Lower steering column bearing

I’m still working through some steering upgrades. It’s come to the point that I need to replace my lower steering column bearing. I had planned to do this and already purchased an aftermarket DRB Fab bearing.

I removed the old one to see how bad it was and most of it had fallen apart and the actual bearing was no longer attached to the housing.  However, I had a hard time remove it. I could get it about an inch from coming off and no further.  I opted to save time and cut it off with some bolt cutters.

Getting the new one on has not gone so well and I’m close to pulling the entire column and shaft out. It seems easy but is this my best option?  The new bearing does not fit on. I can get an extremely slight amount of wobble but it does not go on.

It appears that when the lower steering shaft was attached it may have squeezed the shaft and deformed it. It appears pushed out at the top and bottom.

Should I consider a more OEM style part? Would that provide more clearance?

I’m open to options. I’m currently thing that I’ll remove the entire column and use an angle grinder to take a little off the top and bottom. I don’t think it needs much. Sanding it could be a good option. I don’t think those are things I can safely do without removing the column.

https://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/1980-1991-Steering-Column-Billet-Lower-Bearing-Housing-tp53187.html

I chatted with DRB on Facebook. He said what he’s found is that someone has tightened the through bolt too much and flattened the shaft in that dimension but made it larger in the other dimension. So take a file to it.

No one in the thread actually mentions it being a requirement, but I got the feeling from the comments that removing the entire column was going to make things a lot easier to work on this.  I did that this morning before we had a rain storm.  More to follow.

I was hoping to avoid removing the entire column, but after I read through the thread Jim sent, it seemed like a necessity.  I did that first thing this morning before it start raining.  It was easier than I thought it would be.  Once I separated the lower part of the steering shaft, it was obvious that someone had over tightened the lower steering shaft.  The end was squeezed side-to-side and the top and bottom were bulged outward.

I was considering the grinder or the file but the bulge didn't seem that bad.  I was also afraid I might remove too much material.  With the shaft out, I was able to check it against the new borgeson lower shaft and it wouldn't connect into that either.

I opted to use a ball peen hammer and a small anvil to remove the high spots.  It took a few rounds between the hammer and checking the clearance on the bearing and borgeson but I got it where it needed to be.  

I'm still waiting for the rain to stop so I can put everything back in.  In the mean time, I've cleaned the column and steering wheel up.