CJ-7 Steering column issues

[VegasCJ7]

Well the tilt part of my 85 CJ-7 feels like it is ready to fall off. Whats the best rout. Fix this one or buy a different one? I have not taken it apart so I do not know what it looks like inside. Nor do I have a clue as to what it should look like...LOL...

On a side note I just got done with the cage and paint. Flat black and same powder coating on the cage.

Thanks in advance.

 

[RangerRick]

Your steering column is a GM style and they can be rebuilt for under $50 if you need the top bearings replaced. There are several hidden screws and the pivot bolts need to be removed to tighten the main culprits for causing that loose feeling. Before re-assembly you will want to clean the bottom bolts holes and chase them with a cleaner, clean the bolts well and apply some thread locker on them or you'll be doing it all over again in a year give or take. The tilt mechanism gets loose when people do one of two things frequently; Pull themselves into the vehicle using the wheel or allowing the tilt to come up hard by pulling the stick and not controlling the motion of the wheel against the up stop limit. Because of making a part like that out of pot-metal they tend to come loose. Expecting the bolts to stay tight when you could have a 200+ Lb driver hanging on the wheel to pull themselves into their vehicle every day is hard on the column. If they were all steel this wouldn't be an issue but it would have cost some $. A manual on any GM car from the late 70's through the 80"s would have a diagram on the column. I rebuilt both my CJ-7 and XJ Cherokee columns and they weren't that tough once I could see how GM assembled them. Use a couple of fine thread screws that are strong and disposable because you need to use locking pliers or a body dent puller to remove those pivots so you can take the upper tilt section off and tighten the three bottom bolts that always come loose. I went so far as to re-key the CJ-7 to match the YJ half doors I have on it and key it to match my TJ so one key works all my toys!

Rick

 

[RangerRick]

On another note,
Check the bearings to make sure they didn't come apart in the top of the column. There are two races and a large spring keeps pressure on these bearings. When the column gets loose or someone didn't re-assemble the steering wheel correctly as in replacing the factory wheel with aftermarket, the spring and rest of the horn and wheel components won't provide enough pressure for the bearings. Especially if the lower column is extremely loose or the retention plate and snap ring weren't properly seated. All this sounds complicated but if you took it apart slowly, it would all make sense.

Rick

 

[VegasCJ7]

Thank You!!

The pulling yourself in by the wheel sounds like the reason for the problems I am having. So I take it you need a puller to get to the problem areas? Or at least a make shift one?

 

[VegasCJ7]

If I were to buy a new one, does anyone know where I should go to start my search? And what year and type(GM) can I use?

Thanks in advance.

 

[RangerRick]

I used a vice grip pliers with a small ball peen hammer to pull the pivots out.

Get an exploded diagram of the column and that will help.

I used a column out of an 80's XJ Cherokee that had no intermittent wipers or cruise control, a tilt wheel from a YJ works also.



Rick