Cannot remove the steering column bearing. Frustrated.

I just did this exact same thing last year on my 75 D100 and after removing the snap ring, the bearing just came right out after pulling on the column cover.

Fast forward to today and I've wasted an entire day on this thing. I have the snap ring removed and this bearing wont even budge when I try to take it out.







I tried to use one of those pullers to pull the thing out with the column cover but it took too much pressure and I didn't want to break the cover so I looked at the FSM and made the tool in Fig. 8 that it says to use to press it out. I tightened the hell out of it to the point where I felt like I was going to strip the screws out if I kept going so I gave up and am now asking for help. Is there something stupid that I'm forgetting here?

I also can't push the two column covers back together anymore. There's about 1/4" gap in between the two and I can't see anything back there that's causing them not to come back together.

It must be rusted to the shaft or there's a burr on the snap ring groove. Use some fine Emory cloth to polish the shaft all the way down to the bearing and spray some penetrant on it and let it sit overnight. Next take a deep well socket or piece of pipe that fits over the shaft and fits the inner race of the bearing and tap it very lightly. Don't bang on it or you run the risk of collapsing the shaft! The bearing won't move down much because of the snap ring behind it but the taps may loosen it up enough to remove it with your puller.

Thanks I used your method along with someone wiggling the column as I pressed it out and it finally came free. Fought me just as much when I put it back on as well. Had to really press it in there. No idea what the hell the deal was with that thing because even after rubbing it down with emery cloth and 20000 grit sandpaper, it never moved smoothly.

Got everything back together and now the car wont even start at all. I have voltage coming in and out of the ignition switch connector under the dash but for whatever reason the thing just won't start. It turns over when jumping the starter. I have no idea what possibly could have happened in between then and now that could have caused this thing to just do nothing when I turn the key.

Looks like it's not going all the way into park now. Starts in neutral but won't in park.

I use a 2 jaw puller on the out side of the column with some tape

ESP47 said:

Looks like it's not going all the way into park now. Starts in neutral but won't in park.

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You probably rotated the column ever so slightly or moved it a little which is throwing off the shift alignment. Loosen the adjustment block down on the shaft on the transmission. A little bit of playing with that adjustment block and you'll get PARK working again.

Tbone416 said:

I use a 2 jaw puller on the out side of the column with some tape

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I tried that but it was so tight that it would have broke the column cover if I had kept going. The tool I made for it ended up working in the end. Thank god.

kiss said:

You probably rotated the column ever so slightly or moved it a little which is throwing off the shift alignment. Loosen the adjustment block down on the shaft on the transmission. A little bit of playing with that adjustment block and you'll get PARK working again.

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Yep you're right. That day I got under the car and pressed the lever all the way back and retightened the nut. Ended up working perfectly after that.