I've replaced the upper bearing in the 65 column, and there is at least 1/8 of up and down play in the wheel now. Looking at the shaft as it passes up through the bearing, it's tight on the inner race, the outer race is seated in the switch housing solid as well.
The bearing is super sloppy between the races. Is this normal for a replacement bearing? It's totally unacceptable. Am I missing something here?
Oh, and I cant get my horn to sound. I can ground the contact and it will, but not if I assemble it.
Is this all the parts for a 65? Am I short a part or so? According to a Chevrolet shop manual, looks like that all the parts. Unless there is some kind of contact bushing at the wheel nut?
I have a spare wheel, and I just put the assembly together. Tightened the 3 screws up more than before. If I push in straight from the center I get that "click" sound. I only just realized that you need that snap, or that the washer needs to pop into to opposite shape. Kind of like those old metal toy clickers from years ago!
From the bottom horn ring or sides, it's close, but not quite the snap.
I have a couple of ideas. I might trim the ends of the 3 screw spacers just a hair, and sand down the center of the hub on the good wheel. It might have a bunch of clearcoat hindering the contact.
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65 Laurentian post, 67 Grande Parisienne 4 door HT.
i have run into this situation several times.Because the technician is in a hurry they yank on the steering
wheel instead of using a puller,after several removals over the years the bottom mounts at the rag joint
are bent.this causes the excessive up&down movement. the correct height should be 1 3/4 in. as illustrated
in g paris's post.Looks like the best repair would be to pull the column and repair.
The column was rebuilt, new bearings, rag joint. It's almost like there should be a tension spring or bushing under the steering wheel, acting on the upper inner bearing race. Like the bottom. But I know there isn't.
I have tensioned up the bottom spring. Maybe needs lots more? I don't think the ears on the bottom of the shaft are bent, but it's certainly worth a look. On the B body you can get any number you'd like by moving the jacket in or out of the firewall mount. There is a slot about 1.5" long in the upper jacket tube that receives a small tab in the dash mount that gives lots of fore and aft. Might just pull the whole thing anyway and start anew .
No ground strap from the shaft to the steering box yet, but I jumpered a ground from a joint bolt to a body ground. Crossed the contact to the steering wheel bolt and got horn.
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65 Laurentian post, 67 Grande Parisienne 4 door HT.
Check the metal tab on the steering coupler at the box. Mine was acting strange as the horn would chirp when turning the wheel to one side only. The metal tab was broken and randomly making contact.
Bob, you were right on track with the comment about the shaft needing to protrude 1 3/4 proud of the column wheel end.
Turns out, I was about 1/8 too far out, so the column tube was much too far down through the firewall. Pushing it back into the car until it was at the correct point got it on the right track.
But some things I've learned, is what always sets the gap between the wheel and the column is the signal cancel cam inside shoulder. It acts as a bushing against the upper bearing inner race. These column bearings are sloppy until the inner race is tensioned into the outer. One important thing to remember, is that before the final tightening of the dash clamp gets done, the shaft flange should be bolted and tightened (not too much) to the rag joint. The little spring and clamp at the bottom of the shaft acts the same as the cancel cam, and sets the bottom bearing tension.
Upper bearing and cancel cam, note the beveled shoulder of the cam. It nests into the bearing inner race shoulder and tensions it against the outer race.
Horns: got the contactor set to work at the ring, but low and behold my horns are dead now!
Anybody got working horns, or can these be opened up and repaired?