Sloppy Steering Column

[The_Josh_Bear]

FOLLOW UP / WRAP UP

I just wrapped up my resolution to this problem: I bought 2 other steering columns at auto wreckers from low mileage trucks. They were surprisingly inexpensive ($25 each or so)! The one I installed was from a low mileage automatic truck without tilt steering (my truck is 5 speed and tilt). I completely disassembled the column, cleaned everything, and applied liberal amounts of grease wherever it was needed. Then, I removed the auto shifter and JB welded the hole in the column. Ditto for the ignition key switch..... now a totally smooth column. Note that I also installed the mid-shaft from the same low mileage truck (the original had a fair bit of play in it). Then, I replaced the ignition switch under the dash with a pair of relays (turned on by one single toggle switch), and also an Ebay PUSH START switch..... looks and works great! I replaced the OEM glow plug light (which looked really dim on this truck) with a 1" LED Bullet light..... nice and bright, and no mistaking if the glow plugs are firing or not! Then, I made a simple adapter for my MOMO steering wheel....... looks great and feels even better!

Two things left to do:

1)relocate the horn button to the dash. Once that's done, there's already a two position toggle switch that'll allow me to choose my horn tone..... either 4 Cadillac horns to tell 'em who's boss, OR a Toyota Corolla horn, for a friendly beep!
2) install a 'kill' switch under the dash...... the truck no longer has an ignition key, and although I'd be surprised if anyone wanted to steal this truck based on how it looks from the outside, it'd still be a drag to have to walk home from wherever I was when it was stolen!

Final outcome: no play in the "up / down" of the steering wheel (but still a small amount of play in the OEM steering box). Turn signals work like a brand new truck again (old ones wouldn't cancel one way), and a truck that's even more fun to drive than any of my other vehicles.

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Cool beans, glad you got it sorted out and working well.

When you said "smaller steering wheel" I didnt realize you would be competing with my kids' power-wheels! Lol what's the upside to that tiny wheel?

 

[79jasper]

Must have great power steering. Otherwise gonna look like popeye in a week. Lol

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[cason234]

Cool beans, glad you got it sorted out and working well.

When you said "smaller steering wheel" I didnt realize you would be competing with my kids' power-wheels! Lol what's the upside to that tiny wheel?

Haha! I have always liked small steering wheels, but I can't explain why.... I have one of those little MOMO wheels in my Miata, in my F350 and now in my F250..... (all those vehicles have power steering, and there is no problem with steering effort). Over the years, I've had many people scratching their heads trying to understand "why?".... I guess it's just "a thing" for me! It's kinda like driving a go-kart all day long!

 

[renjaminfrankln]

Big truck need big steering wheel!

Glad you got it sorted out

 

[cason234]

Big truck need big steering wheel!

Glad you got it sorted out

Nah, this is just a little ol' F250!..... a little ol' steering wheel is perfect!

 

[Cubey]

Nah, this is just a little ol' F250!..... a little ol' steering wheel is perfect!

This tow truck driver assumed I had a regular cab, 6ft bed, short wheel base truck. He could have brought a larger hauler, but he was too lazy to call me and find out what I had.

He was an insurance roadside assistance hire for a literally broken starter, so he just knew it was an 87 F250 based on the info supplied to him by ny insurance.

He went far around out of the way to the shop so he could minimize making turns on city streets with it since he really didn't want to have to go back for the bigger hauler.

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[Oledirtypearl86]

This tow truck driver assumed I had a regular cab, 6ft bed, short wheel base truck. He could have brought a larger hauler, but he was too lazy to call me and find out what I had.

He was an insurance roadside assistance hire for a literally broken starter, so he just knew it was an 87 F250 based on the info supplied to him by ny insurance.

He went far around out of the way to the shop so he could minimize making turns on city streets with it since he really didn't want to have to go back for the bigger hauler.

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Lol I called my insurance roadside assistance once for my 86 I got a bunch of water in my fuel in Custer Montana and had to stop a bunch and drain the separator well I didn't have any ether and my separator was leaking air so I ended up draining the batterys just out side of Milford Utah at 3am the tow truck driver showed up in his Mazda pickup with a can of ether and a 300 amp jumper box he ended up going back and getting his wrecker and jumper cables

 

[Cubey]

Lol I called my insurance roadside assistance once for my 86 I got a bunch of water in my fuel in Custer Montana and had to stop a bunch and drain the separator well I didn't have any ether and my separator was leaking air so I ended up draining the batterys just out side of Milford Utah at 3am the tow truck driver showed up in his Mazda pickup with a can of ether and a 300 amp jumper box he ended up going back and getting his wrecker and jumper cables

I have a can of starting fluid, safe enough since my glow plugs are manual. I carry a tiny old Yamaha generator with a 10A built in battery charger so as long as I have even just 1/4 to 1/2 gallon of gasoline, I won't get stuck from dead batteries. It has saved me multiple times, especially with the failing batteries I recently replaced.

I actually carry enough stuff with me that I could replace wheel bearings if I had to. That includes a 3 ton floor jack, jack stands and the ratchet nut adapter socket.

When my driveshaft carrier bearing exploded, I out sourced it to a shop. I avoided a tow then though, amazingly. I live dangerously.

 

[Oledirtypearl86]

@Cubey I carry enough to get me out of a bind also I keep ether spair filters a few gallons of coolant and spair belts and if I'm out camping I'm set for a few weeks if need be plus a generator with a 10 amp 12volt plug and it will run non stop for just over 16 hours at a decent load with a full tank of fuel it drives my wife crazy but I hate not being prepared and having to ask for help