Steeing column play

[munch]

I began to replace the universal joints in the steering linkage talked about and I have play in the 1" DD shaft that comes out of the steering column.  That must be contributing to the movement I feel in the steering wheel.  Is it normal to have any play there.

It is supposedly a Flaming River column. 

[vette59jdwl]

Munch first of all there should be no play in the steering wheel.Unless it is a tilt or telescopic steering wheel. In that case you have something that has came loose in the mechanizem,Not a problem google how to fix tilt steering wheel and then when you put the pieces pack together use RED Loctite on the bolts that support the tilt. vette59jdwl

[madmike3434]

MUNCH.........do you have an independent front suspension in your car.

I found that the rack and pinion steering I have on my coupe with Kugel IFS, that the rack moves back and forth on the mounting brackets , ever so slightly in the mounting slots in the cross member. You see it when car is sitting and steering wheel moves to take up slack.

In my case I have to drill out the rack to accommodate 1/2" allen bolts to fill the slack in the cross member.

Could be like you say the U joints on the shaft, but I find that unlikely

mike lynch

[vette59jdwl]

Take another person with a pair of vice grips clamp them on the end of the steering column where the universal joint is and then try the move the steering wheel.see what becomes of that  you are deffinetely going to have to find out where this play is coming from can not have one inch of play  man that is way way way to much vette59jdwl

[ghost28]

What steering collumn do you have?

[themoose]

If its a modern column then it is the collapsible style. Some GM columns have nylon buttons or inserts that take up the slack where the inner and outer sections of the slide mechanism come together and they will sometimes fail causing that sort of play. Also as mentioned below if its a tilt column then there is some sort of a U joint used where the assemble tilts that might be worn. Again using GM as an example , they had ball type joints with nylon inserts in the joint that sometimes failed and caused a noise and play. Only way to know for sure is to take it apart and check all of the components

[munch]

MUNCH.........do you have an independent front suspension in your car.

I found that the rack and pinion steering I have on my coupe with Kugel IFS, that the rack moves back and forth on the mounting brackets , ever so slightly in the mounting slots in the cross member. You see it when car is sitting and steering wheel moves to take up slack.

In my case I have to drill out the rack to accommodate 1/2" allen bolts to fill the slack in the cross member.

Could be like you say the U joints on the shaft, but I find that unlikely   Mike, I also have a Kugel IFS but it seems fine.  I have the linkage apart and the 1"DD shaft at the bottom of the column clear.  You can move it and feel the play.
mike lynch

[munch]

Take another person with a pair of vice grips clamp them on the end of the steering column where the universal joint is and then try the move the steering wheel.see what becomes of that  you are deffinetely going to have to find out where this play is coming from can not have one inch of play  man that is way way way to much vette59jdwl

No, no, it is a 1"DD shaft not 1" of play.  The play is noticeable enough to make a noise.

[munch]

It is a Flaming River tilt GM style with gear selector.  You also can notice the play in the tilt mechanism.

[EDNY]

Munch

Are you saying the solid shaft that is inserted inside the hollow Double D is loose? 

Or is it loose between the Double D and steering wheel?

Ed

[themoose]

Typical GM style tilt column have two places where play of noise can develop. One is at the tilt joint where there are nylon inserts in the joint assembly and the other is where the male and female portions of the column come together in a slip joint. The nylon can either ware or brake and cause the problem. I don't know of much else that could cause  excessive play or noise in the column. Really a simple setup....

[EDNY]

Typical GM style tilt column have two places where play of noise can develop. One is at the tilt joint where there are nylon inserts in the joint assembly and the other is where the male and female portions of the column come together in a slip joint. The nylon can either ware or brake and cause the problem. I don't know of much else that could cause  excessive play or noise in the column. Really a simple setup....

Moose....have seen those knuckle joints loosen up (on tilt columns only)....easy fix once you get the column torn down.  Just tighten down the 3 or 4 retainer ring screws that secures the ball joint..then spend at least 45 minutes putting the column back together

[madmike3434]

MUNCH.........do you have an independent front suspension in your car.

I found that the rack and pinion steering I have on my coupe with Kugel IFS, that the rack moves back and forth on the mounting brackets , ever so slightly in the mounting slots in the cross member. You see it when car is sitting and steering wheel moves to take up slack.

In my case I have to drill out the rack to accommodate 1/2" allen bolts to fill the slack in the cross member.  Could be like you say the U joints on the shaft, but I find that unlikely

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  Mike, I also have a Kugel IFS but it seems fine.  I have the linkage apart and the 1"DD shaft at the bottom of the column clear.  You can move it and feel the play.

[munch]

Munch

Are you saying the solid shaft that is inserted inside the hollow Double D is loose? 

Or is it loose between the Double D and steering wheel?

Ed

Sorry Ed and guys, I should have included a picture to begin with.  In the first pic I can grab the 1" shaft in the center of the column and I have play.  The second pic is the tilt wheel where I can also detect some movement.

[vette59jdwl]

Munch when you hold the bracket at the end of the steering column and you grab hold of the steering wheel at 3 oclock and at 9 oclock does the steering wheel wobble in and out if you push or pull on the steering wheel in either of these positions. If YES then this steering wheel in all probability came out of a truck because someone kept pulling on the steering wheel to get into the vehicle and they have over time loosened off the screws in the tilt column  There are 5 screws if memory serves me right. I will try and find you a URL.When you put this back together you will use loctite on these screws or you could end up with the same problem again Vette59jdwl