 700-900 for a column assembly, wouldn't you ?



Regards, David B.

 

[JJanetka]

No luck at Dodge, but that wasn't really a surprise. They qouted me a price of $1100 for a complete new column. Ouch! The bushing out of the donor is better than the one in the truck but I'm going to keep searching before I either make one or install the donor.

 

[Willys]

Check out www.allchryslerparts.com, in their body section of the oem catalog. I think I saw a 'small parts kit' for a steering column in the $100+ range. I'm not sure what the parts were... but its probably worth looking up the part and calling them to find out.





David, my brother installed his steering intermediate shaft a few weeks and is happy with how it steers. The upgraded part has a rubber bushing dampner on the upper end of the shaft and telescopes with the larger diameter tube pointed down to keep water from collecting in it. The funny thing is that, so far as I can tell, the shaft is identical to the stock one in my dad's '98. We know it to be original since he ordered it from Dodge in '97. We may be getting some more bushings in the future- all total in the family, we have 6 dodge/cummins trucks. Do you know if the bushing for a chassis cab 5-speed would be the same as the regular trucks? Thanks,



Andy

 

[LEPage]

I just found this thread while looking for help for my brothers '01. When steering to the left it makes a noise in the column the sonds like a bad bushing or something, but only turning one direction. Is this the fix for that?

 

[DBazley]

back to you Andy...

Check out www.allchryslerparts.com, in their body section of the oem catalog. I think I saw a 'small parts kit' for a steering column in the $100+ range. I'm not sure what the parts were... but its probably worth looking up the part and calling them to find out.





David, my brother installed his steering intermediate shaft a few weeks and is happy with how it steers. The upgraded part has a rubber bushing dampner on the upper end of the shaft and telescopes with the larger diameter tube pointed down to keep water from collecting in it. The funny thing is that, so far as I can tell, the shaft is identical to the stock one in my dad's '98. We know it to be original since he ordered it from Dodge in '97. We may be getting some more bushings in the future- all total in the family, we have 6 dodge/cummins trucks. Do you know if the bushing for a chassis cab 5-speed would be the same as the regular trucks? Thanks,



Andy

Hi Andy, I tried that link but couldn't find the exact thing you referred to..... glad that the bushing upgrade is working for you & your bro.



It should be... same columns in all our Rams, just manual or auto trans types.....



Thanks, David

www.RockSolidRamTruckSteering.com

 

[DBazley]

It MAY be the problem you describe.....

I just found this thread while looking for help for my brothers '01. When steering to the left it makes a noise in the column the sonds like a bad bushing or something, but only turning one direction. Is this the fix for that?

Perhaps. The noise we're referring to is usually both felt & heard, in the steering wheel / column and to a slightly lesser degree in the pedal & floorboard area. It happens most over rough road surfaces, transitions like driveway ramps, and sometimes upon starting off or upon just stopping.



Mostly it's a clunk or a rattle - and usually the truck also exhibits an overmuch amount of play in the steering response. (then again, they can have that, noise or no noise !)



You should also check your front end componenets thoroughly - bad ball joints, loose tie rod ends on the steering linkage, loose track bar ball joint, bad sway bar bushings & bad control arm bushings are also suspects.



Here's some more details for you on this:



www.RockSolidRamTruckSteering.com



Hope this helps.....



Regards, David B.

 

[tajensen]

I just installed the new bushing last night. It took me about 2. 5 hours to install without removing the steering column. The most difficult part was removing the the spring retaining ring, but after that came out the spring itself and the other 3 pieces came out without much trouble.



The fit of the new bushing was absolutely perfect. I didn't have to sand at all, just some solid tapping into place. Once I got on the road I noticed the steering was extremely stiff. After 20 miles, though, steering is becoming easier and the wander is much less.



I do still have some wander, but I haven't upgraded any other parts of the steering system other than a new track bar to adjust for the leveling kit. I also still have a clunk, but this clunk is coming from somewhere other than the steering. I've been hunting this particular noise for some time now... one of these days I'll find it.



Thanks for the inexpensive and effective fix David!



-Tim

 

[Gregg Mig]

Tim your clunk could be coming from your steering collum, thats where I was getting mine. The upper collum is made up of 2 pieces one goes into the other with a rivet holding it together,this is behind the collapsible part of the collum. Mine was loose and you could feel a clicking or clunk in the steering wheel,and you could feel it with the engine off just moving the wheel back and forth. The only way to fix it is to replace it, or cut some of the collapsiable material and braze it together,thats what Im up against. let me remind you this is not the intermediate shaft ,it is part of the steering collum.

Gregg

 

[DBazley]

Tim your clunk could be coming from your steering collum, thats where I was getting mine. The upper collum is made up of 2 pieces one goes into the other with a rivet holding it together,this is behind the collapsible part of the collum. Mine was loose and you could feel a clicking or clunk in the steering wheel,and you could feel it with the engine off just moving the wheel back and forth. The only way to fix it is to replace it, or cut some of the collapsiable material and braze it together,thats what Im up against. let me remind you this is not the intermediate shaft ,it is part of the steering collum.

Gregg

This is an excellent point, Gregg, thanks for making it.



There are OTHER sources of column clunk than just the 'lower column bushing' which our Rock Solid Ram Truck Steering rebuild kit fixes.



This area he mentions is further up, inside the column -on AUTO truck columns ONLY. (Manual trans columns are much simpler... )



This rather flimsy design must be due to the challange of making a fully 'collapsible' column in the event of a crash.



Of course, the constant motion of engaging the automatic trans shifter wears on the internal items you describe above, eventually failing.



In that case, a more thorough 'autopsy' (sp ?) of the auto column then is required, and a custom fix like brazing or using pop rivets like Prospector Tim did, is the only alternative to a 'new' Dodge column.



As I heard when buying my Ram new in '97, "it's a million mile engine in a 200,000 mile body"... ... ... but we love em enough to keep fixin' em, right ?



David B.

 

[Gregg Mig]

Hi Dave, the bushing you sent that was reamed once fit perfect! it took that little bit of play I had away, no more clunking feeling in the wheel. Now I just have a click or little pop occasionally when turning or even just leaning or putting pressure on the steering wheel. I have isolated it the the steering collum , the lower part that is behind the collapsible mesh, this is where the noise is coming from, the shaft fits into another shaft that is riveted together, this is were the clicking popping noise is coming from. The steering collum is telegraphing it thru the steering wheel. This is why the dealer replace the whole collum on my 97 ram, they said it was bad,why they did not do the same on my 02,I don't know. I just educated myself about this in the last couple of weeks,and have not seem anyone on this site mention it. Im going to remove the whole collum again soon cut a little of the collapsible mesh and try to braze it. If I cant do that I guess I will have to buy a new collum. I guess I should also tell everyone that one way of checking to see if your collum is junk is to turn the wheel back and forth with the engine off, if you feel clicking or popping then your collum is shot. Oh one last thing I drive a 6 speed manual so I think this applies to all dodge trucks models and years. Gregg

 

[DBazley]

Back to you Gregg.....

Hi Dave, the bushing you sent that was reamed once fit perfect! it took that little bit of play I had away, no more clunking feeling in the wheel. Now I just have a click or little pop occasionally when turning or even just leaning or putting pressure on the steering wheel. I have isolated it the the steering collum , the lower part that is behind the collapsible mesh, this is where the noise is coming from, the shaft fits into another shaft that is riveted together, this is were the clicking popping noise is coming from. The steering collum is telegraphing it thru the steering wheel. This is why the dealer replace the whole collum on my 97 ram, they said it was bad,why they did not do the same on my 02,I don't know. I just educated myself about this in the last couple of weeks,and have not seem anyone on this site mention it. Im going to remove the whole collum again soon cut a little of the collapsible mesh and try to braze it. If I cant do that I guess I will have to buy a new collum. I guess I should also tell everyone that one way of checking to see if your collum is junk is to turn the wheel back and forth with the engine off, if you feel clicking or popping then your collum is shot. Oh one last thing I drive a 6 speed manual so I think this applies to all dodge trucks models and years. Gregg

Ok now from what you say, that you're a manual trans model, a picture is forming in my head:



On the auto trucks, there is a tube type rotating structure that is made to give way for crash protection, that can break & cause either funny noises or non-operation of the shifting function. (This is what Prospector Tim fixed with a pop rivet a few dozen posts back on this thread... . )



On the manual trucks, (should be an easier fix... ) you - I'm making an educated guess here, have a shear pin or some sort of break-a-way rivet that must hold two pieces of the inner column as one. After many miles & years, this "shear pin" gets loose, and bingo, clunk , etc.



If you can dissasemble to get at it, it should be a pretty simple 'workbench' fix to secure it again. If you must, I think you can cut & repair the outer mesh (actually, slotted & collapsible metal outer column housing, if I may term it so).



For those who don't weld or braze, I bet either small sheet metal screws, industrial epoxy or similar would work to repair, if you must cut it.



Doing so may provide the only access to the two part inner column shaft that we strongly suspect is coming loose. I wonder if you could use a good flashlight, and observe while someone moves the steering wheel ?



Please update us on your efforts, Gregg !



Nice to hear from you. You're a few steps closer to that perfect steering feel.....



David B.