Replace bearing lower steering column

['65 chevy lover]

As per the subject line, I need to replace a bearing in the lower part of the steering column. I'm wanting to know how difficult of a job this is and how long it will probably take me to do it. The column is a power glide.

[The Rocknrod]

This guy makes some good vids on column repair you can do yourself - here is the lower part:
https://youtu.be/VgK_SKfYnVA

['65 chevy lover]

Thanks, I'll check it out.

[Pinchecharlie]

I didn't watch the videos yet so I may not know a better way or a different way but...I thought the stock column was so crappy that I had a machine shop make me a different set up for the bottom and top bearings I took them everything and we made bronze replacements with greese zerks I replaced mine with stock parts and it was still to sloppy for me . We used a timken sealed bearing up top. So they cut a bronze sleeve that had the od of the column and the center had the od of the bearing (like a doughnut) then the inner had a step for the bearing to seat in and the bearing carries the shaft You get it ? It was easy for them to turn the parts and they had the timken parts catalouge that they could cross reference inner and outer diameters to get close. Had to hone the inner part of the bearing but it took a few seconds. I know these guys and they are not rockers so it was no big deal but any good machine shop will be able to figure it out. Other wise it's pretty easy to use stock parts just dont expect that much improvement because the parts suck. Hope this is helpful

[vince1]

Classic Industries sell a bronze bushing C1003A on P.132 of catalogue T2011A. The regular bearing is C1003.

I used the bronze bushing but still used the spring to pull the shaft down to keep the top bearing seated properly. It seems to work pretty good but mine is a 4 speed so don't know if similar to yours.

['65 chevy lover]

Originally Posted by Pinchecharlie

I didn't watch the videos yet so I may not know a better way or a different way but...I thought the stock column was so crappy that I had a machine shop make me a different set up for the bottom and top bearings I took them everything and we made bronze replacements with greese zerks I replaced mine with stock parts and it was still to sloppy for me . We used a timken sealed bearing up top. So they cut a bronze sleeve that had the od of the column and the center had the od of the bearing (like a doughnut) then the inner had a step for the bearing to seat in and the bearing carries the shaft You get it ? It was easy for them to turn the parts and they had the timken parts catalouge that they could cross reference inner and outer diameters to get close. Had to hone the inner part of the bearing but it took a few seconds. I know these guys and they are not rockers so it was no big deal but any good machine shop will be able to figure it out. Other wise it's pretty easy to use stock parts just dont expect that much improvement because the parts suck. Hope this is helpful

Thanks for the reply. Hearing what you say about the stock stuff doesn't have me very confident that just replacing the stock bearings is going to fix it to my satisfaction. This was only going to be a temporary thing since I have a B&M floor shifter for my TH400 and don't need the column shifter anyway. So, I'll just blow off trying to fix this column and find an older model Chevy tilt column that will work and rebuild it if needed.

['65 chevy lover]

Originally Posted by vince1

Classic Industries sell a bronze bushing C1003A on P.132 of catalogue T2011A. The regular bearing is C1003.

I used the bronze bushing but still used the spring to pull the shaft down to keep the top bearing seated properly. It seems to work pretty good but mine is a 4 speed so don't know if similar to yours.

Thanks for the reply.