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

[JGheen]

OK read all your posts, very good. I think the 'clunks' are going to be silenced - it's about time ! Ha Ha - you'll have to find something else to drive you crazy.



Driving my Ram yesterday, I realized - horror - I've fixed all the problems - it handled nice, rode nice, power was awesome, no squeeks or rattles - and it scared me - I've spent three years fixing / upgrading things... now what'll I do ? (So used to problems, now they're gone, it's a Problem... . )



!

Sounds just like my truck... . you fix everything and it's just wierd to think that nothing else needs fixing or TLC before breaking. Really scary when everything is running right and you hit a road trip and things just go down hill from there. I know the feeling..... :-laf



Joe

 

[PGunther]

i would suggest using black Delrin or black nylon for the bushing.



the black material just looks better than the white and won't show dirt. when looking at the material properties in the McMaster-Carr catalog, the delrin is good up to around 185ºF and the nylon up to 200ºF. both are around $20 per ft. in that catalog.



thanks for the good Tech info!

 

[RSlaughter]

let me know when you get a price figured out...

 

[wlowe]

Originally Posted by DBazley

wlowe, I recall reading your post and seeing your drawing, too.



Very nice work - I was impressed by your computer drawing skills ! But, (and I'm kinda making an educated guess here, only having seen an 'auto trans column' in pics, not in person... ) -it seems the source of the slop isn't in between the two column shift collars, it's under them in the lower column.



I can easily see how you'd think that because it's in the near identical position, just underneath !

After taking another look at my steering column you may be right about the looseness being in the lower column. I'll be watching this thread to see if your fix works on an auto trans column, if it does I will definitely be a customer.



Thanks for all the work you've done to create and pass on this fix!!!



Bill

 

[DBazley]

Auto trans column update....thanks david b

[/QUOTE]

After taking another look at my steering column you may be right about the looseness being in the lower column. I'll be watching this thread to see if your fix works on an auto trans column, if it does I will definitely be a customer.



Thanks for all the work you've done to create and pass on this fix!!!



Bill[/QUOTE]



You bet, Bill. We just completed the first auto truck column fix - the sizes of the stock faulty bushing and our new assembly differ, but the principle is the same. Here's what the owner, also a TDR member, had to say after my Dad & I performed the fix, and driving his '96 Auto Ram home:



Hi David, I also really enjoyed meeting you and John last week. It was a perfect finish to a very hectic week. The bushing has given my truck a very solid feel to the steering. The truck feels like it's new. Very confidence inspiring. At first I thought that the bushing felt like it was a little tight. Now, after putting a couple of hundred miles on it, I'm used to it and it feels great. I appreciate you letting me be a guinea pig for what I think is a very necessary fix for the Rams. I was looking under my hood Saturday and it seems that this procedure could be done without pulling the column. You would have to be able to pop the retaining washer off somehow, but if that could be done, it seems like the bushing could be driven in with a piece of schedule 20 pvc pipe and a small hammer. I could be wrong though. Anyways, thanks again for all your hard work and for the generosity of both you and John. Please feel free to use me for any recommendation or reference you may need. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions either. God Bless, Jim McCarty

__________________

'96 2500 CC, DTT auto, 3. 54 lsd, #10 plate,3k GSK, Bosch 215 injectors, BHAF, Mag-Hytec, Bilsteins, air bags, Isspro triple guages, 4" turbo back exhaust, no cat. , kdp done, TAG, afc, 60k





We were glad that Jim let us 'test' the fix on his truck - and it was every bit as successful as the one on my '97 manual trans.



The fix is in..... thanks David B.

 

[gtobey]

Ready when you are...

wlowe, I recall reading your post and seeing your drawing, too.



Very nice work - I was impressed by your computer drawing skills ! But, (and I'm kinda making an educated guess here, only having seen an 'auto trans column' in pics, not in person... ) -it seems the source of the slop isn't in between the two column shift collars, it's under them in the lower column.



I can easily see how you'd think that because it's in the near identical position, just underneath !



You'll note that in that thread you just gave (It was VSSman's post) actually told us then, what has been discovered now:



"I believe the steering shafts are the same regardless of transmission type and if it's the plastic bearing I'm thinking of it's assembled when the shaft is made and probably not available as a separate part from the dealer. "



This thread you quoted is what made me develop my approach. Sounds like we're all in debt to each other !



Gtobey, glad this may adress your problem ! I think your logical analysis of what is happening inside the column makes sense.



Wouldn't it be funny - scary - if most of our steering woes turn out to be due to this obscure "lower column bushing" failure, more than steering boxes, intermediate shafts, steering stabilizer brackets, etc ? :-laf

Mine's an '02 auto. I'm ready when you get one made for an auto. Let me know how much they will go for...

 

[JGheen]

Hook me up David, all these positive feedback comments are very encouraging so let me know when you can get me one of your primo bushings sent out. Please PM me @ your earliest convienience about when you can get one made up for me. Oo.



Thanks, Joe

 

[Boondocker]

Time to start a basement enterprise! This sounds like worthwhile fix. I'd be happy to buy one for my '02 6spd.



Thanks,

Neil

 

[DBazley]

It's time to silence these clunky, funky columns for good !

OK guys, the wait is nearly over... . the Basement Enterprise, for this Ram Truck Column Fix, is almost on line - TDR should have us listed by Wednesday, pending their approval.



Meantime, here's our website order page:



http://www.geocities.com/all6forchrist/RockSolidRamTruckFix.html



Let me know what you think... .



Take care, David B.

 

[nutter3]

David,



Were you able to do the fix yet with the steering column in the truck? I hope so. That would make it a whole lot easier.

Thanks,



Andre

 

[walexa07]

Can you also set it up to take PayPal?



Thanks,



Waylan

 

[CORed]

David,



Were you able to do the fix yet with the steering column in the truck? I hope so. That would make it a whole lot easier.

Thanks,



Andre

I second this. I'd really be interested in getting one of these if someone has done it with the column on the truck still and have directions / hints and even pics. That would confirm another sale for sure. Nice job to all.



Steve

 

[Dave M]

I second this. I'd really be interested in getting one of these if someone has done it with the column on the truck still and have directions / hints and even pics. That would confirm another sale for sure. Nice job to all.



Steve

What he said. . . I'd like to do it on the truck also.



Dave

 

[DBazley]

Gentlemen:



Good to hear your feeback ! May I answer you, in order:



Nutter, no, the two trucks I did this weekend had too much 'clutter' in the way - access was too limited.



On paypal, maybe in the future. For now sending a check or money order should work. We accept all credit cards - our main business, Perma Shield Products, has been a merchant card processor for 15 years, online since '99. Use the direct phone line in that one page site I listed if you want to phone order, here:



http://www.geocities.com/all6forchrist/RockSolidRamTruckFix.html



Your guys main concern seems to be: Pulling my column sounds too risky, like telling a beginning med student that first thing tomorrow, they're going to have him try 'brain surgery'.



Right ? I thought the same thing, too. Now I could do it in my sleep, after only 3 times. And I assure you, I am probably less mechanically gifted than many of you.



I'm writing our instructions, pics and notes with this in mind - KISS - Keep it simple. When I pulled my column, all I had was the factory service manual - which is somewhat lacking in details - so I'm going to provide the details they skip over, plus the specifics of bushing R & R - plus give you what the factory says, too.



I think the ideal truck to try an 'on the truck' procedure would be a 12 valve, manual trans truck - without the big black brake vac booster in the way. My has lots of room, it's like I just described, but it's so tall, I don't know if I could have forced myself down to do it 'on truck'.



You leave the steering wheel on, don't mess with it, pull the whole assembly as as unit.



Here's the column pull summarized simply:



1-Disconnect both battery negative cables

2-Remove pinch bolt on upper u joint of Intermediate steering shaft

3-Remove lower dash panel / knee bolster

4-Remove both upper column protective shrouds

5-Disconnect all 5 electrical connectors

6-Loosen two column retaining nuts

-(auto trucks: remove 3 toe plate nuts - toe plate must remove with column. Manual trucks: you can leave toe plate)

7-Have helper support steering wheel while you gently remove column from underdash area, careful not to tangle wires.



8-Do the bushing R & R (totally detailed instructions with pics will accompany on this)



Not too hard to do, considering the benefit you'll enjoy !



This is simple considering all the $$$ and time we've already lavished on these trucks so far !



Take Care, David B.

 

[JSellers]

David,



Thanks for all your work to detail this fix.



Have you determined whether this replacement bushing will be a "universal" fit to second-generation trucks? Could there be some model years, or some truck options, that might prevent fitment?



Thanks,

John

 

[DBazley]

David,



Thanks for all your work to detail this fix.



Have you determined whether this replacement bushing will be a "universal" fit to second-generation trucks? Could there be some model years, or some truck options, that might prevent fitment?



Thanks,

John

Thanks John, it's fun to work a problem to a soution, isn't it.



My temperment test said that I was a 'problem solver' by nature - guess this is evidence, eh ?



From the feedback here, I believe that all 2nd gen trucks have the same column mechanicals, despite options like tilt, non tilt, auto & manual columns.



This is not truly universal, because the bushing size & shape is way different from manual to auto trucks, but we didn't discover that till we did our first auto truck.



But that's an easily to specify difference, and why on that humble one page site link I ask :SPECIFY TRANSMISSION -



The main differnece is access to the column - some very few trucks have suffiencient room to allow 'on truck' replacment- but I haven't done it yet myself - maybe one of you all will and let us know here on the forums.

 

[DBazley]

Now a Basement Enterprise, how cool...

OK, it's official: Our Steering column fix is now listed in the Classified ads.



Thanks to all those who encouraged us, it's now an official Basement Enterprise. Oo.



I wonder if it's a problem, that we don't have basements out here in 'Earth-quake-a-fornia' !



Does anyone know if there's any way to link to the classifieds ?



Path: Classified Ads> Product Promotions> Basement Enterprises> Rock Solid Ram Steering Fix





Regards, David Bazley

 

[walexa07]

Hey guys,



I took David's description of the bushing and made a couple last night. I plan to do the install tonight and if all goes well I am going to sell my bushings with instruction and install kit for approximately half his cost.



Just Kidding!



David,



I called the number and left a message but didn't get called back. I don't feel comfortable leaving my credit card number/info on voicemail. It would be really nice if the product was added to permashield's product line so you could add it to the automated checkout and purchase it online. Either that or pay with paypal. Do you plan on looking into these other purchase options or do I just need to get out my checkbook, envelope and stamp? Thanks,



Waylan

 

[RDHamill]

Perhaps those with no basement could refer to it as a "Shadetree Enterprise" assuming you have a tree..... and shade. . :-laf

I'll be ordering mine today, I've lived with this clunk bang steering long enough.

 

[big barney]

David installed my bushing last Friday. I guess you could call mine a test truck. I've always felt as if something was loose in the steering. When I would hit a bump you could fell something move through the steering wheel. This has been going on for over Five years. This bushing took care of the problem. NO MORE CLUNK. I couldn't be happier. After the bushing was installed the steering was a little stiff at first, but has loosened up after a couple hundred miles and now it's perfect.



I would highly recommend this fix.



Thanks again David.



Curt