Bushing Repair
Here's a fix for the loose steering column which every 1200 now seems to have after 30 years... a polyethylene bushing.
It is located in the top of the steering colum (i.e. steering wheel end) and unscrews. It is behind the turn signal indicator assembly.
This is like a $10 fix, although you have to drill, cut and/or whittle the polyethylene yourself. It is low-friction and self-lubricating. Machine one up yourself out of Nylon - $10. With some time and patience you can whittle it with a knife.
Or buy one already made from Nissan. The Nissan part number is:
- 48910-H1020 or 48910-H1021 Column Bush (1971-1973)
- Newer utes use a totally different setup
- the screw in type AU$56. Press the new bush into the screw part, per the Factory Service Manual.
- the press fit type AU$26, essentially a rubber bush with a copper sleeve
A friendly Nissan dealer is the place to ask for the part.
- you can still get them genuine from Nissan
- looks like some sort of engineering plastic (eg delrin) and encased in the threaded and castellated metal outer.
Alternative
as a quick fix , cut 4 small pieces of cork, lube them up and push them in place.
Part Numbers
- Steering Column Lock Actuator: ACDELCO E1499A $19.87 USD from http://www.rockauto.com
- 48910-H1021 BUSH, steering column Column Bush (1971-1973), supercedes 48910-H1020 for Collapsible type column
- 25540-H1007 COMP-SWITCH TURN SIGNAL & DIMMER $155.78 USD, supercedes 25540-H1006
- 25540-H1100 COMP-SWITCH TURN SIGNAL & DIMMER (OPTION) [passing switch type]