!!!!!!!STEERING COLUMN WITH TILT LOOSE UGGGGGGGGG!!!!!

[pholliday1]

Yea..It happened to me...... Now after reading several posts and reading the article in the tech section ( which is fantastic by the way good job) now my column is loose. Has any one timed it? Is it quicker just to change the whole column? I have a spare.

[zieg85]

Time is close, easier to just sit in the drivers seat and take it a part if you have the tools...

[silverj]

I did it two weeks ago for the first time. Was not nearly as bad as I expected. It took me right at an hour and forty five minutes. I did get the two specialty tools from autozone, because fighting with the retaining ring on the shaft is a pain by yourself without the tool. Good luck, take your time and remember where all the little pieces go!

[pholliday1]

Yea Zieg I agree with you easier to sit in the seat and do it,Kinda like the old bull and young bull story. I'm just gonna gets the tools ,put the time in and get it right. I actually have 4 xtra columns so ill have plenty of reference material.

[Tx Firefighter]

You can make a lock plate tool pretty easy if you have a bit of time an some scrap metal. It's time well spent since you'll now have a tool that you can reuse in the future. Mine is just stuff I had laying around.

[Captkaos]

I think it is faster fixing it.  Otherwise you have to dismantle the whole steering section...

[pholliday1]

Thanks TX very good picture and yes, believe it or not I do have that stuff laying around. I've pulled alot of columns in my day and I think personally I could change it faster ( air tools etc.) BUT who's to say the replacement column won't work its self loose? Gonna do the wise thing and fix it right. Also I frequently "pull" on the wheel getting into the truck because it's so high, probably that's what led to my problem.

[Tx Firefighter]

Loctite the bolts and you shouldn't ever have to worry about doing the job again for a long time.


Sent from my rotary phone

[bd]

...I frequently "pull" on the wheel getting into the truck because it's so high, probably that's what led to my problem.

LOL - Good thing it's not a Ford, you would have 'pulled' the whole upper column off by now.   

[pholliday1]

LOL