65Val
Average Length Member
Anyone come up with a solution for replacing the el-cheapo lower "bearing" on '67 steering columns yet? They are a different diameter than '68-newer, which someone has already posted about, with a solution.
***Lower bushing/bearing for '67 columns....***
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65Val
Average Length Member
Anyone??????????????
Dave1967
Cuda crazy
Yes. Use the bearing everyone else does on the 68 and up. Sleeve the steering column with a piece of pipe. I think you have to make up a 1/4". So I used 2" and 2 1/8" exhaust pipe. The reason I got into this project was because the column stuck out to far from the firewall, it was interfering with my Doug headers. So I cut the housing of the column back 3" , sleeved it. Tapped the bearing on the steering rod, pulled the rod back out. The rod compressed a little when tapping the bearing on. Hop this helps.
Dave1967
Cuda crazy
Best pic I could get
65Val
Average Length Member
Thanks Dave. ...definitely helps!....so you used that ER16-style bearing from the '68-up thread? I bought one of those and have been trying to find 1 piece of pipe that would make up that 1/4" without much success. I'll try using the 2 pieces you used. How did you hold those 2 pipe pieces and the bearing itself in the column housing?
If you have any other pics or advice on this, I'd appreciate it.
Just an aside...did you eliminate the tube inside the column housing that ties the upper collar to the lower plastic bearing housing?
Thanks again!
If you have any other pics or advice on this, I'd appreciate it.
Just an aside...did you eliminate the tube inside the column housing that ties the upper collar to the lower plastic bearing housing?
Thanks again!
I used a Timpkin bearing. I can't remember the part number however find a place that sells industrial bearings, take a measurement of the stock bearing and they should come up with a replacement that will fit both OD in terms of the housing and ID which covers the shaft.
I'll look around and see if I can come up with a part number.
I'll look around and see if I can come up with a part number.
Dave1967
Cuda crazy
Screwed the two pieces of pipe and the column together. If I remember right I swelled the outer edge of the pipe to accept the bearing. I just used a tail pipe expander.
65 VAL,
What is the diameter of the steering shaft itself? And what is the diameter of the '67 column tube?
Russ.
What is the diameter of the steering shaft itself? And what is the diameter of the '67 column tube?
Russ.
65Val
Average Length Member
The steering shaft is 1" OD...the column tube is 59mm ID.
I also tried to find a replacement bearing that would fit inside the factory plastic bushing, but no go. That bearing is 37mm OD.
65Val
Average Length Member
Dave...Did you eliminate the tube inside the column housing that ties the upper collar to the lower plastic bearing housing?
Is the difference between column shift and floor shift columns coming into play here ?
CJ's Rods & Machines Inc in North Carolina makes a bearing, collar, and spring kit for the 67 mopar columns. I used one when I rebuilt my floor shift steering column and it worked perfect. They rebuild steering columns and also sell parts, you can contact them at www.cjsrods.com
65Val
Average Length Member
Yes, I see that. I was hoping to not have to spend $100US ($140CDN + shipping) to repair it
65Val
Average Length Member
Red... the floor shift columns also have a tube inside...connects the upper collar to the lower plastic bushing.
65Val
Average Length Member
Thanks. The bearing supply house here hasn't got a bearing with OD same as the column, so I'll have to use the later setup and shim it, as Dave has done. They also can't supply the smaller bearing that would fit in the factory plastic bushing.
Well, there went my idea. On my '66 Valiant, I went with a floor shift column and cut it shorter (at the firewall) for TTI small block headers. I used the SER205-16 bearing. The 205 is 52mm OD and 1.00 inch ID. The column ID is about .030" smaller than the bearing. I just cut the end of the column (at the 6:00 position) with a hack saw about one inch (the bearing is about .750"), installed the bearing and then hose clamped the end to close the column tight on the bearing.
The '66 steering shaft is about .750". I guess yours is one inch. I took a piece of one inch DOM tubing which is about 1.002" OD and .751" (and JUST slides over the steering shaft), cut it to three inch length, drilled and tapped it 1/4" fine in three evenly spaced places on one end, and pressed it through the bearing with the 1/4" fine allen head set screws and one inch of DOM showing to locktite and tighten on the steering shaft after I fed the steering shaft into the column from the bottom. Then installed the column in the car all assembled.
I have a bunch of different tranny bearings still on the shelf even though I retired and closed my tranny shop at the end of 2014, so I'll check them out when I have time to see if I can come up with a "common" bearing that might help you guys out. After 50 years of building sticks and rear ends, I'm tired, and my health ain't that great. It's play time for me again like it was when I was much younger.
Russ.
65Val
Average Length Member
Thanks Russ. I'd appreciate if you'd have a look through your stuff. The lower plastic bushing looks like this....and has an inner diameter (where the stock bearing sits) of 37mm. If there was a bearing that would fit here, that would solve the problem as well.
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