Steering Wheel - Feels Loose or Wobbles
90ford40 Article No. 90-25-8^ STEERING WHEEL - FEELS LOOSE ON SHAFT - VEHICLES BUILT BEFORE 3/1/90
^ STEERING WHEEL - WOBBLES IF MOVED BACK AND FORTH ON WHEEL RIM - VEHICLES BUILT BEFORE 3/1/90
FORD: 1990 CROWN VICTORIA, TAURUS
LINCOLN-MERCURY: 1990 GRAND MARQUIS, MARK VII, SABLE, TOWN CAR
ISSUE: The steering wheel may feel loose on its shaft or wobble when it is moved back and forth at the wheel rim. This condition is caused by wearing of the upper plastic tolerance ring.
ACTION: Install a new bearing tolerance ring service kit (FODZ-3L539-D). An instruction sheet is included in the service kit.
The service kit consists of the following items.
^ Steel tolerance ring
^ Machined steel sleeve
^ Bearing pre-load spring
^ Steering wheel attaching bolt
^ Instruction Sheet 6169A.
Refer to the following procedure for service details.
REMOVAL
Before beginning this procedure, locate and disconnect the air bag back-up power supply.
WARNING: DISCONNECT THE AIR BAG BACK-UP POWER SUPPLY.
^ In the Taurus/Sable/Mark VII - it is located in the RH instrument panel above the glove compartment.
^ In the Crown Victoria/Grand Marquis/Lincoln Town Car - It is located in the instrument panel and is combined with the diagnosis module.
1. Center the front wheels to the straight ahead position.
2. Disconnect the battery ground cable.
3. Be sure that the air bag back-up power supply has been disconnected as indicated in the WARNING statement at the beginning of this procedure.
4. Remove the four (4) air bag module attaching nuts and lift the module from the steering wheel.
Figure 1:
5. Disconnect the air bag wire harness from the air bag module, Figure 1.
6. Remove the module from the steering wheel.
7. Disconnect the speed control wire harness (if so equipped) from the steering wheel.
8. Remove the steering wheel attaching bolt and throw it away.
Figure 2:
9. Install a steering wheel puller (T67L-3600-A or equivalent), Figure 2.
10. Remove the steering wheel.
11. Remove the instrument panel lower trim cover.
12. Disconnect the contact assembly wire harness.
Figure 3:
13. Apply two (2) strips of tape across the contact assembly stator and rotor to prevent accidential rotation, Figure 3.
14. Remove the three (3) contact assembly attaching screws, Figure 3.
a. Pull the contact assembly off the steering column shaft.
b. Position it out of the way.
Figure 4:
15. Using a screwdriver, pry the turn signal cancelling cam off the steering shaft, Figure 4.
CAUTION: USE CARE NOT TO DAMAGE THE UPPER COLUMN SHROUD.
Figure 5:
16. Using snap ring pliers, remove the upper bearing snap ring and spring, Figure 5.
Figure 6:
17. Using a screwdriver, pry the upper bearing tolerance ring off the shaft, Figure 6.
CAUTION: USE CARE NOT TO DAMAGE THE UPPER COLUMN SHROUD.
INSTALLATION
1. Place the new steel tolerance ring on the steering shaft with the taper toward the bearing.
Figure 7:
2. Using a section of PCV pipe 3/4" (19.05 mm) diameter, push the tolerance ring down the shaft until it is seated on the bearing, Figure 7.
Figure 8:
3. Place the steel upper bearing sleeve on the shaft, Figure 8.
4. Slide the sleeve down the shaft until it bottoms on the steel tolerance ring.
5. Place the upper bearing pre-load spring from the service kit onto the shaft.
Figure 5:
6. Using snap ring pliers, place the snap ring onto the shaft and slide it down until it contacts the spring, Figure 5.
7. Using the same PCV pipe used in Step 2, place it onto the shaft.
Figure 9:
8. Tap the PCV pipe with a light ball peen hammer until the snap ring settles in the snap ring groove on the shaft, Figure 9.
9. Place the turn signal cancelling cam (flush surface facing up) onto the steering shaft.
Figure 10:
10. Using the PCV pipe, press the cam down until it seats, Figure 10.
11. Align the contact assembly to the column shaft and mounting bosses. Slide the contact assembly onto the shaft.
Figure 3:
12. Install three (3) retaining screws, Figure 3.
a. Tighten screws to 18-26 lb.in. (2-3 N-m).
b. Remove the tape strips.
13. Connect the contact assembly wire harness.
a. Route the contact assembly wire harness through the steering wheel opening.
b. Position the steering wheel onto the steering shaft.
NOTE: THE STEERING WHEEL AND SHAFT INDEX MARKS MUST BE ALIGNED. BE SURE THAT THE AIR BAG CONTACT WIRE IS NOT PINCHED.
14. Install a new steering wheel attaching bolt. Tighten the bolt to 23-33 lb.ft. (31-48 N-m).
NOTE: WHILE SITTING IN THE DRIVERS SEAT, GRASP THE STEERING WHEEL AT 9 AND 3 O'CLOCK. PUSH THE STEERING WHEEL AWAY UNTIL YOU CAN FEEL THE STEERING SHAFT MOVE AGAINST THE SPRING. LET IT LOOSE AND REPEAT FIVE TIMES. PULL THE STEERING WHEEL TOWARD YOURSELF TO SEAT IT.
Figure 1:
15. Connect the air bag module to the air bag wire harness, Figure 1.
16. Install the module to the steering wheel. Tighten the module attaching nuts to 3-4 lb.ft. (4-6 N-m).
17. Install the instrument panel lower trim cover.
18. Connect the air bag module back-up power supply.
19. Connect the battery ground cable.
PART NUMBER PART NAME CLASS
FODZ-3L539-D Bearing Tolerance Ring Service BG
Kit
OTHER APPLICABLE ARTICLES: 89-25-3
WARRANTY STATUS: Eligible Under Basic Warranty Coverage
OPERATION DESCRIPTION TIME
902508A Install Kit 0.8 Hr.
DEALER CODING
BASIC PART NO. CONDITION CODE
3L539 30
OASIS CODES: 303000