Tiniest amount of play in steering column

[deloreandmcxii]

Hello! I need a sanity check – am I being too nitpicky or should I keep hunting?

My steering wheel has no play side-to-side, but I can grab the wheel and shake it up-and-down and cause a slight movement and ‘click’ at the top and bottom of its miniscule travel. You can cause this same movement by grasping the upper u-joint and shaking. It feels as if the column is slightly moving within the bushing. But this bushing can’t be meant to be **perfectly** precision fit, right? Since the steering wheel is adjustable up and down, there must be some intended slop at the bushing? The column pivots within this bushing, and by a reasonable-ish amount to move the steering wheel up and down many inches.

If you lower the steering wheel all the way (looks terrible and would be impossible to drive – this is not a solution...): this play is eliminated completely. Possible: at this angle is the column tighter within the bushing?

• Bushing is 2 years old D-Go Delrin. As is the internal column bushing.
• Shaft is Borgeson without vibration isolation u-joint. I have shaken the heck of both u-joints. Joints themselves and connections to rack/shaft/column are rock solid
• Steering height/telescope knob is tight as I possibly can twist

I have a spare steering column on the work bench. NOS, never used. At the slidey adjustment point, even when tightened there is the tiniest amount of play. If you’ve examined this mechanism, you’ve seen the knob is a threaded bolt which tightens and presses together two outer plates against the column brackets. These plates have a pin at the top which keys thru the slots in the column brackets and the into a hole in a collar which presses the column (this collar is what loosens to allow telescoping). These pins measure around 8.9mm and the hole measures 9.05. This means the pressure the adjustment knob exhibits on the brackets/plates is the only thing stopping that~.06mm of slop.

Any theories? Ideas? Validations of my insanity?

All that said, the driving experience is just fine. Vibrations get thru to the steering wheel at around 75-80mph on certain road surfaces, but given the rigidity of my suspension setup and lack of the vibration reducing u-joint… I think this is to be expected.

[David T]

Check for any cracks in the collapsing part of the steering column "cage". Make sure all of the hardware for the tilt lock is correct and assembled correctly. You should not feel any movement. Any movement will get amplified, there is nothing to absorb the vibrations from the suspension or the steering like on most cars.

[deloreandmcxii]

Thanks! I will triple check those aspects.

Anyone ever had issues with the d-go delrin bushing? I suspect the play is there - even though it was installed just 2 years ago.

I ordered a DeLorean Parts NW delrin one and a rubber one from d-go, to compare options. I kinda like the idea of rubber at this point to provide a tiny bit of dampening...

[Rich]

Check for any cracks in the collapsing part of the steering column "cage".....

There is one part of the "cage" assembly that can come loose and cause the problem you have. At the forward end of the cage is a bushing that's pushed into the tube at the end of the cage. It keeps the cage aligned with the column shaft.

This "cage bushing" is separate and distinct from the Delrin bushing in the firewall. It doesn't show up on the parts diagram since it is a component that is a permanent part of the column assembly.

If that bushing is loose or not pushed in all the way (toward the driver) into that tube then you can get a little up-down wiggle of the steering wheel because the far end of the column isn't solidly supported on the steering shaft where it passes out of the cage.

Just get your eyeballs under the far end of the cage and verify that the shoulder of this cage bushing is pressed up hard against the end of the cage/tube. If it isn't then use a small hammer to get it back into place.

[David T]

Thanks! I will triple check those aspects.

Anyone ever had issues with the d-go delrin bushing? I suspect the play is there - even though it was installed just 2 years ago.

I ordered a DeLorean Parts NW delrin one and a rubber one from d-go, to compare options. I kinda like the idea of rubber at this point to provide a tiny bit of dampening...

The rubber bushings don't last very long. The Delrin ones last a lot longer. Because the shaft goes through the Delrin bushing at an angle, it may have been filed a bit to "open" it up so the shaft doesn't bind. Maybe it was filed a bit too much. Check the universal joint, make sure the bolts are tight, and make sure the bolt in the U-joint doesn't rub against the A/C hose. The rubber bushing is easy to install, the Delrin one is a LOT harder, you may have to make a puller to squeeze it in.

[deloreandmcxii]

• The interior bushing is intact - was replaced 2 years ago.
• The cage is solid and intact.
• The tilt/telescope assembly is put together properly and the knob tightened.
• Both the tilt assembly on the car and the spare on the bench exhibit the same small amount of play, even when cranked down very tight. The loose tolerance between the collar and the two plates/pins on outside of the brackets allow for this (see original post for details)

I received a new DeLorean Parts NW column bushing (referring to the typical firewall one now). Slipping it over the steering column I have on the bench: even brand new it's noticeably loose. This is makes sense - the delrin ones being hard plastic, they must have some tolerance to allow for the tilting feature.

Using digital calipers, I measured:
The steering column neck, where is passes through the bushing is is 14.25mm.
The interior diameter of the brand new bushing is 14.6mm.

I don't see how a hard plastic bushing can possibly work perfectly for this application. Honestly, the tilt function is almost useless and I wish we simply didn't have it (telescope only) and could have a hard bushing with tighter tolerances.

I'm waiting on a rubber bushing from DeLoreanGo. I'll measure and test it on the bench as well and report back. I'm hoping the rubber allows for tighter tolerance between the column neck and the bushing - the tilt being accounted for by the flexibility of the rubber. I would gladly accept this bushing as a wear-part, as it was from the factory.

[cis6409]

I have the exact same issue, delrin bushing fitted.
interesting to see how the rubber bush makes a difference if at all

[David T]

I have the exact same issue, delrin bushing fitted.
interesting to see how the rubber bush makes a difference if at all

Most people set the tilt once and never move it again. Usually all the way up and all the way in. Even if the rubber bushing is tighter, because it is rubber and can "give" you will still have some looseness. Also, as I said, the rubber ones do not last very long. That's why the vendors offer the much harder Delrin bushing. The Delrin bushing seems to last forever but can be a real b-tch to get in.

[Bitsyncmaster]

Most people set the tilt once and never move it again. Usually all the way up and all the way in. Even if the rubber bushing is tighter, because it is rubber and can "give" you will still have some looseness. Also, as I said, the rubber ones do not last very long. That's why the vendors offer the much harder Delrin bushing. The Delrin bushing seems to last forever but can be a real b-tch to get in.

I made a four cuts with a hack saw in the PJ Grady bushing where the lip has to compress. Those cuts let it compress when you push it in. Was no problem to install.

[r00b]

The Delrin bushing seems to last forever but can be a real b-tch to get in.

When I installed mine I used a large socket, washer, nut and bolt. I kept tightening and it wasn't difficult to get in.