I am working on the steering column from a 01 2500 with an automatic. The shift tube is loose inside the outer steering column tube which allows both the steering shaft to move around and also allows a lot of play in the shifter. Right now I have it torn down as far as it will go without major surgery to remove the shifter assembly which I do not plan on doing.. I am still thinking through a fix and will post what I come up with. I drilled out the 3 spot welds that hold the shift lever on the shift tube and have removed the factory plastic bushing located up inside the outer tube.

 

Several companies make new bushings for the column there. I think one company makes a bearing for it. Rock Solid Ram Steering Fix??

 

Not that I have found, ROCKSOLID makes abushing to go in the end of the shift tube where the steering shaft goes.

 

Rock Solid is the 'best known', and comes up a LOT in searches, but, other folks make 'em, I can't find the bearing with a quick search today.....

 

I think we are talking about 2 different problems, the steering shaft is not loose in the shift tube. The shift tube is loose in the steering column. The black piece in the photo is the oem bushing located about 3 inches up inside the outer tube. I thought I would post this as a help as no one seems to know how to fix this problem. Evidently most can't even see it.

 

Isn't that exactly where the bushing goes though?? (rock solid) Between the shift tube, and column housing?

 

No , all the bushings you find go in the end of the shift tube by removing the oem bearing holder and installing the new bushing. That does nothing to fix the issue I am working on.

 

Interested to see what you come up with

 

Ok, I get it now.

That part isn't available over the counter, Dodge wants you to replace the entire column...... Measure the OD of the shift tube, and the ID of the column tube, see if you can find a bushing or bearing that'll do the job.

 

If you had an acetal bushing, could it be installed? What was OEM? It almost looks rubber?