Solution for steering slop?

[TYTILIDIE]

Hey guys, last year I had to rebuild a lot of things on my front end. I replaced the stock box and got ZQ8. I still had slop though like many others who have spent hundreds of dollars trying to get rid of it with no luck. I read through tons of posts on this and a few years back John Waller had mentioned something about a plastic white bushing in the end of the steering shaft that goes bad in all S10 trucks and cause the slop. I contacted Waller and he told me he didn't have a Part # and that he got it at the dealer for about $10. Well, ever since then I have been on a mission to find this part. Last year I was told that you had to buy a new column. I try to get this thing about once a month and never have any luck. Three months ago I bought one but it was totally wrong. The guy at the dealer swore up and down that it was the right one. So, yesterday, I finally found a parts guy at a dealer that was actually willing to do some leg work. I also brought my bushing with me. He made call after call after call. He was unsuccessful and it was very close to the end of the day and told me he would have to call GM in the morning. So this Morning I called him to see how he made out and he said that I needed to come in and see and get my part back. So I get there and he shows me that the bushing that came in our trucks are now phased out and there is a replacement that entails a white plastic housing, similar to the original, and a press in metal BEARING. So I take it out to the service guys and they press it in. I paid $60 for it all together and will be taking pics of it with the bags that have the part #'s on them. I will install this today and let everyone know if it ends up working out or not, and if it does, Ill post up the results either way and hopefully we can all have trucks that drive normal once again.

[Loeryder]

I am anxiously awaiting your reply.

Everything from the steering shaft to the spindles was new on my truck and it still has a some slop at center.

[Foot Performance]

I allways thought it was the rag joints in the steering shaft ao i got a shaft with u-joint but havent installed

but the part numbers would be good to nkow i can see what my parts guy can get me at see what discount i could pass along to the rest.

[Loeryder]

Originally Posted by Foot Performance

I allways thought it was the rag joints in the steering shaft ao i got a shaft with u-joint but havent installed

but the part numbers would be good to nkow i can see what my parts guy can get me at see what discount i could pass along to the rest.

You wanna do a GP on 10?
Gm usually price breaks at 10 for some reason.

I am game.

[fivetodrive]

Let me know as well. The white plastic part on my truck is melted a little bit. It sounds like this part replaces it!

[4C FED]

We need something like this to isolate the up & down movement of the centerlink.

[dogboy]

so can they be fitted to our trucks or not?

[TYTILIDIE]

OK guys here is the scoop. I installed everything and took it out for a long drive. Slop is nearly gone, I think what I am now feeling is simply the 275's up front. My truck used to jerk violently when changing lanes to the point where sometimes it was just plain scary. Now, this bushing/bearing, I feel has made it so minimal that I barely even notice it. And when I do, I usually have a tire on the crest of the groove in the road. I would say this was very worth it, here are the pics I took
This is the bearing/adapter assembly next to the stock bushing. The metal bearing is actually pressed in to the plastic adapter.


This bearing, oddly enough, has no rubber boot or anything like that that the stock piece has, this is odd to me because at first glance, it seems the bearing goes in first, but it doesn't, the plastic adapter goes in first. I was told at the dealership I would have to have it pressed in to the column. I went and got myself a piece of 1 1/4" round steel pipe to use to tap it in. When I got home, I found that from the right angle, you can push it on there. Everything fit perfect, dust cover, clip, no more play in the column/shaft anymore, at all.


So for anyone who can't see the part #'s on the bag here they are,
Plastic adapter: GM#780-5822
Bearing GM#780-5700

So there it is. Hope for you guys that have slop that this fixes it or at least makes it better. Good luck.

[Flyin Ryan]

wow this will help sooo many people including myself when I have money/time to jerk with

[danny]

where exactly does this part go?

[sy#2921]

Good job mike. Even with all new front end parts, box, shaft there was still a little play and this has to be it. I even when in the top of the column to tighten everything and it still didn't work. Just wish you got a few install pics I am just having a hard time imagining this right now.

I don't want to steal mike's thunder but if you guys are interested in a GP I get a discount on all gm parts. Let me know

[TYTILIDIE]

No thunder here, go for it. I just wish I could have saved a few bucks on it

The part goes like this, at the top of your steering shaft is a bolt that has a 7/16" head on it. If you take that bolt out, you can then collapse your steering shaft. Then sticking out of the steering column, is another shaft, with a thin metal cage around it and a clip holding it all in place. This shaft, is what turns when you turn the wheel, and the plastic bushing, is what supports it. To check to see if it is worn, you grab hold of the top of the steering shaft and try and move it back and fourth or side to side, if it moves, the bushing is bad and you should replace it. If it doesn't move, chances are you will be ok and your slop is from something else.

[phoonTy]

Adding this to my "to do" list for the 27th. Good work figuring this out. I'm looking forward to doing this and the cherokee shaft. Should drive like a dream again.

[sy#2921]

Looks like I will be making a few calls tomorrow and monday if needed. I can just remember from when I switched steering shafts how loose that section was coming out of the firewall that the shaft clamps onto. I just figured it was normal. Guess not.

BTW, nice build sheet in the background, did the dealer give that to you when you got those parts? All because they need the last 8 of the vin now.

[TYTILIDIE]

Originally Posted by sy#2921

BTW, nice build sheet in the background, did the dealer give that to you when you got those parts? All because they need the last 8 of the vin now.

You know I haven't even looked at that paper, it was stapled to my receipts when I picked everything up.