Loose, floppy steering wheel issue

[FSJ-Earl]

My 89 GW has a loose floppy steering wheel. I took it apart and tightened the three 12 point bolts down inside the column but there is still a ton of movement in the wheel itself. Not the column, but the wheel on the column. There appears to be a bearing at the very top, under where the steering wheel bolts onto the splined shaft, does this bearing go bad? If so, how do you replace that? Any ideas or thoughts would be most appreciated. Thanks.

[8man]

There is a really good write up in here I used to rebuild a steering column. I guess it could go bad and if it did go bad there would be a lot of slop in the steering wheel if the column is solid.

You've already done the hard part, so just do it again to find out. I pulled the shaft on mine and there are bearings at the top and bottom. The ones at the top can come out of the race. So that may be it.

Good luck.

[FSJ-Earl]

OK, so where do you get those bearings and how do you get them out?

[serehill]

http://bc4x4.com/tech/2009/jeep-steering/

http://www.steeringcolumnservices.com/steering-column-parts/used-

internal-parts.php

best

http://www.columnsgalore.com/N21.htm

[FSJ-Earl]

Not to sound ungrateful, but the 1st link is blocked here at work, the second says it is not found, and the third one does not seem to have any listings for an 89 GW. Any additional ideas or suggestions? Thanks.

Earl

[8man]

The column is the same one used by GM, the bearings from one of those will fit.

[serehill]

yeah

I can't help what your company does but if you call & work with the column shop you can get what you want. I do know that feeling. The internals are very similar if not exact.
These resources if used correctly can resolve your issues. You may have to work with them. Saginaw built them all & the parts interchange form many GM parts that are still available. Even though because of the low market they don't cross reference they do interchange,

[FSJ-Earl]

Sounds good. Thanks.

Earl