How to tell bad bearing in steering wheel

[cims1970fj40]

I had my steering wheel tube and shaft powder coated and didn’t even think about the bearing on the bottom where the steering tube bolts to. I wondered if there is a way I could tell if the bearing is bad or not before I assembly everything. It does turn but sounds like sand may be trapped inside or something. It more and likely was blasted before it was coated.
Any help would be great. Thanks

 

[pb4ugo]

Sand was probably forced into the bearing during sandblasting prior to powder coating. If it has a grease fitting you might try greasing it to force some sand out of the bearing. This is probably a long shot, and will most likely have to be replaced. That bearing is not stk.

 

[cims1970fj40]

Sand was probably forced into the bearing during sandblasting prior to powder coating. If it has a grease fitting you might try greasing it to force some sand out of the bearing. This is probably a long shot, and will most likely have to be replaced. That bearing is not stk.

Thanks for the input.

 

[pb4ugo]

Instead of bolting a pillow block to your fire wall there is a cleaner way to adapt a bearing to the bottom of your column.

My Saginaw Power Steering Swap

This thread will detail a Saginaw power steering install into my 79 FJ40. I have been running a "minitruck" power steering box with a Tercel pump for 9 years and really wanted to get rid of the stock center arm linkage, along with the drag link that runs beside the drivers side tire. I was also...

forum.ih8mud.com

If you scroll down on the 1st page of the link he offers a list of bearings and dimensions that fit into your column. If you scroll down a little more, he also shows where it goes. I went into a local independent mower shop, he glanced at the list of part numbers and dimensions, reached under the counter and grabbed a bearing.

 

[cims1970fj40]

Instead of bolting a pillow block to your fire wall there is a cleaner way to adapt a bearing to the bottom of your column.

My Saginaw Power Steering Swap

This thread will detail a Saginaw power steering install into my 79 FJ40. I have been running a "minitruck" power steering box with a Tercel pump for 9 years and really wanted to get rid of the stock center arm linkage, along with the drag link that runs beside the drivers side tire. I was also...

forum.ih8mud.com

If you scroll down on the 1st page of the link he offers a list of bearings and dimensions that fit into your column. If you scroll down a little more, he also shows where it goes. I went into a local independent mower shop, he glanced at the list of part numbers and dimensions, reached under the counter and grabbed a bearing.
View attachment 2605949

Thanks! I’ll take a look.