Steering column bushing gone bad.

[Bitsyncmaster]

My friend came over today and he was showing me how much his steering wheel moved pulling it up and down. Got a flashlight and showed him how the bushing had gone bad. This was replaced about 5 years ago with the soft type bushing. So I went to show him mine and found mine is ready to let go also. Mine is not bad enough to notice when driving. I also replaced mine about 6 years ago with the soft bushing.

So I guess I will have to look at the vendors that have the harder "delrin" type of bushing.

[David T]

The "hard" one definitely lasts longer but is also more difficult to install. I had to make a puller out of some threaded rod, pipe nipples, nuts and washers. After I got it in I had trouble with the steering column because it goes through at an angle so I had to file the ID of the bushing so it wouldn't rub so hard when I got the column into position.

[Ron]

The "hard" one definitely lasts longer but is also more difficult to install.

+1
5+ years...not worth the trouble for my own car anyway....

[PJ Grady Inc.]

The "hard" one definitely lasts longer but is also more difficult to install. I had to make a puller out of some threaded rod, pipe nipples, nuts and washers. After I got it in I had trouble with the steering column because it goes through at an angle so I had to file the ID of the bushing so it wouldn't rub so hard when I got the column into position.

I don't know if you got your bushing from us David but you should not have to file our bushing during the install. A few years ago we switched from Delrin to Teflon because it's slightly softer. The "Teflon" bushing installs easier and absorbs vibration better than "Delrin" but is far stronger than the ultra soft "repro" bushing that David M. is referring to. This material offers the best compromise between ease of install, vibration transmission, and durability IMHO.
Rob

[David T]

I don't know if you got your bushing from us David but you should not have to file our bushing during the install. A few years ago we switched from Delrin to Teflon because it's slightly softer. The "Teflon" bushing installs easier and absorbs vibration better than "Delrin" but is far stronger than the ultra soft "repro" bushing that David M. is referring to. This material offers the best compromise between ease of install, vibration transmission, and durability IMHO.
Rob

Got the bushing from DMCH in '06. It think it was Nylon, I don't know, but it was very stiff. As we all know, the parts can differ depending on who you buy from and when. Especially when it is parts that are sourced and not NOS.

[DMC-81]

Hi Dave,

I got my bushing (Delrin?) from DMCH in 2013 and asked for instructions. They sent me a PDF doc and I followed them. The installation was straightforward. I didn't have to remove the steering column or cut the bushing.

Easy peasey.

[Bitsyncmaster]

So it looks like all the bushings just have a little lip that needs to be compressed a little so it goes into the existing hole in the metal plate and then that lip keeps it from falling out.

I wonder if you could cut one of the hard bushings in half and get it installed without pulling the column. I would guess the first half would be easy but the second half not since the column would not have any play to move.

Just asking because my friend does not think he can do the column removal.

I'm going to try Grady's Teflon bushing on my car but I will remove the column.

[papanoel]

I had the Grady teflon bushing installed last month replacing the soft type. What a difference. The job seemed pretty straightforward. Less than an hour.

[Bitsyncmaster]

Hi Dave,

I got my bushing (Delrin?) from DMCH in 2013 and asked for instructions. They sent me a PDF doc and I followed them. The installation was straightforward. I didn't have to remove the steering column or cut the bushing.

Easy peasey.

Can you send me that PDF. I assume your bearing was already cut.

I bet someone could design a split bearing that would install without removing the column. Just need a way to hold if from falling out. Maybe a small screw on each half. Maybe a "ziptie" if the top of the bearing was designed for that.

[Ron]

So it looks like all the bushings just have a little lip that needs to be compressed a little so it goes into the existing hole in the metal plate and then that lip keeps it from falling out.

I wonder if you could cut one of the hard bushings in half and get it installed without pulling the column. I would guess the first half would be easy but the second half not since the column would not have any play to move.

Just asking because my friend does not think he can do the column removal.

I'm going to try Grady's Teflon bushing on my car but I will remove the column.

This is how Alex and I did ours over 5 years ago. After doing his soft one I tried a harder one I had and it was no problem. I'm not sure if it was what people are calling "the hard one" here, but it was definitely much harder than his.
We BSed a lot and still had both of them in within a hour. No problems so far....
SplitBushing.jpg