Steering column radial play. 59 beetle

My 59 beetle has radial play or up and down movement so I purchased a new column bearing kit and nylon bush.
Not sure about the nylon bush though. Mine is either missing or its the wrong part.
My original bush fitted to the column is much smaller and looks like its been heat shrunk on.
The original bearing doesn't seem like its in bad nick.
Are both bushes meant to be installed?
Has anyone got a pictorial breakdown or come across this before?

From memory some of the early columns had a convoluted metal bush between the bearing and the bush to take up the play.

Ok. I do recall seeing something like this on one of the parts sites.

Ill check it out again. Thanx

Is your column and wheel the early type with the indicator switch held to the column with a metal strap and the wheel is a half batwing type wheel? Or the later cast indicator that sits ontop of the column with a grub screw to hold it in place and then the classic D type horn ring dishes bakerlite wheel?

I've got both a 59-60 and a 56 so can easily tell ya what is what 🙂

Hi Mike.

Its the second type. Its got an existing nylon bush but its more like a thick heat shrink.

Amd ive still got ur springplates. Ill try my best to get there before xmas!!!

Cheets bud

grumble wrote:From memory some of the early columns had a convoluted metal bush between the bearing and the bush to take up the play.

I've got this on my 76 so may be an alternative for all models.

oldturtle22 wrote:Hi Mike.

Its the second type. Its got an existing nylon bush but its more like a thick heat shrink.

Amd ive still got ur springplates. Ill try my best to get there before xmas!!!

Cheets bud

Hiya Chris,

So for my one it has a concave ball bearing type bearing housing pressed into the top of the column. Then a curved washer sits against that bearing and then there a spring that rests on that bearing and then the underside of the steering wheel.

The early batwing has the metal boss of the wheel slide into a pressed in solid bush at the top of the column and so only grease stops the wheel and column from binding against each other.

The later ball bearing allows things to roll against each other.

No worries on the spring plates. I sold the pan without them last month as having a bit of a clean out downstairs. Maybe throw me a few bucks and put the plates for sale on here?

Laters,
Mike