I just bought an '87 Dodge Power Ram w150 two nights ago, and one of the issues is the steering wheel will move around. It wiggles around right from the gear selector on up to the wheel... the shaft seems sturdy and doesn't wiggle. The previous owner said that it was from his son grabbing the wheel and pulling himself into the truck all the time.

So far I have pulled the steering wheel off, and now I'm stuck. I don't have a manual for it yet, and I'm not sure how to get down to the root of the problem (or even what the root of the problem is), but I'm guessing it's down where the tilt wheel connection connects to the column. Although the tilt wheel feature still works fine.

Any thoughts on what this may be?

 

i replaced a bearing in the steering column for a buddy in a '88ish ram. the steering wheel flopped around all over the place. scary to drive.

i removed the steering wheel, and then just kept digging. it was a little bearing sort of like a wheel bearing, but smaller. sort of at the top of the tilt. we had to buy it at the dealer, and it cost about $50 or so. there's a right and a wrong way to put it on, so watch out.

 

That's probably the problem, as my steering wheel flops around, but actual steering seems relatively tight. Is it the "Bearing assembly" in the pdf below? Looks like there's 2 parts of it.. one above the tilt assembly, and one below. You wouldn't happen to have a part number of the one you replace, would you?

http://www.chiltonlibrary.com/conten...s/86628102.pdf

 

I got farther into the column today. I found out that it's not the bearing. I think its a loose screw that is underneath the gear shift lever's collar that goes around the column. I can't figure out how to get there though...

If you look at the pdf referenced above, I have the cam assembly, switch assembly, and cover off. Now I need to figure out how to remove the "housing". Any ideas?

 

I have never paid attention to a tilt wheel so this is just a guess but I would think the removal of the pivot pins would be necessary. The seat that holds the race also appears in the drawing to be threaded on the shaft. Good luck.

 

I think you're right... I emailed a guy who was helping someone else with a steering column, and he emailed me back with a link to some of his videos. Although they're on a Chevy, he said it's very similar to ours.

http://www.stolenandrecovered.com/video/index.php

It was very helpful.

I guess I'll call O'Reillys to see if they have a pivot pin puller.

 

sorry, i'm not sure if we replaced that top bearing or maybe the second one down. i know we didn't take all that housing assy completely apart, but we may have slid it off as a complete assy.

 

Got it fixed... turns out there were 4 loose bolts that hold the whole assembly to the steering shaft... got it back together, and it's solid as a rock...

 

super!