for guys with tilt steering columns or anyone who rebuilt one

[55Mach1 10]

i have a slight play in mine and i rebuilt it last year but the one thing i could not mess around with are the joints in the shaft for the tilt up top of the column, there appears to be a Flex joint in the shaft right below the turn signal indicator.

 

is there any way to fix the play in the coupler of the shaft?

 

i would easily go with an aftermarket column but nobody makes a direct fit with the ignition key so i do not want to exercise that headache of trying to adapt a GM aftermarket column to my car.

 

any suggestions or advise? i know the Ford tilt design of the 1970 sucked and had lots of issues and i think the slop is one of them by design.

[Rsanter 152]

I have see a couple of people adapt the later ford cars like 80s into the 69-70 cars and they come out nice

 

Bob

[miketyler 15]

Where do you feel the slop? Only when turning or? I would think if in the upper knuckle you could feel it rattle. I rebuilt my tilt in my 70 (converted 71 Lincoln) and I still have some slack in the steering box that I would like to work out.

[55Mach1 10]

Well we took the column out and tore it down and the left and right slack was coming from the tilt knuckle up top

 

There is a screw and welded nut holding the knuckle together, we carefully tightened it and its perfect now. Is not easy to grab both ends to do but we managed. Everything is back together it was a pita. The knuckle appears to be a rebuildable design however i doubt Ford ever sold parts to rebuild these

[miketyler 15]

Mine had up and down slack when locked in any position. The locking pawl was worn and we replaced that but still didnt take care of all of it. I took the two steel 1/4 dia pivot pins and had oversize pins made.

 

The holes in the aluminum castings had become worn and out of round. This removed all the looseness in the wheel itself but I think i have a little steering box slack now to contend with.

[55Mach1 10]

Mike i had a machine shop make me new pins last year but my other issue was the knuckle joint for the tilt in the shaft itself which now seems fixed. these columns are a total PITA to take apart carefully i hope i dont have to ever again.