[GoGoat]

Anyone replaced the upper steering column bearing? It's on my 67 GTO with tilt wheel.

[bhill86]

I’ve not had the need to get into the bearing but I’ve been in there quite a bit. What’s your question?

[Cammer-6]

From what I remember you need a puller to pull the pins
Can make one with hardened screw (IIRC they are 8/32")
and some assorted spacers.Or you can buy tool from Snapon.
Isnt the upper inside the "bowl"?

[GoGoat]

The stem the steering wheel goes on moves up and down a little bit. So the steering wheel has up and down play. It is there regardless the tilt position. I can see it in the bearing. It's the center of the bearing.

[Cammer-6]

dont have one in front of me to research but going off memory the lower bearing was the oddball.
If you pull the turn signal switch dont you have full access to the face of the bearing?
Buy a replacement and have ready,drill a hole in bearing to screw a screw into it and pull
with vise grips on slide hammer. press new bearing in using a sleeve slightly larger than shaft
but smaller than the bearing race.
2nd option is to separate the bowl from tilt assembly to gain access to backside of bearing to press it out.

[bhill86]

Here’s a video I think might help you.

https://youtu.be/Sx3pX3dvq1s

[Barrier Blue]

I don't know if this would help you with your problem, but it may help others. A couple years ago my upper bearing was noisy when I would turn the wheel, like clicking and grinding, and sometimes it would catch a little, and would require extra pressure on the wheel to turn it. I thought I was going to have to find a replacement, but thought I would first see if I could fix it. I removed the wheel and got access to the bearing. I put my needle grease fitting on my grease gun, and squeezed grease all around in the bearing, put it back together, and it was fine. One of those rare instances where something worked out easily, and at no cost.

[gomowgto]

I just replaced mine last year, the bearing is part of the turn signal and harness. I removed mine from a 67 Lemans at the salvage yard. You have to remove the wheel, turn signal lever and flasher button. Loosen the 3 Phillips head screws that loosen the upper column part that houses the turn signal, and rotate the upper portion until it unlocks, then remove it. Once you lift that off the shaft, you can remove the signal switch, then the bearing assembly. If I can find the pics, I'll post them. I removed the one from the donor car first to practice. If I broke something or made a mistake, I wanted it to be on the parts car.

[gomowgto]

Here's a pic.

[gomowgto]

Here's my donor car.

[GoGoat]

Thanks for all the info. Really good idea to try process on other parts before real thing.