The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot '60-'66 Trucks Steering wheel

My steering wheel is beginning to make some creaking noises when I turn it. I feel like it needs some oil. Any issues spraining some WD40 or a few drops of oil onto the steering column....just after the horn? I have a 64k10.

Thanks john.

If you get down that far to spay after horn might as well take off steering wheel to examine. Not that hard. But first feel and try to determine where and how much it is creaking. Be sure it's not transmitting from under hood gear box, coupler, joint or bearing(s). Power steering or manual?

Mine does the same and it is not the gear box. Definitely in the column at the steering wheel. If you figure it out please let me know.

If the noise is up at the top and it's not the horn contact messed up, it's the upper column bearing $25. I believe the bearing can be said to be part of the turn signal switch but replaceable. Maybe repack? It's a cheap, flimsy design with loose balls.

It is definitely in the upper steering column. If I turn the wheel to the left it "creaks" and the same when I turn it back to center. I'll investigate further and let you know.

Only when turning to the left?
Jeffrey

You can rent a steering wheel puller for free at FLAPS.

Hi guys. It now appears to happen when I turn the wheel in both directions. It almost sounds and feels like a "popping" sound. It's definitely coming from inside the cab.
I went ahead and checked the steering gear lubricant level today. Should the lubricant be almost like grease vs an oil? I was expecting to see more of a oil lubricant vs greasy lubricant.

bartamos - if it is the horn contact how would I know? The horn does have to be push just the right way for it to honk.

Thanks John

John, I think the horn would be a scraping/hissing noise if it's "off track". The bearing balls will be hard grinding and probably popping. Pull the steering wheel off. Your steering wheel should also have movement side to side/up and down if the bearing is that bad.

Grease is very thick in gear housing/box.

I don't have much play if at all in the wheel. Should I grease the bearings? If so should i use chassis lubricant or white lithium grease? Is it something I should just replace if the part of available?

If, after examining it, you see it's no longer a viable bearing then: http://www.classicparts.com/1964-72-Steering-Column-Bearing-Upper/productinfo/76-815/#.V5NIgOn6s5s

If just dry, grease it. Sometimes you gotta tear into stuff and try what makes sense.

Thanks Bartamos. I finally got a chance to dig in on this and it is the upper bearing. It looks like one of the bearings is missing. The popping sound I was hearing must be when the bearings get jammed up and finally correcting themselves. I greased it up and put the wheel back on. It turns out Classic Parts is sold out of the bearings. This is going to turn into a 6 month project.

If anyone has an extra of these upper bearings or comes across one please let me know. All of the suppliers are out of stock with no ETA. I also posted in the Parts Wanted section. Thanks john

I have been looking on ebay as well on your behalf. Do you have a part number for x-reference? Likely are other columns that might have like bearing to widen search.

Kind of hard to believe. 64-72 is a lot of columns. Seems like a steady supply would be available. List the vendors you tried so I don't repeat. Is the bearing I linked correct? Is it part of the turn signal plastic housing? The bearing may sometimes be referred to as a "mast bearing". But they are usually the ones with the integral horn wire.(different application)
You may have to buy this to get bearing. Not sure if this is what you have.
https://www.tuckersparts.com/Turn-Signal-Switch-CTS-6466.html

Upon further inspection I'm going to go with replacing the entire turn signal and bearing mechanisms. I appreciate the referral to Tucker's. I ordered the part this evening and hope to get it before next weekend. Thanks john

Just an update on this project....I replaced the upper bearing and turn signal and that didn't fix the problem. I checked the steering box and all connections....all is good there. I'm now going to pull the steering column and see if anything is broken or loose. There was a bearing or two missing from the upper bearing when I replaced it so hopefully that might be the problem. Keep you guys posted.

Thanks for the update.

I pulled out the steering column and it looks like the steering column itself is slightly bent. Just about where the wheel connects to the column there is a slight leveling of the column. I now need to locate a replacement. Hopefully someone in the parts section has one that I can use. None of the vendors I looked at had a column.

I know this isn't the place...but if anyone has a lead on a 1964 k 10 steering column please let me know.

Place a Parts Wanted Ad in the Swap meet.

Steering column bent? Do you mean the steering shaft? The shaft with the threads on the end for the steering wheel nut? I don't think you could bend that shaft at the very end. It's a hardened shaft. You may be still seeing a bearing problem. Unless you take out the shaft, you can't tell if bent. Are you sure you are not rushing into this? A donor column unseen and untested could have it's own problems.
What does "a slight leveling" mean? What is wrong exactly with the column now after you replaced the whole turn signal assembly with new bearing? "Didn't fix the problem"? Are you saying it does exactly the same thing? The same noise? From the same location? Did you determine that it's not a ball stuck down inside? Take it apart, examine/fix, clean, lube, test and reinstall.

Read all of This

Thank you for the thoughts.

Initially I replaced the upper bearing and turn signal without removing and examining the steering column. That diminished the scraping noise a bit. Following that I removed the column and took everything apart and cleaned, greased and put back together. Everything was examined for a missing bearing and any metal shards. This improved the steering exponentially but the noise still existed though very minimal. It continued to come from the same area.

The shaft is not bent its the column the shaft goes into. The top of the column just below the turn signal is slightly bent. When stand by the door and you look at the column, you can see the bend in the column.

Your link above was very insightful.

If the bearing O.D. fits into a bent tube and the "straight" steering shaft goes thru the bearing I.D., that's whacha call yur radial misalignment. Side load on balls, noise, fast wear. I'm not sure if the bent "tube" is in play with the bearing but this may give you food for thought. If it is, The shaft and tube are not concentric. Bad news.