HELP! Steering wheel bushing quickfix??? - Page 2

Neilk · 05-06-2003, 08:10 AM

Shawn,

In my car the spring helped a lot in keeping the steering wheel from wobbling. My car also has a bearing similar to the one you bought but much smaller. The two pieces together keep the steering wheel from wobbling. Perhaps someone can take a picture of the two pieces I am talking about. I would if I had a digital camera.

JWest · 05-06-2003, 08:11 AM

Part #7

Neilk · 05-06-2003, 08:17 AM

And part #6 seems to be an early version of the bushing we both bought. Without parts 6 and 7, my steering wheel was really wobbly. Once I installed those two parts, the steering wheel felt rock solid.

JWest · 05-06-2003, 08:21 AM

Part # 6 is the actual bearing - it is really oddly shaped and is a ball bearing. Without the spring, it is really loose. That's the one they want $186 for, but it will still be loose without a spring.

Neilk · 05-06-2003, 08:27 AM

Then I wonder if my bearing is falling apart or perhaps the PO made his own bushing. I will have to find a digital camera to take a picture of my assembly.

thrown_hammer · 05-06-2003, 08:45 AM

Part#6 and 7 are gone on my car. Part#6 is $186. Not gonna happen. Unless I use my PCA discount coupon...HMMM

thrown_hammer · 05-06-2003, 09:22 AM

Could someone measure their spring? I just found out those are $85!!!

Neilk · 05-06-2003, 07:59 PM

Shawn,

Here are parts 6 and 7 that are currently in my car. Hope this helps.

Sorry about the picture quality. I couldn't figure out how to take pictures with the POS.[IMG]

thrown_hammer · 05-07-2003, 03:49 AM

Thanks Neil. I am gonna have to think about spending $300 on a bushing and spring. That electrical tape idea is sounding pretty good right now!

Neilk · 05-07-2003, 05:34 AM

Shawn,

I am sure you can get a really cheap spring from someone parting out their car. I can't believe that the other part is $186. It almost looks like a cut down version of the later bushing.

Reg · 05-08-2003, 05:22 PM

Shawn

I am experiencing the same problems. I have lots of play up and down after installing my Momo wheel. I removed it again tonite to look at my setup to compare with your photos. Pretty much the same.

I then looked at the great drawing posted by James which showed me that I am missing #6 bushing and #7 spring. I then looked in the closet for my factory wheel and low and behold, the spring and bushing were stuck to the back insides of the original wheel.

I'll pop off the wheel tomorrow and install the spring and bushing and hope for the best!

If you have a stock wheel, dig it out and perhaps you will be as lucky as I am and find them.

thrown_hammer · 05-09-2003, 03:35 AM

No stock wheel. The car had the OMP wheel when I bought it. I am going the electrical tape route for now. I may post a WTB ad in the classifieds and track down someone parting an earl car.

Reg · 05-09-2003, 03:59 AM

Id possibly post looking for a stock early wheel. If you get a reply ask about these parts, as mine were stuck up in there. You may buy a old and tatteretd wheel ( that you may use someday) and get the tidbits while you are at it.

Good luck!

jasonq · 12-16-2003, 03:47 PM

Damn I'm glad I bumbled into this thread.

I installed a momo wheel a few weeks back and it too wobbled, looked on the back of the old wheel as Rex suggested, and there they were, the needed bushing and spring, five minutes later, no wobble, happiness. To think I almost sold the old wheel...

Phoenix · Phoenix's Garage

I'm replacing the bulbs in all my instruments and figured while I had the wheel off, I'd look into my steering column play problem and install the "quick fix" sleeve I've had for ages.

This thread has been very helpful and as I now know, the "quick fix sleeve" does not work on our earlies (wish I knew that earlier).

After a few hours of searching, reading, comparing posts and general brain whacking, I think I may have hit on something.

Once the wheel is off, the column end floats freely in the space between the inside of the bearing ring. It is then held in place with the help of a small bushing and spring which, on my car, were stuck to the backside of the steering wheel. (see pic)

On my car the spring and bushing were installed with the bushing facing the steering wheel and the spring situated between the bushing and the bearing. (see pic)

I believe this is incorrect and is actually what's causing the play once the wheel is installed and tightened. After switching the spring and bushing so that the lip of the bushing sits up against the bearing (which seems to make sense) and the spring is between the steering wheel and the bushing, the play is gone and I have a rock solid wheel. see pic

Can anyone tell me if this is indeed correct or if I'm just setting myself up for a problem later on? It feels right but I can't be 100% sure.

HarryD · 02-07-2005, 04:53 PM

Take it from a guy with a '73, Ya got it right!

911scmedic · 02-07-2005, 06:17 PM

You guys ROCK! My wheel was way loose...pulled the old wheel out low and behold, the spring and the bushing. Installed them like Phoenix so wisely figured out and shown in the last photo and 20 minutes later - PERFECTION!

First thing in the AM I've got to call Porsche and cancel the bearing I just ordered...Good thing it was coming from the homeland!

Thanks you guys!

Phoenix · Phoenix's Garage

Excellent! I'd hate to think I was doing something that would cause damage down the road. Another $200.- saved

911SCmedic: I'm glad my post helped. I've been feeling guilty about taking so much from here. I'm happy to have finally been able to return even just a little.

PP BBS is truly an invaluable resource!

Thanks Wayne!!!

Wangrande · 02-07-2005, 08:14 PM

I fixed a very loose bearing situation in my 72 with a trip to Home Depot. The race that houses the ball bearing wears through the years. My solution was to come up with loose ball bearings that were just slighty larger in diameter than the factory BB sized ones. I found a variety of sizes in screened door track nylon rollers. They are in the section where door hinges, knobs, etc. are found. It was one of those problems that hangs in the back of your mind until the moment the proverbial bulb lights up. I saw them, grabbed 3-4 different sizes (for different doors) and took them home, busted them open and measured w/ micrometer. Found some a few thousands bigger, poked them in on the end of a screwdriver w/ some grease to keep them in place and problem solved.
Cost: About $10.00

whackit · 05-10-2008, 09:29 PM

does anyon have a part # for the bushing? the part number indicated in the drawing is for the bearing... not the bushing. any ideas?