Lol, I didnt have a dremel, so I took some robo grip pliers lol, and fought with it for about an hour, and finally broke it. But yes, the difference with the new one was very noticable and worth it.

 

Dremel = 5 seconds....

 

EndisNear:

The way you removed the stock column lower bearing tension spring is perfectly valid, however there is a simplified way to deal with this:

Just cut across several of the spring links, using the Dremel cutting wheel, they kind of collapse & the whole spring loosens, which should allow for easier removal as the tension releases and the end retainer (which tends to 'hide' as it's the same diameter as the spring itself) is more obvious, and if a slight gap appears, the edge of said retainer can then be grasped by pliers & twisted off. Then remove the spring & OEM bearing cup & bearing.

David Alan / RamSteeringFix Guy

 

I just found your information searching sites for my steering issues today and i was about to spend lots of money to try to fix my issues. I was reading every ones replies and crawled under my truck and had my wife turn the steering wheel with and without engine running and didn't see any play that would cause the steering to wonder as bad as it does, so i grabbed the column and my bearing at firewall is completely gone, so i guess i will be ordering one shortly

 

I have one sitting in my garage that I plan to install if I ever get time.

 

Product liability is the most likely reason Dodge won't sell individual steering column repair parts. In the event of an accident...the ambulance chasers would be all over the truck owner and the Dodge boys if it was discovered that a field/DIY repair was done to a steering column...and loss of steering control was even remotely connected/implicated in the accident.

 

Three year old thread there shak.

 

He's a newbie. Atleast he used the search box.

 

Whilst we're at it, to further answer the question; The column likely comes in as a non-serviceable sub assembly, so Dodge never see parts there of.
It's just like many other items... you just want this little bit, but have to buy the whole thing.

 

My steering wheel seems lose just behind the airbag. Anyone else experience this? Not one shop out here in the Portland area have ever seen this.

I replaced the steering colunm, steering gear box, power steering unit and tie rods. zero improvement. Truck is in excellent shape. Truck has 540,000 on it. Very tight still since I bought it new in May 1994.

James in Oregon