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Posted by: LCOX Aug 15 2017, 12:23 PM

74 914. The steering column shaft has typical slop in it. The previous owner installed the metal "crush bushing" but there is still up and down slop in the shaft. The column is attached firmly. What next? Do I need a new steering column bearing that crush bushing slides into? If so what is the part number. Anything else that can cause this? Thanx L

Posted by: 914Sixer Aug 15 2017, 01:32 PM

The center crush bushing is ONLY a replacement for the plastic bushing that fails in the 74-76 columns. It has nothing to do with the upper and lower bearings in the column that fail from people grabbing the steering wheel getting in and out.

Do some shopping around for the bearings. There was a seller on ebay selling both for less than $60 shipped. I got the upper bearing and removed the plastic collar and used a 73 metal bushing for the upper.

Posted by: markhoward Aug 15 2017, 01:50 PM

Mitch Leland makes a replacement bushing.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=166218&hl=coupler

Have not tried his 914 one but the 911 one works great.

Posted by: Vacca Rabite Aug 15 2017, 02:02 PM

I made a bushing spacer out of steel pipe couplers from Home Depot. Worked like a charm. In m case the bushing kept working free, so it just needed a simple spacer to hold it in place.

Zach

Posted by: jim_hoyland Aug 15 2017, 02:14 PM

Great concept ! Do you have pics ?

Posted by: Vacca Rabite Aug 16 2017, 01:19 PM

I do, probably somewhere in my restoration thread... If I can remember I'll dig through my online album and see if I can find the pics.

Zach

Posted by: SirAndy Aug 16 2017, 01:31 PM

I have a tapered wavy metal sleeve that slides over the shaft and is wedged under the bearing to take out the slop.

Works like a charm ...

Posted by: Vacca Rabite Aug 16 2017, 06:44 PM

its a shitty picture, but you can see it here. Its a sleeve that slips over the steering shaft and rests against the bushing. Its enough to hold everyhting in place.

IIRC, I just took measurements of my steering shaft and took a pair of calipers to Hope Despot and took ID measurements till I found something that worked. It was just a pipe coupler from the plumbing section. Copper, not steel as I said earlier.

Zach

Posted by: jim_hoyland Aug 17 2017, 05:54 AM

Thanks for the pic; great solution !

Posted by: Philip W. Aug 17 2017, 06:55 AM

i just replaced the bushing about a month ago when the plastic part finally gave way, ordered the new one from dealer here , and I have to say its perfect tight fit with no play whatsoever - not every one needs that sleave- that was essentially designed to be a fix if you didn't want to pull the whole bearing out , you could put that on and slide it down in taking up the slop caused by the failing of the inner plastic part- - anyway I doubt if you actually replace the bearing with a new one that you will need the sleave, I did not.

Posted by: Philip W. Aug 17 2017, 07:01 AM

picture of old and new bearing


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Posted by: Philip W. Aug 17 2017, 07:02 AM

new bearing in place, zero slop
there is a retaining clip thst will homd this in place - it should not fo anywhere if thst has been installed propery, sobyou should not have the issue zach was saying he had seen with it coming loose-


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Posted by: Philip W. Aug 17 2017, 07:16 AM

should have postes this first but it shows the gap due to the missing inner plastic sleave, and the retainer clip, you could use the 944 sleave but id just pull the old bearing and put the new one in- its not that bad of a job, took less than an hour- this was the original bearing so i guess it lasted 43 years not too bad


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Posted by: jim_hoyland Aug 17 2017, 07:37 AM

Do you grease/lube the shaft when installing the Bearing ?

Posted by: Krieger Aug 17 2017, 07:42 AM

Dang, look at the remnants of the worn out parts below the steering shaft!

Posted by: Philip W. Aug 17 2017, 07:50 AM

Jim, after cleaning it up I put a very small bit of lube but I don't think It would be necessary- just make sure you use the correct size of a socket that will slide over the shaft and can tap the inner race of the bearing to slide it into place.

Eazy-peezy

Posted by: Philip W. Aug 17 2017, 08:07 AM

yep it was shot!, the bearing itself I guess was ok, the plastic inner race was in pieces, - I was ignoring a bit of play that I had for a while, as I don't drive the car that much, I was on my way to the Cars and Coffee and hit a pot hole and the steering jerked and I suddenly had a huge amount of play in every direction and you can see why!- ordered the bearing that morning and put it in the next weekend.-
Just have to be careful when taking the steering apart , keep track of the screws , and disconnect the water lines from the spray bottle, etc- there is a thread somewhere on the step by step- but it was pretty straight forward. you see some metal shavings there from the edge of the outer column housing, it chipped off a bit as I took the retaining clip out. I was worried that the clip might not stay in the groove due to that but so far so good- it went in good and tight.

Phil