The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 1940 column rebuild Q

i ordered a mast bearing and the horn wire is attached to it. before you remove the old one measure from the end of the steering column to the top of the bearing and write it down. i colapsed the old one and removed it in pieces, i think it was bakelite. on my column there is also a tab on the inside of the column to prevent the bearing from being pushed too far down which contact wouldnt be made with the bearing contact ring and the horn button wire. the directions said that if the bearing is too tight to sand off what needs to be to get it to fit and do not sand off too much. i first tried it the way it was and it was super tight so i took some off but worried about taking too much off. i got it started and drove it in with a deep socket until it was where it was supposed to be. i guess i didnt take enough off becasue my wheel is now tighter than it was and i think it is binding on the steering shaft. i dont like it but its in undamaged and i figure in time it might wear in. the new bearing is a teflon bushing covered in some type of wrapper covering where the wire is attached to the copper contact ring. i dont think you can get an old bearing out without destroying it. i dont think you can get a new one back out without destroying it either so its a one shot deal imho.