Squeaky steering column!!!

[mrtleavitt]

My 72 f100 steering column will not stop squeaking!!! It's driving me nuts! I have a grant steering wheel on it so I've been into it recently. I thought maybe the upper bearing had some dust in it causing it to squeak, but I just changed it today and it's steal squeaking! Anybody have any ideas??? Thanks[/u]

[fordman]

did it squeak before the new wheel?

[mrtleavitt]

I'm not sure. I was restoring it and in the middle of having the truck torn down I put the steering wheel on. The column was one I found that was in great shape compared to my old one so I never drove it with this column.

[fordman]

try spraying som ewd40 or pbblaster up in to the bottom of the column into the bottom bearing.

[rjewkes]

i hope your not experiencing front sag in the cab mounts if they rust enough they bend in under the wieght of the cab. then the only thing trying to support the cab is the steering column.

[fordman]

i wondered that also but then i thought he has done some work to it so he may have already fixed that. but that is a good idea. because that does happen alot on our trucks.

[kaptnkaos]

Hey guys

anyone know where to get new column bearings ?

KaptnKA S

[fordman]

i think the aftermarket places have them like dennis carpenter

[FORDification]

It's been my experience that a lot of the time a squeaky steering column can be traced to a lack of space between the bottom of the steering wheel and the top of the column housing, causing them to rub.

If this is the case, you need to loosen the clamp at the bottom of the steering shaft (inside the engine compartment) and slide the shaft up into the cab a tiny bit, then slide the clamp up a similar amount and tighten it.

[mrtleavitt]

Ya the cab mounts are perfect and rust free. I'll try to loosen the bottom clamp and try to relieve some pressure. I got my column bearings at the ford dealership for like $2 each!!! Check out a dealer, they might not stock them but I got lucky.

[kaptnkaos]

I'll call around....

I am gonna be doing a power steering swap soon and was thinkin' that I might as well replace the bearings while I have the column out anway.

KaptnKA S

[fmartin_gila1]

Horn brush?
Fred

[mrtleavitt]

LMC Truck has horn brushes in thei new catalog. Check it out.

[BobbyFord]

Put a little grease on the horn brushes.

[jzjames]

Ya, I say the steering column is the worst piece on the 67-72's. Mine squeeks also, and I attribute it to using junkyard bushings when I rebuilt the steering column 5 years ago. Id like to see a nice aftermarket steering column for these trucks.