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72-75 Steering Column And Shaft

Discussion in 'Intermediate CJ-5/6/7/8' started by oldtime, Nov 5, 2021.

  1. Nov 5, 2021
    oldtime

    oldtime oldtime

    St. Charles,...
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    No 72-75 CJ’s to look at.
    So I know the steering column is 32” OAL and the column shaft is 35-1/2” OAL.
    There is an inner shaft bearing at top and at bottom of the column.
    I am familiar with the upper bearing at the steer wheel but not the lower bearing at the cardan joint.
    What actually holds the lower bearing up into the column and what keeps the inner shaft from sliding downward ?
     
  2. Nov 8, 2021
    HarvestGold

    HarvestGold New Member

    Nebraska
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    H Tate likes this.
  3. Nov 8, 2021
    Dale Park

    Dale Park Member

    Utah
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    Interested to see responses on this. But when I did mine 1972-CJ5, I remember the bottom bushing was very tight in the bore of the steering shaft/column. It was worn on the inside which caused some slop, it was tough to get the bottom bushing which was also plastic out but finally did. The new one was certainly not as tight fitting. I pressed it in with the palm of my hand.

    There was also a big flat washer between that bushing and the joint where your splines connect to steering shaft. The problem I am having or was, is the bushing would work its way out when I drove it. As a temporary fix, I pushed it back into the column and then used a gear type hose clamp at its base to hold it up in the column.

    I know that is not correct but at least it holds it in. There is a notch on this lower shaft in the splines where you know it is inserted far enough and then put your bolt in and tighten it up. I did use blue loc-tite on this bolt.
     
  4. Nov 8, 2021
    oldtime

    oldtime oldtime

    St. Charles,...
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    Yes from what I understand the large flat washer (Jeep called it a spacer) is directly between the lower bushing and the cardan joint.
    I was told that by “Barney” that cardan joint effectively holds the bushing in position.
    But that makes no sense to me.
    In my mind…. The cardan joint on the intermediate steering shaft should not be supporting the shaft inside the column.
    There has to be something holding the column shaft up otherwise the downward force goes direct to the Bakelite steering wheel.
    It’s certainly not the upper bearing holding the shaft up.
     
  5. Nov 9, 2021
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
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    Ken, I have this -

    CJSteeringShaft.png

    This is original to my '75, and is not a collapsible shaft. The bell coupling at the steering gear has some in-out movement. There is a bushing above the u-joint that holds the side-to side movement. Just from memory, the downward position of the whole thing is limited by the ball bearing up by the steering wheel, bearing on the top of the column tube.
     
  6. Nov 9, 2021
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
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    CJSteeringColumn (842 x 1154).jpg

    Mike Ruffin makes a nice bushing to replace 10.346-1.
     
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  7. Nov 9, 2021
    oldtime

    oldtime oldtime

    St. Charles,...
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    Yeah thanks Tim.
    I have a one piece intermediate steering shaft that looks like yours.
    Yes, planning to use the Jeep bell coupler and cardan yokes too.
    The column shaft slides upward into the top column bearing.
    Nothing about that upper bearing itself can hold the shaft up. It’s just a slip fit.
    Yes I think I’ll wanna have Mike make me up a couple of the lower bushings.
    May need a custom bushing made up for one of my columns because it’s a slightly heavier walled stainless tube.
     
  8. Nov 17, 2021
    Ol Fogie

    Ol Fogie 74 cj5 304, 1943 mb

    Southern...
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    I was examing my steering column yesterday(still installed in the jeep) it appears that what holds the bottom bearing/bushing up in the steering column tube is large spring just under the steering wheel. The spring pushes up on the steering wheel pulling the inner shaft upward. This keeps the large flat washer and cardian joint pulled up against the bottom of the outer column tube holding the lower bearing/bushing up inside the outer column tube and in its proper place. If you have an aftermarket steering wheel or if the spring is missing that may be letting the inner shaft drop down causing your bearing/bushing to fall from the column tube.
     
  9. Nov 17, 2021
    oldtime

    oldtime oldtime

    St. Charles,...
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    Ah hah ! That’s it !
    The spring pushes up on the steering wheel which in turn pushes up on the shaft.
    The spring pushes down on the bearing seat which pushes down on the upper bearing and top of the column tube.
    All this time I was thinking the spring was only there to help separate the wheel splines from the column splines.
    That’s basically the case with earlier Ross systems.
    On the earlier CJ system the bearings inside the Ross box prevent the shaft from dropping downward yet the big top spring is still used.
    Thanks, now I know how to get my column to
    function as it should.
     
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  10. Nov 17, 2021
    Ol Fogie

    Ol Fogie 74 cj5 304, 1943 mb

    Southern...
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    :beer:(y)
     
  11. Nov 17, 2021
    Chilly

    Chilly Active Member

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    My 73 now has a borgeson lower shaft and the joint doesnt ride as high on the spines so one could pull the wheel back about 3/4". So I cut a spacer tube and slipped it on the spines between the borgeson u-joint and the washer/spacer. Left a little end play but its no longer sloppy.
     
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  12. Nov 17, 2021
    oldtime

    oldtime oldtime

    St. Charles,...
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    That’s an interesting fix.
    So otherwise how do you like the performance of the Borgeson ?
    You still using a bell coupler at the Saginaw ?
     
  13. Nov 17, 2021
    Chilly

    Chilly Active Member

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    No experience because this is a perpetual project. The ONLY reason I went with Borgeson lower shaft was to be rid of the bell coupler and the Omix "rubber" boot.

    But the Borgeson fits up nicely and I anticipate no issues.
     
  14. Nov 17, 2021
    oldtime

    oldtime oldtime

    St. Charles,...
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    I see….bad boots.
    Well I hope these Crown boots hold up but I think I found some good boots in case the Crown boots are junk.
     
  15. Mar 14, 2022
    Dave M

    Dave M New Member

    Keuka Park NY USA
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    Hello, Does anyone know where to get the upper bearing assembly? When I took it apart, there was the housing part but no ball bearings in there. I found the bushings but not the bearing. Has anyone replaced the bushing with a 1 piece brass or teflon coated bushing?
     
  16. Mar 14, 2022
    oldtime

    oldtime oldtime

    St. Charles,...
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    The upper bearing is # 801422.
    I found some Teflon torsion bar bushings that were the exact right size to use for lower column bushings.
     
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  17. Mar 15, 2022
    Dave M

    Dave M New Member

    Keuka Park NY USA
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    Thanks oldtime. Missed seeing it on ebay somehow. As far as bushings, going to look at McMaster Carr and Grainger or just make something out of plastic(?) Not sure yet.
     
  18. Mar 15, 2022
    dsrt4

    dsrt4 Member

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    Is that the correct upper bearing for a intermediate for sure? Barney has that but he said it isn't for a 72-75?
     
  19. Mar 15, 2022
    oldtime

    oldtime oldtime

    St. Charles,...
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    Yes according to the 1972 universal parts catalog that upper bearing is correct and further more I will say it had not been changed since 1953.
     
  20. Mar 15, 2022
    Dave M

    Dave M New Member

    Keuka Park NY USA
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    All I see on the top, after removing the steering wheel( what a treat that was) is a bearing cup or the remnant of the bearing it had caused the inner column to slid down and start to cut into the horn wire. A question; is there a bushing at the top, on top of the bearing as well as a snap ring? I cannot seem to get a photo to load, keep getting either a security code or file too large error, but appreciate the help.
     
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