What we have here is a '68 B body, manual shift, power steering column. I've blown the column apart for a resto and have the shaft out, but the lower bearing is pretty much rusted in place. I'm not concerned with saving the bearing itself, but I do want to preserve the nylon piece so before I go all Cro-Magnum on it, I'd like to know does it:

A) Slide towards the steering gear box (short end)

B) Slide towards the steering wheel (long end)

C) Does it not matter as there is no shoulder it butts up against.

Thanks

The bearing and plastic piece are one and the same. Just knock the whole thing out. It comes out towards the box and YES, it does have a shoulder. It also has a screw holding it in from the side.

Click the link:

https://www.megapartsusa.com/proddetail.asp?prod=102-543

Just to be clear - the bearing is not seated in the tube, it is frozen on the shaft. At this point it is just the bare shaft and lower bearing. I need to drive it off of the shaft and wanted to know in which direction.

So with a loooong pipe over the shaft, I should drive the bearing toward the coupler, correct ?

You should drive the bearing up away from the coupler. You can't get it past the coupler because there is a pin inside the coupler that will prevent the bearing from going past it. Be careful in the process because you can collapse the shaft (one section slides into the other). Why don't you just hack the thing off with a zip wheel - there's nothing worth saving !!

There is no coupling, it's just the shaft and bearing. I plan on using a different bearing (further up the tube) and want to gut the original bearing, but retain the outer nylon portion and reinstall it to maintain the stock appearance.

The first question I have is - WHY?

Next, the inner tube or spacer goes from the top casting all the way down to this bearing. So you're going to have to get rid of that tube. Makes no sense to me. I just don't understand what you're hoping to accomplish.

Knock the thing off any way you can I guess !!

Well, because :

A) It's a better bearing

B) The o.d of the new bearing is the same as the i.d. of the tube so there is no need to get rid of the tube.

C) It's only $7.49 for a superior, sealed bearing compared to $80 for that semi plastic piece of crap.

Anyway, I had put the shaft in a 20 ton press with a short section of pipe pressing on the bearing and with considerably more effort than you would have thought necessary, managed to separate the two with no damage.

Thanks for your help.

Are we talking about the same tube. I'm not talking about the column. There is a tube inside the column and the shaft goes inside that.

5wndwcpe,
Could you share some pics of how and where you are mounting that bearing?
I may have to replace my bearing as well.
Thanks

Here's a shot of the tube I'm referring to. First shot is top end. Second shot is bottom end - it seats in the plastic bearing. Third shot shows it inside the column.

My bad, I thought you were referring to the outer tube. And yes, you're right, the inner tube will need to be modified slightly. The small end of the new bearing fits perfectly inside the old nylon piece. On the backside I can either cut the inner tube short and swage the end to fit over the small portion of the new bearing or not swage it and run a bronze bushing in between the inner tube and the shaft t keep it centered. Either way the original spring can be retained.

The original lower bearing was rusted to the shaft and barely turned. If I can save it, I will, but to me, this is a workable remedy with little effort and considerable savings should the original bearing turn out to be trash.

I post some up when I get back on it. Getting a motor ready for the dyno this week.

Woo hoo !