Topic: Loose Steering Column. Please Help!

[Joshmcintosh]

Hey guys,

Having this problem with my Steering Column on a 68 Mustang Coupe, link is below. Any ideas?

Video link -

[J_Speegle]

Ok assuming that this is a factory column and parts have you checked the clamp and the mounting bolts that attach it to the bottom of the dash and through to the brake pedal support?

Get a flashlight, look up in the area where the column meets the bottom of the dash and wiggle the steering column back and forth. See anything loose?

[Joshmcintosh]

Yes all there it appears to be within the shaft.

Regards

[J_Speegle]

Yes all there it appears to be within the shaft.

Looking at your video the column at the base of the dash appears to move left and right

Cone that holds the turn signal unit appears to move with the steering wheel - suggesting to the viewer its not inside the column But ok we only see on angle does the column move at the base of the firewall where the column passes through there and is held by a large black plate and bid screws?

Is the center shaft still connected to the rag joint at the steering box?  Might need some help moving the steering wheel while looking down there.

If the base is solid, attachment point is still solid at the rag joint guess we should cover - Was it fine before and this just happen or are you just now assembling the car and found the problem?

Had the top of the column apart?  Steering wheel off?  Replaced the turn indicator switch?


Bottom of the dash showing the non-tilt style column clamp/bracket




Bottom of firewall - showing black plate and one of the four big screw heads




End of the column center steering shaft and rag joint attachment. Often this fibrous item fails or rots away

[Joshmcintosh]

Here are a couple vids to better depict the situation...

[midlife]

Methinks you have a tilt column with a broken latching mechanism.  Just MHO.

[Joshmcintosh]

It's a fixed column actually, but if I end up replacing it I'm definitely getting a tilt!

[J_Speegle]

Before I replay I just realized (sorry) that this is your first thread  - so welcome to the site and we hope that you find the information here useful in your concours restoration goals and projects

The latest videos suggest multiple issues

In the one it appears that the bell/upper housing is moving when compared to the shaft This might suggest that the attachment between the two are loose

As far as under the dash it appears that you have a collection of non factory parts

Your car (in this area) appears to be a collection of parts put together without much focus on originality Your car is in the upper left and it shows that the clamp has aluminum blocks like that used in 69 and the bracket appears to have been made for those style of attachments. In contrast the lower right picture below shows a factory 68 mount. The clamps/bracket and attachment hardware are different between the two

Think this is where some of the other play is coming from in your demonstration




Looks like now (if you haven't already) is a good time to pick up a copy of the assembly manual that covers this area or a shop manual so that you can get all the correct parts, look at exploded views to see how all of this goes together and you can figure out what is not tight where it should be. We can only provide possibilities you have to do the work

Again welcome to the site

[67gtasanjose]

+2, welcome to the site.

A service manual will aide in taking apart the column. The design is fairly common in all Ford fixed columns from about 1964 through to the introduction of the locking column (including 70's era pickups)

Since it is moving around so much, I would not be surprised if the end of the outer tube is broken. Remove the turn signal switch, remove the top plate next (two 7/16 head nuts) and slide these off. Whatever is wrong will be found rather easily at this point. You may wish to source another column or plan on some down-time if parts are needed.

I WOULD NOT drive this car with this problem as it is. I would consider this unsafe (perhaps possible for the wheel to fail to turn, could be dangerous)

[Joshmcintosh]

I appreciate the warm welcome! Yes, it's been newly acquired and I'm finding several unoriginal parts, some more obvious than others. I wasn't aware this was not a 68 mounting bracket but it is not allowing any play at all so the issue appears to be elsewhere... I have the manual and no experience with this yet so thought I'd fish for guidance first. Will be taking it apart next to see if I can find any loose parts. Very grateful for your input.