Cant get the bottom bearing off the steering shaft

It may take a bearing separator to remove it as it may have fused to the shaft over the years.

check the bearings in the top and bottom of the ball that the front axle stub turns on. Check the steering box bearings and adjustment. check the bush under the steering wheel in the column. Check the steering shocky for free operation ( shaft not bent). check the wheel alignment because if the springs have sagged then the castor setting will be too far negative .

LOOSEN the the bolts that clamp the fork legs to the tree. Remove the fork legs along with the front wheel by pulling down on them. Be careful that the brake hoses and the speedometer aren't damaged. Remove the center nut. Bend the lock washer tang so that the bearing retainer nut can be removed and remove the nut and washer from the center shaft. the tree should slide out from the bottom. Don't remove the bearings from the center shaft unless you are going to replace them. When re-installing the center shaft, tighten the bearing retainer nut just enough so the shaft doesn't shake but not so tight that there is a bind when turning the tree. this can be re-adjusted after all assembly is complete.
Good Luck

Hey John,
The unit you are talking about is called an "intermediate shaft". I am intimately familiar with these..(I worked as a inspector over the departments that made the parts and then assembly- we made them for NUMEROUS manufacturers!!)
It has a small universal joint on each end.. the u-joint has bearings on all four corners, just like a drive shaft u-joint...the bearings are "staked" in and are almost impossible to get out without destroying the yoke(s)..replacing the I-Shaft is the most economical route... I WOULD NOT attempt to rebuild one!!
Rebuilding them is a painstaking,expensive(even if you can get the parts), and usually you end up breaking something..
The I-Shaft has a flat spring in the sliding joint to regulate the sliding stiffness when the body/engine/cab "flexes".. -- DO NOT separate the two pieces.. the rag coupling (the one at the bottom) is swedged (staked) in place so the shaft assembly will not separate in everyday driving..
.replacing the I-Shaft is the most economical route... I WOULD NOT attempt to rebuild one!!

Hi I just read your post.
It sounds like you have got the shaft upside down.
Large nut for the shaft goes on at bottom bearing & put your seal in last.Make sure you put enough grease on the lip of the seal.

It sounds like the shift tube bushings are worn out. There are usually 2 u shaped clamps that have nylon bushings that hold the shift tube to the steering clumn. If loose, that throws off the shift position, could be btween 2 gears at once, and throws off the park - neutral safety switch. Fix that first.


Item Part Number Description 1 14A664 Air Bag Sliding Contact 2 3530 Upper Steering Column Shroud 3 3518 Steering Column Bearing Sleeve 4 3517 Steering Column Bearing 5 3511 Steering Column Lock Cylinder Housing 6 13K359 Multi-Function Switch 7 N808114 Pin 8 N805857 Steering Column Release Lever Pin 9 3D544 Steering Column Release Lever 10 3F609 Tilt Wheel Handle and Shank 11 7361 Column Shift Selector Lever Plunger 12 7210 Gearshift Lever 13 3D657 Steering Column Shaft 14 7B071 Transmission Control Selector Lever Plunger Spring 15 7G357 Gearshift Lever Pin 16 7212 Transmission Column Shift Selector Tube 17 N806582 Tilt Column Pivot Screw 18 7C464 Transmission Control Selector Lever Spring Clip 19 7E400 Gearshift Tube Bushing Clamp 20 - Spacer (Fixed Column) 21 3E729 Steering Shaft (Fixed Column) 22 3F527 Lever Assembly (Manual Transmission) 23 3F530 Pin (Manual Transmission) 24 3F752 Brake Shift Interlock Solenoid 25 7335 Gearshift Lever Socket Bushing 26 7A216 Transmission Shift Selector Position Insert 27 7302 Transmission Selector Lever Arm and Support 28 7E395 Shift Cable and Bracket 29 7210 Gearshift Lever 30 3E691 Steering Column Shift Lock Pawl 31 7W441 Gearshift Lever Pin 32 3676 Steering Column Instrument Panel Bracket 33 3D681 Steering Column Lower Bearing Retainer 34 3517 Steering Column Bearing Sleeve 35 3L539 Steering Column Bearing Tolerance Ring 36 3C674 Steering Column Lower Bearing Spring 37 3C131 Sensor Ring 38 3518 Steering Column Bearing 39 N806423-S56 Steering Column Retaining Nuts 40 14A163 Wiring Harness Retainer 41 3F723 Steering Actuator Housing 42 3B663 Steering Column Lock Lever Pin 43 11572 Ignition Switch 44 3D655 Steering Column Position Spring 45 3D653 Steering Column Locking Lever (LH) 46 3B768 Steering Column Position Lock Spring 47 3B662 Steering Column Locking Lever (RH) 48 3E715 Lower Steering Column Lock Actuator 49 3E696 Steering Column Lock Spring 50 3E691 Steering Column Shaft Lock Pawl 51 3E723 Upper Steering Column Lock Lever Actuator 52 3E695 Steering Column Lock Cam 53 3D656 Steering Column Tilt Flange Bumper 54 14A163 Wiring Harness Retainer 55 391727-S304 Shroud Screws 56 3530 Steering Column Shroud 57 3E717 Steering Column Lock Gear 58 3E700 Steering Column Lock Housing Bearing 59 3C610 Bearing Retainer 60 11582 Ignition Switch Lock Cylinder 61 3L539 Steering Column Tolerance Ring 62 3520 Steering Column Upper Bearing Spring 63 3C610 Snap Ring

It sounds like the upper steering colomn bowl is loose. The bolts come up from the bottom and hold the lower portion of the steering wheel cover to the upper. The steering shaft runs down thru the middle of both. If loose the steering wheel will rock side to side in the upper bearing race, not holding the shaft tight or straight. Its actually easier to remove the entire steering colomn, turn upside down and tighten. Remove the lower steering shaft at the firewall (mark the spline alignment). Disconnect the electrical connections at the lower colomn. Disconnect shifter (if not floor console shifter). Unbolt from dash and remove the entire colomn, with wheel attached. Flip over and chek the lower bolts for tightness. It can be done from disassembling the colomn, but its a lot of work and lots of little pieces to loose.

It may seem like it won't go, but it will angle out past the engine. Pull the shaft up a bit and angle it out the side between the engine and dash.

There are two bearing in the column. One at the top and one at the bottom. You will have to disassemble the complete column to replace them.

closest I have is 94 explorer. may be similar.




Item Part Number Description 1 3E501 Steering Gear Sector Shaft Seal 2 3524 Steering Gear Input Worm Gear and Rack 3 3647 Steering Gear Worm Ball 4 3523 Steering Gear Ball Return Guide 5 3A670 Steering Gear Worm Thrust Bearing Adjuster 6 — Locknut (Part of 3577) 7 3571 Steering Gear Worm Thrust Bearing 8 3575 Steering Gear Sector Shaft 9 3524 Steering Gear Input Worm Gear and Rack