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Replacing lower Steering column Bearing on my YJ

53K views 38 replies 22 participants last post by  spawn12348 
#1 ·
Does anybody have a diagram of how this goes together. I took it apart carefully and I just don't see what actually holds the new bearing in place. The nylon piece is slipped in correctly the bearing is up against is as far as it will go and the outer cap and clip are all in place . It just doesn't look to me as if anything actually holds that bearing in place ????? A picture of a parts blow up would be helpful .My book does break it down that far . Any help will be appreciated .Thanks:rolleyes:
 
#4 ·
Thanks , for the pics, That is exactly it .When you slide it all together it just doesn't seem like any thing is really held in place .The bearing doesn't really pop into the nylon housing it just sort of hits against it ,the old one was that way also.Maybe when the spring clip is in place it somehow mysteriously holds things in place. Thanks again for your help .I have no slop now but still worried that it will just slip down the shaft and out ????
 
#6 ·
From what I have read the upper column also has a bearing , to replace it involves removing the Steering Wheel,directional cam and getting down in there to it .Fortunately my upper was not sloppy. Still researching the lower one even though I have replaced it still think that bearing should click into the nylon part somehow . I will figure it out eventually with the forums help .Good luck with your project.
 
#7 ·
I replaced the lower last year and its a lot better but still has some movement. I never heard much about the upper bearings but I would to change them also. Changing the lowers alone was a big improvement.
 
#8 ·
The bearing piece just slides onto the shaft. The outer retainer kinda locked on the inner on mine IIRC and then that clip holds the retainer on the outer housing. The bearing really can't go anywhere. The clip keeps it from sliding off. The clip should hold that outer metal retainer ring to the end of the steering tube coming out of the firewall.
 
#11 ·
Lower steering column bearing replacement



Thanks for the info . It looks like the bearing pops into the Nylon retainer in the picture of it in the right up. If that is the case I can at least understand what holds things together there ,however I could not get my bearing to pop into the nylon without cracking the nylon . Getting the old one out was easy I had just recently replaced the steering shaft so it compressed easily . I don't have excessive slop but I just want to be sure it is together correctly . Thanks for your thoughts ,I am sure we will figure this out . The jeep is my toy ,not my daily driver so time is not an issue .Thanks again
 
#10 ·
That link does cover the whole column and is a great link. BUT...The lower bearing replacement does not require complete disassembly of the column though. It's not easy to get the old bearing out due to the tight area by the brake booster but can be done. Also it is normal to have some play in that bearing. If the steering whell itself wiggles and has play then the column needs to come apart.
 
#15 ·
I just did a search and found this. just what i needed

a few questions i just took the crown part out of the package, and if you look and the balls in the bearing there is a space like one is missing. should it be like that?

and do you pack the bearing with grease ? is this a big job? this is the lower bearing
 
#28 ·
It will collapse but it may not do it easy. Is there any rust at the slip joint? My son's 93 I had to soak and heat the shaft for 2 hours to get it apart and sliding again. That was with it out of the Jeep! His had a clip and spring inside. The clip kept the shaft from pulling out and the spring kept tension so the slip shaft wouldn't rattle. Needless to say the flat spring and inner shaft were rusted fast to the outer one. I have a pic somewhere..
 

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#30 ·
I *think* my berry has gone out in my steering column. Can anybody confirm?

In this picture, I pulled the retaining ring and clip of hoping I could just push the piece that was loose back into the column, no dice. I was WAY out in the backcountry when this happen so I just drove around (and home) with a wiggling steering wheel. There was no side to side slop but if I grabbed the steering shaft I could move it several inches in any direction (except along the axis of the shaft).

So, bearing issue? Or do I just need to push everything back up in there and put the retaining ring / clip back on?

click for fill sized..
 
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