Steering Column Bushing DIY

[Daviboy]

Well eventually the plastic bushing on the steering column disintegrated completely. So instead of ordering a new one I decided to DIY it. So removed the horn pad and steering wheel and the c ring. I had a section of 22mm copper pipe in the garage. Now I was a plumber way back in the day and still have all my tools. So I put a 22mm swedging tool in one end of the pipe and flared it out a bit. I placed this piece over a 19mm socket and placed in the vice and tapped down the flared end of the pipe till it was at a 90 degree angle to the main section of pipe. Then I cut a slot longways about 30mm then cut that off. I dressed up the sharp edges with the dremel tool and expanded the section to fit over the steering column OD. Slid it down and tapped into place, perfect fit. I reckon the copper will last a lot longer than the plastic piece and I saved myself some bucks. Sorry did not take any pics but it is an easy cheap fix.

[Jimintampa]

Just an FYI while you have the necessary tools and seemingly knowledge to complete a repair that is got to be right as it involves one of the two really important features of any vehicle more so on high performance car, steering and stopping!!
My 911 bushing didnt give me any warning with 97000 miles it just disintegrated while the wife and I were on a Sunday joy ride. Upon getting home I looked at my Porsche repair manual and saw the repair time at 6 hours to pull the dash, steering column etc for a bushing replace!!! Our good friends at Pelican have a fix that cost a couple of bucks and takes about 1 hour ...man I love these guys..lol

[dicklague]

I would go with the Pelican part. It is self lubricating, and appears to work very well.

[BarryJB]

Until you decide to do the official long repair (not for me) or use the 928 sleeve (Pelican has them, I just got one) don't forget the effective, fast & cheapo shaving gel can lid fix - very handy as this item is probably sitting in your bathroom cabinet at 10pm on a Sunday, see:

Help! My steering wheel/column is loose! - Rennlist Discussion Forums

It doesn't last forever, a few months in my experience, but I have a 50mm extension on my s/wheel which probably increases side loads a bit, but it actually wedges the shaft into the bearing - some folks who have gone with the equally-easy-to-install metal-sleeve solution (using the 928 part) have reported steering column wear as the shaft rotates within the metal sleeve instead of engaging the bearing.

I got the metal 928 sleeve form Pelican to install next time an Edge gel cap gives up - when I do, I plan on smearing some bearing fit (or some sort of suitable shim material) onto it to see if it will lock the bearing inner race to the shaft and avoid this possible wear issue. Should be good for ages then ;¬)

[scottb]

Davy: I admire your ingenuity, but it appears that what you've done is simply recreate the Pelican part -- the 928 sleeve -- out of copper. I wonder how long soft copper will last in that environment, or whether it will throw-off any pieces that could become lodged somewhere in the steering column.

In my view, there are a few places that DIY/home-brew fixes shouldn't be undertaken. Steering is one of them.

My $.02.

Scott

[BarryJB]

Originally Posted by scottb

Davy: I admire your ingenuity, but it appears that what you've done is simply recreate the Pelican part -- the 928 sleeve -- out of copper. I wonder how long soft copper will last in that environment, or whether it will throw-off any pieces that could become lodged somewhere in the steering column.

In my view, there are a few places that DIY/home-brew fixes shouldn't be undertaken. Steering is one of them.

My $.02.

Scott

Scott, after you read the Rennlist post you may wish to reconsider your concerns, this really is a relatively minor but very annoying problem. If Davy has created a tight (interference) fit with the copper piece he made, he will address the concerns discussed there (2nd page is most of the good stuff) with the 928 part causing wear. Copper plenty malleable so unlikely to shed chunks, especially if it is well-wedged - if I can't modify the 928 sleeve to wedge I'll try Davy's solution myself - Edge Gel caps may have real competition!

Also even with this bushing completely missing, it just feels horrid but it won't cause any harm, damage to controls (it sure feels like it would though!) or a steering failure. Unlikely one would want to drive even 7/10ths with the way this loose wheel feels, too. Parking is particularly unpleasant.

[mercman]

go with the Mitch Leland bushing. Just installed one this weekend, 25 minutes max and the improvement is significant

[BarryJB]

Originally Posted by mercman

go with the Mitch Leland bushing. Just installed one this weekend, 25 minutes max and the improvement is significant

Wow, great & timely heads up, I've been using the Edge Gel cap with great results and just bought a 928 sleeve for when it comes time, but meanwhile was trying to figure out how to make it engage the bearing and wasn't really happy with all I'd read on it - and I had seen the ML part a while ago but didn't know he was making them any more, and selling them via Pelican - I'm ordering one now!

Thanks!

[Danish Dynamite]

Does anybody know if the 928 sleeve will fit a 1972 911? It seems to be a bit different than the 1974-on 911's..

Thanks

/Christian

[Daviboy]

Hmm did not realise this post would lead to such controversy! Let me just point out that I am in no way suggesting this as a permanent fix. I read with interest BarryJB that the Pelican part is self lubricating? Wonder how that works. The copper I used is not that soft it is for domestic water supply use and I have seen pipe that has lasted 50+ years in daily use, so cannot see it suddenly disintegrating after a few months. Copper is very maleable and is actually self lubricating to a point due to the patina created naturally. As for it throwing off chunks...please... Anyway I have re-recreated the Pelican part from copper and it is a quick fix while I wait on an order which in my part of the world can take up to a month.. Glad such a small issue led to such hot debate.

[kach22i]

I tried a plastic cap part on mine, did not last two or three weeks of moderate driving. It also takes a while for parts to get to me.

The replacement plastic part from Pelican was a loose drop in, still a slight amount of play in it.

I don't know if I wore the shaft or if the bearing is also worn.

The car has lost some of that tight responsive steering feel. Going through the path from steering wheel to front wheels is on my list of things to do.

[dicklague]

I will be installing a prototype of Mitch Leland's new split bushing for my 1973 soon. Will let you know how it goes and works.

[rusnak]

If you go with Mitch's steering wheel bushing, he will take care of you. We are living in a Golden Age of aftermarket ingenuity for these fabulous cars.

[pkjense]

Originally Posted by Danish Dynamite

Does anybody know if the 928 sleeve will fit a 1972 911? It seems to be a bit different than the 1974-on 911's..

Thanks

/Christian

I had a really hard time getting a definitive answer for that myself. I ordered the 928 sleeve from our host (the person I spoke with "thought" it would work), as I was getting some other stuff anyways, I thought I'd gamble.However, the final answer is NO. totally different design.

I did however come up with a cheap fix...

I used a puller the pull the bearing. Not easy, but not impossible. It is tight, and you have to work at it, but it eventually came out. The bearing is a "cup" style bearing with a stamped steel inner and outer race held together with a steel ring. I brought the part to our local specialist here in Ottawa "General Bearing Service Inc.", and they were HUGELY helpful. There was no way they had anything like it, but the owner noted that there was a lot of play, probably due to the steel cup stretching over time. He disassembled the bearing ( remove the steel ring), and noted that the ball bearings were 3mm, or .118 ". he suggested trying 1/8 " which is .125 " or .007 oversize. he repacked the bearing with the 1/8 " balls and #3 (cup grease) and reassembled the bearing. It was like new!
When he showed it to the staff and they were amazed at the difference.

I reinstalled the bearing, using not a socket as is often suggested, but a 2.5 lb weight from a barbell. There is a hole in the center for the steering shaft, and the mass helps to drive the bearing in evenly.

Simple, cheap, and it worked like a charm!

[HarryD]

Originally Posted by Danish Dynamite

Does anybody know if the 928 sleeve will fit a 1972 911? It seems to be a bit different than the 1974-on 911's..

Thanks

/Christian

Christian,

Our fix is different. You will need the spring and bushing that was there from the factory.



Check this thread:

HELP! Steering wheel bushing quickfix???

Leland is currently testing an aftermarket version of the NLA bushing:

1969-1973 split ring steering bushing

[UrQuattro]

I just received my Mitch Leland style bushing from pelican. I'll probably install it tomorrow or Sunday. I don't know for sure that I need it, but I can feel a little bit of play in the steering wheel if I wiggle it back and forth. Plus, while turning the wheel while stopped, there is sometimes a plastic type click noise that feels like a broken bushing would feel like.

Michael

[windsoreight]

I also made my own copper bushing on my 85 also. I made the bushing a drive in fit so there is no chance of wear. You rely on the bearing that is why it is there. The only thing that can fail is the bearing. From what I have read the 928 sleeve is not a tight fit so you will get wear from the column spinning in the bushing.

[Daviboy]

windsoreight your copper bushing is exactly the same as the one I made. And I agree it is a drive in fit therefore the actual bushing is seeing all the movement, the copper one is basically to support the steering column from flopping around.

[0396]

Great alternative solution.

[HarryD]

Originally Posted by UrQuattro

I just received my Mitch Leland style bushing from pelican. I'll probably install it tomorrow or Sunday. I don't know for sure that I need it, but I can feel a little bit of play in the steering wheel if I wiggle it back and forth. Plus, while turning the wheel while stopped, there is sometimes a plastic type click noise that feels like a broken bushing would feel like.

Michael

Michael,

What year is your car? There is a significant difference for the repair depending if your car is 1974 or newer vs 1973 and older.