Loose/Wobbly Steering Wheel help

[CrAzEd412]

Hello all!

Let me begin by first saying I am thankful this website exists. I've used it many times to fix problems that have come up on my 96' Explorer.
The problem that I am having this time is with my steering wheel itself. I've done countless Google searches and searches on this forum only to come up empty handed and frustrated when I get back results dealing with the actual steering box, etc.
The steering wheel in my explorer (which has the tilt wheel) is loose. By loose I mean you can grab it and physically push forward and pull back on it when your hands are at the 12 & 6o'clock positions and at the 3 & 9o'clock positions. I had to replace the ignition tumbler as well as the long plastic piece that goes inside the column for the ignition to cycle it on and off a few months ago. Ever since then the wheel has been loose, I am now only having problems because I went to get my Explorer inspected and they failed me because of it.
What I would like to find out is have any of you had experience with this problem? And where do I begin looking to determine the exact parts I need to replace? I've read a few things on other forums on ford trucks in general and they all seemed to be pointing in the direction of some sort of bearings?

Thanks!

 

[pcam13]

It's not possible the bolt is loose inside and mucked the splines up is it? I know on kenworths T800's its spline down and has a bolt on top.Never changed an automotive one lol!

 

[Ram50Ron]

I've got the same issue in the '96 Mazda B3000 I recently picked up. The guy I bought it from was "Big Boned" and pulled himself up by grabbing the steering wheel..... Hope some answers come this way so I don't have to replace the whole tilt column, if "mount or bearings" will stabilize this again...

 

[Flash]

I hate to say this:

Did you lock the steering column?

 

[Ram50Ron]

I can't speak for CrAzEd412 but my "Tilt Function" is fine and the column is "locked" in its adjusted position. Doesn't matter where in the range from all the way lowered through all the way raised it will "lock" but the broken stabilizing mount "bearings" allow "Sloppy Wobble" of the wheel and shaft at the top of the column.

 

[Flash]

I can't speak for CrAzEd412 but my "Tilt Function" is fine and the column is "locked" in its adjusted position. Doesn't matter where in the range from all the way lowered through all the way raised it will "lock" but the broken stabilizing mount "bearings" allow "Sloppy Wobble" of the wheel and shaft at the top of the column.

CrAzEd412 says his column goes in and out.
It doesn't sound like a bearing wobble.

 

[CrAzEd412]

Flash,
My steering wheel tilt function works fine as well. The problem is when you actually push on the wheel itself that it "wobbles" You can put your hands in any position around it and push on it and it will go in that direction. Say for example if i had my hands at the 3 & 9oclock position and push hard on the 3oclock position the wheel will push back towards the dash while the 9oclock position will come forward towards the seat.
Everything else checks out on the steering column, when I was reinstalling everything after the ignition cylinder replacement I made certain that everything was in its correct place and bolted down correctly. Now I would not be surprised if something broke inside because of the trucks age being that its almost 20yrs old. However, I'm at a loss to figure out what the heck is causing it to physically wobble when I put pressure on it. Really need to get it fixed so I can pass inspection since it is my daily driver since I am in college still and cannot afford a new vehicle (thanks student loans! lol)

 

[Flash]

That does sound like a bearing wobble.

I forgot that the Explorer column is adjustable up and down, not in and out like my other cars.

 

[CrAzEd412]

I happened to go by my local Ford dealership yesterday and spoke to an older gentleman at the parts counter. Got to talking about the problems I was having with the steering wheel and he goes on to say that they don't get too many explorers that come in with the problem that I had described in an earlier post. He said it's most likely the bearings that went bad and from the blown up view of the steering column he (and another coworker working there) got the two bearings I believe part# 3517 (i have the tilt wheel) Got to tearing down the tilt mechanism last night and replaced both the bearings, but ran out of daylight before I could put it all back together. Will give a status update once everything is back together and hopefully fixed (fingers crossed!).

 

[Ram50Ron]

CrAzEd412 how much did they want for the 2 "Bearings" and what do they look like? If you took image captures of the repair during the process that would be great! If not pics of the broken/worn "Bearings" would also be helpful.
Thanks!

 

[Ram50Ron]

CrAzEd412 did the 2 "bearings" fix the sloppy wobble in your tilt steering column?
Hoping these part numbers might be the same for my Ranger Clone Mazda B3000 that exhibits similar symptoms to what you described!
Ron

 

[CrAzEd412]

Ram50Ron,
Unfortunately I did not think to take pictures during the disassembly and reassembly of the repair. I was in a hurry to get it fixed as fast as possible.
The two bearings I purchased from the dealer were inside of the tilt mechanism, only replaced the upper and lower bearing (Ford part #3517 ) cost about $20 dollars for the pair. To get them out was a bit of a pain, my father was helping me work on it and said screw it and tore the bearings out with a pair of pliers. To replace all i did was put the new ones in and tap them in place with a large socket. Once all that was finished we put the steering wheel back on only to find out the wobble was not fixed at all, we suspected that the spring (aka horn spring) was stressed and no longer able to provide the force to push everything together and take the wobble away. Called all over the place looking if anyone had the spring to no avail, Ford Dealership didn't even have it. My father thought about it for a day and went to the hardware store and got two large washers big enough to fit on the shaft. He placed the two far back on the shaft right before the tilt steering housing, and on the ring that holds the upper bearing in place. Put everything back together and bam its fixed! All that trouble we went through and two washers as a shim fix it (wtf right!?)

Edit: Also sorry for such a delay in replying. Ive been busy and didn't realize I had gotten an email notification with a reply on this thread!
I took about 3 pictures on my phone but they aren't exactly anything of help. I went off of the blown up diagram from Ford to figure out what all was what and where it all went. Now on to figuring out where I have an exhaust leak so i can pass inspection.

If you have anymore questions about the repair feel free to ask!

 

[MENINBLK]

I have the same problem with my 2008 Mercury Mountaineer Premier that started today? The steering wheel was fine when I parked. It feels like the spring that pressures the horn slip ring has broken. That spring loads up the bearings for the steering shaft and holds the steering wheel in position. I have to check the parts manual.

 

[Ram50Ron]

Good Luck! Your Mountaineer may still have the parts available. When I tried to order the parts for my B3000 "Ranger" clone back in 2015, Mazda and Ford dealers said the parts were discontinued to fix the steering column and I needed to rder the whole column. Even from a junk yard they aren't cheap, still driving it with the column wobble.....lol
Ron

 

[MENINBLK]

I have the same problem with my 2008 Mercury Mountaineer Premier that started today? The steering wheel was fine when I parked. It feels like the spring that pressures the horn slip ring has broken. That spring loads up the bearings for the steering shaft and holds the steering wheel in position. I have to check the parts manual.

I took my Mountaineer to Scarsdale Ford and they found that the bolt that holds the wheel to the shaft had backed out. They cleaned the bolt and the shaft threads, and reinstalled the bolt using thread locker and torqued the bolt to spec. The wheel is nice and tight now !!!