Squeaking and grinding on the steering column

It's not a spring, but a cable called the clockspring. It's a flat cable that's wound on edge in such a way to allow the steering wheel to turn from stop to stop without twisting the wire along its length.

Many times, a dry lubricant can be sprayed in the area the clockspring resides in to eliminate the chattering of the cable against the housing.

Mike Hall wrote:

Not when new or in good condition, they don't. When they're old and/or worn and/or damaged, they certainly frequently do.

That's a shame, for it means you'd be unable to fix minor problems (excessive steering effort due to dry upper-column components, sluggish turn signal lever return, minor creaks and squeaks) without R&Ring the column.

-DS (has encountered many squeaky/creaky clocksprings and a decade ago stopped counting minor upper column nuisances fixed with silicone spray)

Apparently you also don't believe in squeaking clocksprings. *shrug* Some people don't believe in the existence of the state of Idaho, either.

DS