While on the way to Memphis I noticed that the longer I drove on a continuous basis the more my steering deteriorated. the steering column in the area of the tilt mechanism would start squeaking and the steering would increasingly have an initial stickiness when I made a steering input. It became a matter of the steering inputs being stick, move, oversteer, stop, stick, move, oversteer in the opposite direction and stop, repeated endlessly. The problem wasn't severe, it just made precision difficult. The problem disappeared for several hours when I applied some Teflon spray through the various gaps in the column covers near the tilt mechanism. Since I arrived in Memphis I've sprayed while lithium grease through the same openings hoping for a longer term solution. BTW, the steering improvement was wonderful. I had not realized the concentration that I had been investing as a result of the stickiness.
Jon, in case you didn't know the steering wheel has a lever near the hub that allows it to extend upwards. I kind of remember the steering wheel doing what you describe if the wheel is all the way down but if you extend it up a 1/4" or more then it would move more freely. Hope that helps?
Forest: thanks. I had not tried that option. I'll give it a go on the trip home.
On mine the u joints in the steering column are not greasable, but yours might have a zerk on them.
Richard: thanks. Right now with the tools I have on board I'm not sure I can get there to check that out, but if my squeak returns on the ride home then I'll tear into it.
I'm at the Tom Sawyer RV Resort on the Mississippi in West Memphis, AR. What a cool place to watch river traffic. A tow of coal barges just past going downstream and it started to make the turn at least 1/2 mile before the actual corner. Between the 35-40,000 tons of coal and the current I guess you need to prearrange your track. Yesterday one misjudges the turn coming north and ended up with the stern of the push boat about 50ft off the bank, that was exciting with the prop wash blasting the bank. Y'all do good
on my 90, a buddy of mine took the column apart and cleaned and lubed it. took him most of a day, but it took the squeaks and such out. there are some special tools that are needed.
tom
Great article/manual Jon. There are also some good videos on u-tube.
I sprayed grease through various openings. On trip home, no sqeaks. Then I checked Forest's advice and put the wheel all the way down; no sqeak, but it was a bit sticky. I pulled it up a bit
