junkyard tilt column
 

OK, I went to the junkyard today and got a 3-1/2 turn power steering box off a mid-70s chevy pickup and this tilt column. The only thing I'm worried about is I don't see the intermediate shaft everybody is talking about having to collapse.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g7...1513Medium.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g7...1512Medium.jpg

Please...someone tell me I didn't get the wrong column. Am I supposed to collapse the shaft from my truck? (manual shift manual steering)

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g7...1516Medium.jpg

Or is the shaft inside the column and you have to remove it first, and then collapse?

There were a bunch of vans with tilts at both yards I went to, but most of them were the later models with the ignition on the column. This was the only tilt I found without the ignition. There were a bunch with non-tilts, and all of the columns shafts at the end looked about the same. They stuck out of the end of the column about 6". Nothing like the long shaft in my truck.

Please help

Re: junkyard tilt column
 

The intermediate shaft is the one hanging off your current column. It's in the bottom picture.

Re: junkyard tilt column
 

Kevncar - The column in your truck now is the 67 one piece shaft style. IIR in 68 but definetly by 69 GM went to a 2 piece shaft. The intermediate is about 18 inches long. The steering box end has the wavy flange to bolt to the rag joint. The firewall end has through bolt connecter to the shaft.

The intermediate shaft has to be from 69-72 to have the correct shaft diameter. 73 P/U uses a 1 inch shaft while the 67-72 has 3/4inch shaft. Once you get the intermediate shaft it needs to be collapse about 2 1/2 inches.

The intermediate shaft is used on all 69-72 PU - non-tilt,tilt, and manual - 2wd and 4 wd - PU, Blazer and Suburban.

Keep searching - Bob

Re: junkyard tilt column
 

There is a complete how to in the FAQ. What you have will work with a couple of mods. John

Re: junkyard tilt column
 

You're going to remove the pinch bolt and then remove the coupler deal off the end of the new column.

Then, get a intermediate shaft off any 69-72 truck and shorten it. It will then install onto your stub shaft sticking out of the column.

Re: junkyard tilt column
 

the shaft in my 67 is a two piece. I can see the little plastic pins the FAQs say to drill out before colapsing. I've read the FAQ's several times, I just never got that the shaft comes from or with the truck. I always thought the shaft would be on the van column. Glad to hear the column is what I need. Unless somebody chimes in the tells me why the shaft on my 67 won't work, I'll just try it and if not then I'll go back to the yard for the shaft from a 69-72.

thanks guys

Re: junkyard tilt column
 

Your '67 column has two sections that are connected together by those plastic pins. The upper section runs all the way up to the steering wheel. The '69-72 columns have three sections, and a pivot with a rubber boot on it. Note that yours does not have the pivot. You can see the two lower sections in this picture. You definitely need to take a trip back to the wrecking yard.

Re: junkyard tilt column
 

thanks pjmoreland. I see what I need now. The shaft out of a truck with the rubber boot pivot like on the left of the shaft you have pictured.

thanks

Re: junkyard tilt column
 

I don`t understand.Is this a van tilt?Why do you need to collapse a truck tilt?Only the van ones need to be collapsed to install in a truck.Or,is it a truck column and you need to collapse to mount the newer steering gear?

Re: junkyard tilt column
 

Yes, this is a van column. See how the shaft rod sticks out past the end of the colunm 4 or 5in. This extra has to compensated for by shortening the intermediate shaft.

Re: junkyard tilt column
 

What does he need to do with that area circled in red?. I think the one I have has about a 2" stub sticking out from the van column. I'll have to check mine tonight.

Re: junkyard tilt column
 

70c10,

From what I have gathered from this, I don't need to do anything with the part circled in red. That is the stock 67, plain-jane, no-shifter, non-tilt column in my truck now. That upper shaft apparently goes all the way through the column and cannot be used with the van tilt. I need to get a shaft off a 69-72 that bolts to the end of the shorter column, like the nice black painted one in the above pictures. Then I just unbolt the pinch bolt holding the rag joint flange on the end of the van colum and bolt on the new truck shaft and after all the mods in the FAQ section, I'm done. I think