Steering Bushing

[camaro430sut]

How many miles did you cover since then? Thanks.

Unsure. Just a receipt for the bushing

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[Josh]

Do not split the bushing. It will not last long. The delrin one cannot be split anyway as it is not flexible. I am running the Delrin one, from Toby many years ago, works great. Dropping the column is not too much work.

[TheStoot]

I replaced mine w delorean go version last October with the polyurethane one, split it and installed no problems 5000 miles later

[MrChocky]

Don't forget about the internal bushing. It's brittle compared to the firewall one, and can crack or come loose, and when it does, it'll cause excess wear to the other. You'll
definitely have to pull the steering for this, but DGo do a Delrin one.

[mhanch]

Understood, and the Dgo website is clear that the split technique only applies to poly and rubber. I'm just looking to hear from someone that has used the split technique and read about their experience for comparison.

Ron

I did this for my car this year - it was a total piece of cake. took maybe 15 minutes - nothing removed, just split the poly bushing, and lubricated it. it took a bit of prying but eventually it popped into place.

[David T]

I did the Delran one a long time ago. I had to make a puller with pieces of pipe, washers, threaded rod and nuts to get that thing in. It doesn't "give" like poly or rubber. Once I got it in when I put the steering column back I couldn't turn the wheel. I had to file the hole to fit the angle of the shaft going through it so it would turn smoothly. If you drove for a while with the old one after it was destroyed the hole in the bulkhead would be enlarged so it will be easier to get that Delran one in. R & R ing the steering column isn't that bad. Don't cut the Delran one, it won't last as long. Be sure to mark the steering shaft and take pictures before taking it apart. You MUST actually remove the bolts in the U joints, not just loosen them up. When you are done be sure to check that you aren't hitting the A/C hose and it is secured out of the way.

[DL4567]

Around 15 years ago I replaced mine with a soft one from DMCH. It lasted only 1-2 years. Then I got a Delrin one from Toby DMCPNW, and it's still working in the car today.
Interesting that DMCH now also offers theirs in Delrin. Clearly that's the way to go.

It's worth the trouble of disconnecting the steering column if you have to. Just try to line up the splines as best you can on re-assembly, and get a steering wheel puller and adjust your wheel afterwards.

Fun fact: for the first replacement, I rented a puller from the auto store. When I needed to do it again 1-2 years later, I *bought* a puller. And I've never needed it again! haha (very glad though -- the Delrin is great)

[82DMC12]

Another vote for the delrin bushing here. I just inspected mine after about 15 years last weekend and it's still going strong. No big deal to realign the steering wheel. I just take it off (either with a puller or thread the nut back on halfway and use an air chisel to briefly brap-brap the steering column while pulling up on the wheel and it comes right off). Then when you're ready to check the steering wheel alignment, put the washer and nut back on finger-tight and take a drive down a good straight road. Stop and remove the wheel and realign it until it's perfect, then re-tighten when you get back home.

[DMC-Ron]

I just did this job last week with the DGo delrin one. I did not have to remove the steering column fully. I found the instructions elsewhere on this forum. Basically, adjust the steering wheel all the way out. Then remove the trunk access cover to the clutch master cylinder. Now you can disconnect the knuckle by the clutch master. Be sure to mark the steering column between the knuckle joint so you know where to reconnect. You can turn the steering wheel so the knuckle bolt is fully accessible. With that knuckle bolt out completely, go to the inside of the car and slip the steering rod up into the adjustment sleeve. You can then move the steering column out of the way enough to put the new bushing in. I put some silicon grease around it but not sure that helped. It was pretty tight fit. What finally worked to pound it in was finding a tapered socket that would fit inside the hole. Then a long socket extension so I could hammer it in. Once bushing is in, slip the steering column back through the hole and into the knuckle. Make sure the steering wheel is turned to the same mark where it came out of the knuckle. Replace the knuckle bolt and you’re done.

Ryan,
Good description. Thanks. I was hoping there would be enough room to install after sliding the steering rod up into the steering column. My upper universal connection to the steering column is rusty and I have been shooting it with PB Blaster for several days. Did you have any issue getting the column free from the universal fitting? Any tips?

Ron

PA230063.jpg

[MrChocky]

Ryan,
Good description. Thanks. I was hoping there would be enough room to install after sliding the steering rod up into the steering column. My upper universal connection to the steering column is rusty and I have been shooting it with PB Blaster for several days. Did you have any issue getting the column free from the universal fitting? Any tips?

Ron

PA230063.jpg

At risk of stating the obvious, the bolt has to come out before the column will pull out. It also took me several days to free it with it being rusty and all.