# 65 GTO Steering Column Question



## Noangelbuddy (Dec 6, 2017)

First let me admit I am guilty of not taking more pictures during disassembly. Things seem obvious taking them apart, not so obvious putting them back together two years later. Gutted my 65 GTO interior, cleaned up the dash and changed all the wiring. Removed the steering wheel and bagged/labeled all the parts. What I can‘t remember is removing the lower bearing from the shaft ( in attached pic next to broken plastic). I think that goes on the shaft “after“ Inserting the shaft thru the upper bearing race by the directional assembly. That way the shaft is supported at the bottom inside the engine compartment and at the top near the turn signal arm; otherwise, I think the shaft would be flopping around inside the column. I could not find any videos or books to assist. So first question is does the bearing in the first picture live at the bottom of the column? Second question has to do terminology. For lack of proper term, I will call it a plastic guide. A piece of the guide broke loose and other cracks are visible (see picture). I don’t want to break out what remains, unless I can buy a replacement. I believe it helps retain the lower bearing. I don’t know what the part is called. It is plastic and has two tabs on opposite sides. Could not find it in either Ames or OPGI among the steering wheel pages. Welcome suggestions. Wisecracks are okay if accompanied by answers.
r,
Frank


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## GTOJUNIOR (Aug 7, 2011)

IIRC the Lower column Bearing Adaptor/Retainer is the same 65-66 back when mine needed replacement NOS was somewhat unattainable so I found a fabricator that turned me an aluminum piece. This came with a fitted roller bearing and I never looked back. 
I believe now some of the Pontiac Parts vendors offer a repro plastic adaptor. Check online I'm sure I have seen them.


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## Noangelbuddy (Dec 6, 2017)

Awesome, thank you!


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## O52 (Jan 27, 2019)

Assembly procedure should be in the service manual under the steering chapter


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## Noangelbuddy (Dec 6, 2017)

Thanks, but I hate reading instructions and don’t have a good service manual. I bought the 1965 Tempest Chassis Shop Manual. It does not help in this instance. I found part of my problem last night. I could not get my plastic directional assembly over the three guide pins. When I tried to push it over the guide pins, the first hole cracked. I drilled the pin heads down then drilled holes for sheet metal screws (see attached picture). That firmly secured the rear directional plastic part, cracked hole location include. The top plastic part is molded to accept the chrome directional lever. I was so focused on getting the top plastic piece aligned with the metal shaft for the directional lever screw, I failed to properly engage two small plastic pins between the top and rear plastic sections. I don’t believe these two plastic parts were meant to come apart or be “repaired”, or modified in this case. While lying in bed this morning, several solutions for my bearing retainer came to mind. Will settle on one soon.


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