I had been hearing this annoying creaking noise in my steering wheel ever since I bought this truck a few months back. It had been getting worse and the wheel started to feel loose side to side so I finally decided to investigate.

First thing I noticed when I got the horn pad off was a square plate under the center nut that didn't look factory. I removed the nut and the plate that had been holding the thing together fell off along with the wheel (to my surprise).





I remember (working as a MOPAR parts guy for 10+ years) handing out dozens of "steering wheel anti-separation plates" on service RO's for recalls. Never actually seen a steering wheel separate, I guess this is what they were trying to prevent.

 

Wow. just when you thought you had seen it all. Wouldn't it have been cheaper for Dodge to replace all of those wheels?

 

I had mine off just a week ago to replace clock spring and my centre looked good.Your lucky that did'nt come apart when you were driving.

 

Yeah, that plate was the size of the red square in the first picture... The fact that they fit together like a puzzle piece and that plate was there was all that was keeping it from not working.

 

Mine does feel a bit slack, but I think its a coupler problem. When I get around to rebuilding it, I think I'll pull to the shop out back and have my welding machine handy just in case. Thanks for the heads-up!

 

Not to hijack the thread or anything, but where'd you find a clock-spring?

 

Clock spring came from mopar.

 

I grabbed a clock spring from the junkyard. The clock spring in the early 90s dodge (and possibly plymouth) minivans is the same, you just take some side cutters and snip the extra wiring off it and away you go. I should know, I did it

 

...and that is why you shouldn't bang on the steering wheel in time to the song on the radio.

Spooky stuff!

 

Luckily mine pulls left under throttle and right when I brake so i think i could bring it to a safe stop if need be.

 

How tight are your axle u-bolts?

 

With the music you listen to I don't see how you could keep a beat to that anyways

 

Don't go hatin' on the bluegrass. It's like speed metal to us old folks, keeps us perky.

 

Sorry, I forgot to put that in the sacasim font.

 

now that is just funny....and when i took my wheel off mine did not have a clockspring in it....why is that?