clock spring

[dieselcrawler]

I've been getting a noise coming from the steering wheel, I assume it's the clock spring rubbing... it's in my red truck, the one I drive the most, and it's driving me nuts. Everything still works, like the horn, cruise, and such... but what does it take to replace it? I've done a search here, on 'clock spring' and read the posts that come up, but does anyone have any first-hand experiance in replacing it, and the removeal of the air bag, which I assume has to come out as well?

[Sticker Monster]

the rubbing noise you are hearing may be the air bag sliding contact. I couldn't find anything in my service manual about the clock spring r&r, but I did find this...

SM

[dieselcrawler]

Thanks for the reply StickerMonster, too bad I can't read PDF files on my computer... by the way, nice work on your Ex, I've been following your progress, it's coming along nicely. I think I might steal your idea, and swap the black bumper trims parts from my F250 to our Ex like you did, then paint the tan ones and the bumper for short term use on the F250. One of these days I'm gonna build some REAL bumpers from REAL metal, front and rear.

Now, back to the clock spring isssue... The other possiblity is that there is a berring going bad in the collumn, but I would think it would be a consistant sound, not randomly like what I'm getting. I get a scratchy, broken/flopping spring sound, slight most of the time, but louder more often now... I thought the air bag, cruise control, and horn were the items that made use of the clock spring, are there actully sliding contacts/rings that the air bag uses?

[Sticker Monster]

download adobe reader it is free, then you can open pdf files. the only reference I can find to a clock spring is in the wiring diagrams. now that I think about it, the only symptoms I have seen on the forums referring to clock spring issues involve blown fuses and erratic electrical issues involving the cruise control. the horn and airbag is wired through the "air bag sliding contact".

SM