Play in Steering Wheel

[1989Burb]

1989 Suburban V1500. I've got play in the steering wheel, which at first I assumed was the famous 4 inverted torque bolts. But then I don't have any play in the tilt part - it's all up front by the steering wheel itself. I have videos of the wobble/play but I'm not sure how to upload a video onto here?

I tore it open today and found that the upper ball bearings had come apart and were loose in there, so I thought maybe that was the issue. I cleaned that up and put it back in properly. I also replaced the turn signal switch and rod while I was in there since I was having issues with that. I noticed that there was still play in the shaft with the bearings back in place, but the play went away completely while I had the lock ring compressor tool on. So I figured once the steering wheel is pressed back on it should hold everything in that position and reduce the play.

Got it all back together, and the play in the steering wheel is exactly the same as before I started. It looks to me like the steering wheel isn't fully seated on the shaft (pics attached), and that if I cranked it further on somehow that it would fix the issue. If I push the steering wheel in towards the dash, it tightens up. But it is definitely torqued to 40 ft lbs and I don't want to strip or break anything here either.

Before I tear back into it all, I'm just looking for some advice. Does this seem like the typical 4 inverted torx bolt issue, even though all my play is up front and it goes away with the lock ring compressor tool on? Or is this an issue of the steering wheel not fully seating on the shaft? Or something else entirely?

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[1989Burb]

For reference, here's the bearings I'm referring to. I assume they came loose because of the play in the wheel. And they do get pressed into place fully when the lock ring compressor tool is in place.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[edgephoto]

There is a retainer and a spring that puts pressure on that upper bearing. There is also a lower bearing since it is a tilt column. That bearing is junk. You need to replace it.

When you say play in the steering wheel there are different types of play. Make a video and upload it to YouTube or a DropBox and link it here.

I just completely redid my column. Had it 100% apart. I have done dozens of columns in my past life. I am sure we can help you if we knew what you are trying to fix.

 

[1989Burb]

Thanks for the reply. I could not find a part number for the bearing, and it's not a traditional pressed-in type - it's just this plastic housing with 14 ball bearings. It cleaned up and re-greased it, and it went back in without issue, spun freely. But if I could find a replacement then I'd like to be able to swap it out when I tear back into it. Do you happen to know a part number for it?

As for a retainer and spring - after reinstalling the bearing there was a spring that went over the shaft, but it wasn't wide enough to put pressure on this bearing. It was up against the preload cup, I think? And the turn-signal cancel cam & horn contact assembly went directly over that spring.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[1989Burb]

Here's a video example of the tilt. One with everything assembled, and one when I was down to the bearing - with the bearing re-installed. From my [limited] understanding of the 4 torx bolt issue, it typically has play in the column tilt area? Mine is very tight and works like brand new in that area. All of my movement is at the top near the steering wheel. And it felt like it had completely gone away while I had the lock ring compressor tool in place, the shaft didn't move at all. Which makes me think the bearing isn't being held in place tightly enough, like a missing spacer/washer or the steering wheel isn't pressed on all the way.

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

 

[grummy]

For what it is worth, My neighbors 1971 C20 had massive slop in the steering shaft. I figured it was a combination of the obvious sloppy top and bottom because it was so bad. I told him to purchase a new top bearing before we tore the whole thing down (I think he ordered the new one from LMC). First off, the old bearing wasn't much a bearing, I didn't even think it was OEM. Then I saw the new one. What a piece of junk. Same stamped garbage with just as much slop on the shaft.

I put a micrometer on the shaft and it was only .002 smaller where the bearing rode, but the steering wheel felt like it moved up and down, all around 3/16" ! It was bad. We already knew that the bottom of the column was cobbled by the Previous Owner with a slug of UHMW hammered in the end and hot glued in place, so we knew we had to rework it. I think it was a 3 speed manual column originally.

So, with the new top bearing useless to me, I had to do something different. For the bottom, I turned an aluminum slug to fit the bottom opening and pressed in a 3/4" flanged bushing on both the top and bottom of the slug. Up top, I also used a 3/4" flanged bushing rather than the cheezy bearing. I think I had to take a little of the flange diameter to fit nice. I forgot whether we put the heavy spring at the top or the bottom, but we put a thin thrust bearing on each end to handle shaft end play. Everything got lubed with good old Lucas Oil Additive (sticky).

Worked 100 times better than I expected. Nice tight steering shaft now. I suppose 20 years from now, there could be some fighting between the oil impregnated bearings and the aluminum, but it will be someone else's issue by the time I'm 85. NO WAY I could have used the new upper bearing as it would have been just as sloppy as it was before we started.

 

[edgephoto]

The GM part number of the bearing is 26001827. You need 2 of them. Yes, there is an inner and outer race.

The outer race is pressed into housing and the inner race slides over the shaft. On the steering wheel side of the housing the re the inner race, preload cup, then a spring, then the cancel cam, then the lock plate.

There are a few guys who do a really good job showing you how to rebuild the GM tilt column on YouTube. They were pretty much the same from the late 60s into the 2000s.

This is a good reference.

Hard to see in the second video but it looks like the preload cup is missing. Your upper bearing does not have any preload on it.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[1989Burb]

OK - I was confused on that before, and I guess I'm still confused. That plastic housing thing in my previous picture pulled right out, re-packed, and reinstalled with no issue. And I've attached two more pics that show what I believe to be the preload cup? I never removed the pre-load cup, but it looks like from my photos vs yours that I do have it. From your first photo, I can see the ball bearings that I removed/replaced as well as the preload cup. Is there just one bearing in that area? And is it all one piece?

So did I basically pull the center/guts out of the bearing and just replaced them, leaving the inner & outer race in position, and that the play is likely within that same bearing still?

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[edgephoto]

You are missing the inner race. The preload cup pushes on the inner race.

I read your description again. You said that it should tighten up when you put the steering wheel on. That is not true. The shaft should be nice and tight before you put the wheel back on. The lock plate is what puts the preload on the bearings via the spring and preload cup.

 

[1989Burb]

I figured it might - or that it felt like it would, but I wasn't sure. Does that upper bearing come as one piece? And do I need to remove the housing to press in the outer race? You say the inner race slides over the shaft, so does the bearing come apart easy? Here's a couple photos of the same space after I removed the bearings and plastic retainer, before I put them back in.

 

[1989Burb]

Looks like it comes apart - so I might be able to buy a new one and just re-use the outer bearing? Unless it's easy to change that out as well. It's not a high speed bearing so I would imagine it doesn't have to be in perfect condition. I did not remove an inner race or the preload cup in order to get the plastic retainer ring in and out, so it's definitely possible that I'm missing the inner race. Will have to tear back into it to confirm.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[edgephoto]

Ideally you would want to change the entire bearing but in reality if you get a GM bearing you can just use the new balls and inner race. To replace the outer race you need to disassemble the column much more than you need for the inner race.

Use some bearing grease to hold the balls in place.

 

[1989Burb]

I did find a genuine GM bearing and got it ordered, so I think I can pull off re-using the outer race. Worth a shot anyway - even if it's just a temporary fix. I can't tell for 100% sure from my photos but it does look like I'm missing that inner race. That would explain why the balls fell out of place, and why there's like a quarter inch of play in there as if something was missing... So hopefully that does the trick. Might as well have the part on hand before I bother tearing back into it. Thanks again for the info - I'll report back once I've opened the column back up and taken another look.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[edgephoto]

I bought my bearings from Amazon. They were genuine GM.

 

[gsuburban]

Looks like the steering wheel shaft bearings are done for. Those need replaced, no repair will be of any long term fix. Parts on these V1500 Suburban's are getting scarce so when you have spare time its a good idea to "stock up" with parts that tend to be the ones to wear out first and have them on hand, GM parts if possible. We started too late but got a lot of body and trim parts from GM before they discontinued all of them...ended up forcing us to create a parts bin in the garage to gather up GM parts as much as possible such as electronics and sensors for the EFI and other areas that will wear out first.