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I'm rebuilding the front end on a '52 300 stick shift. The column moves and shakes and makes noise when going over bumps and turning. Any ideas on what parts are needed to refurbish it? Thanks

There are several moving pieces that can cause problems so you kind of need to narrow things down. First check that all the clamps are present and tight. Reference this parts illustration and the numbered arrows for the locations. It is an earlier 22-23 column but except for shape of shift levers, essentially identical to yours.

The shift tube is held at bottom by a clamp around the column tube which holds a bracket (1) keeping the shift tube from falling down and also secure in the receiver bushing at the wheel end (4). Inside the shift tube is a spring loaded rod which moves the selector tongue at the bottom to determine which shift lever is moved. It has a couple of rubber bushings around it to keep from vibrating against the tube. The shift tube is open at the bottom and spring is held in by a cotter key.

The same U clamp holding the bracket also clamps the column tube to a machined collar at the shaft exit of the steering box (2). The shroud is a separate piece surrounding the column tube and held at the bottom by a two piece clamp to dash support (3) and at the top by screws to a spider piece welded onto the column tube (5)

The steering shaft is one piece from the box and thru the column tube. It has a ball bearing at the top end also located in that welded on spider piece. There is a concave shaped ring around the shaft which forms the inner race for the bearing. The ring may be held against the bearing by a split retainer in a groove around the shaft.

If all those clamps and bearings are present and tight, there should be nothing to vibrate. All pertaining to the column also assumes the steering box is securely bolted to the frame and the upper support brace between the two piece dash clamp and firewall is intact..

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Thank you. I will take a look tomorrow and see if I can find all these.

Adding to what Howard said, there is a coil spring behind the steering wheel that presses a small cone-shaped split ring into the uppermost bearing. If either the spring or the split ring is missing, the column will rattle and you will also be able to move the steering wheel from side to side.

Don't forget the bolts that hold the column to the dash. There is also a V-shaped strut that from that juncture to the top of the cowl.

I was able to tighten the two upper steering gear bolts a half turn or so. The column/shift tree clamp u-bolt neither tightens nor loosens so it must be stripped. The column shroud doesn't shake even on the worst bumps. I'm thinking its primarily the uppermost bearing. I will pull the wheel sometime and see.

Make sure no broken welds at the flat upper support to tube connection and screws are present and tight connecting the shroud to support.

The bearing is in a recess in the support and concave ring around the shaft forms the inner bearing race. There should be a groove in the shaft for a circular snap ring. I believe that is what Packard called a spacer. If bearing is dirty or greasy it may take some digging to find it because the groove is sort of recessed in the concave ring. The complete assy should be held in position by the snap ring and the compression spring.

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