cyclops1032

I bought my 75 with the steering column torn apart by the previous owner. It was tore down to the upper bearing. I have found all of the parts I need to reassemble the column. It is a tilt & tele column. My question is: Do I need to lubricate anything..bearing, top shaft, lock shaft ect? If so, what do I use?

noonie

There are a couple things I don't lube.
The teeth and pin for the tilt and the wedge and area for the telescopic.

I've gone so far as to polish and buff the rack gear and associated and parts lube with a light teflon grease.

Jim Shea

For the most part I have always used a white lithium based chassis grease sparingly on most areas that have some sliding or rotating motion. Do NOT grease the tilt shoe slots or the sliding locking bolt. Leave those "dry as a bone." Also don't lubricate electrical contact surfaces such as the turn signal switch plunger, the eyelet that is part of the turn signal cancelling cam, or the cancelling cam surfaces that the big telescope spring touches.

Since the locking bolt is just spring loaded to engage the locking plate, you don't want the grease to thicken in cold temperatures and prevent the bolt from locking the steering column.

If the lock shoe slots are lubricated this could allow the shoes to jump out of engagement if you were to pull down or push up hard on the steering wheel.

I have found that the telescope locking wedge has always had a lot of grease on the wedge and locking rod as well as between the telescoping upper shaft and lower yoke shaft.

Jim

cyclops1032

Thanks. I have been into columns before this far but I tore them down myself and put them right back together. This car has been sitting a couple of years with the column apart and not much grease left on anything. I need to clean everything and get the trash and dirt off. I wasn't sure what needed lubed and with what. Thanks again.