The lower "deep groove bearing" for the 70-71 914, part #900-052-202, is apparently no longer available. Does anyone knowledgeable about bearings know if there's a suitable cross-reference to another compatible bearing?

Thanks,
Marcus

Are you talking about the shaft bearing that bolts to the body with the U clamp?

Perhaps both. The upper bearing is also NLA. I pulled my column because I wanted to resolve an issue with the blinker cancellation, re-key the ignition (I'm doing all the locks), and fix the bearing slop while I was in there.

At first I thought I just needed to replace the lower bearing, but after disassembling the column on my bench I found that the upper bearing was crunchy-crunchy.

The later ''72-'75 bearings are all available, and apparently the later columns are much easier to contend with - wiring, etc. No such luck for early models.

So I need either a whole new column (I have an ad in the classifieds already) or some way to replace the bearings. In the past I've found that what appears to be a specialty bearing is just a correct-sized bearing with a brand name on it. Like "Porsche."

Just curious to see if anyone besides myself ever attempted to rebuild their early column and where/how they found bearings for it.

The upper bearing has a long shaft in its inner diameter, but it looks like maybe its removable.

-m.

I don't know about the steering column, but I took apart a rack/pinion once. There are a couple bearings in it. I brought them over to Napa. Lo and behold they had 'em laying around. Likewise with front suspension needle bearings, except I went to a bearing supplier.

I have what I am pretty sure is a new lower bearing which was sent to me in error by AA. I went and found it and it does not have a standard bearing number on it.

The old upper bearing I removed is also unmarked.

This doesn't prove they are not standard sizes but I suspect they are.

Also, the tube you refer to is separate from the upper bearing.

Victory!

Dropped by McGuire Bearing today and the guy had a whole box of them. Here we are:

Axis #6905 2RS

This is for the NLA upper steering shaft bearing for early models.

-marcus