Top steering collumn bearing

Can it be lubed w/o taking the collumn apart?:v6:

 

I suppose...
if one wanted to drill a teeny tiny hole right below the wheel
then use a straw on a can of white grease or something simliar
to direct the flow back up the tube
disclaimer: I've never done this myself

 

I just replaced mine last weekend. I doubt that you would be able to get any lube into the bearings without at least taking the steering wheel off. It is really a cup that is a press fit into the top of the column. It has about 15 small ball bearings that the inner cup rides on and is held in place with a lock ring.

 

I'm sorry I took a while to get back to this one, kinda looks like it got off track somewhere. The steering wheel is not an issue, in fact the whole collumn is standing on the deck right now awaiting paint (minus steering wheel). The box doesn't leak, everythings tight (did Vern's checks before it came off), and I don't want to remove the tube if they can be had w/o it. I guess what I'm asking is can the outer race be removed w/o damage and w/ the shaft and collumn still in place?:v6:

 

Rocky,
I really don't think so. If you look down into the top of the tube, you will see the bearing. The outer bearing race was very hard to get out even with the shaft out of it. The inner race is a very tight fit on the shaft and the outer race is very tight in the tube. Yours might be different.

If the entire box and column is out of the jeep it is actually really easy to pull to tube off. Just loosen the clamp at the steering box end of the tube and it should just slide off the shaft. You don't have to disassemble the box to do this.

If the upper column bearing was in as tight as mine was I really think that taking the tube off will be the only way you will be able to get that bearing out. Good luck.