Which model steering column do I have? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

shiner2001 · 10-07-2010, 03:06 AM

Pardon my ignorance on the subject, but I'm new to these trucks. Gimme a Jeep and I'll tell ya anything you wanna know, but I'm getting there! Anyway, I just picked this truck up not too long ago, but I don't have a neutral safety switch on this column, also meaning I have no reverse lights. I know this column is out of a later model truck (mines a 72), but by sight, I don't know them well enough to know which truck it's out of and which switch to buy. Can someone let me know what column this is and/or which switch I need? Thanks in advance! (and if there is anything else I can do to ID it, feel free to pass that along as well, or let me know if you need a picture from a different angle or anything, this is just the one I happen to have on my computer right now).

jasons · 10-07-2010, 08:39 AM

The truck columns from 73 up have the key in the column instead of the dash. If it is a tilt column, it may have come out of a van. A picture of the end of the column under the hood will confirm this, the van columns are longer than the truck columns. To use a van column in a truck the neutral safety switch has to be moved on the column or as in your case removed. There are threads here on relocating the neutral safety switch on a van column.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...ad.php?t=63328

shiner2001 · 10-07-2010, 04:03 PM

Good info about the van swaps, I'll check all that out. Here are a couple more pics of the column. Since there's no key on it, I'm assuming that's what this has to be.

jasons · 10-07-2010, 04:27 PM

Yes, that is a van tilt column.

shiner2001 · 10-07-2010, 04:33 PM

What exactly is the purpose of having to move the neutral safety switch? I can feel under the dash on the column where the switch should go, and it seems like there is plenty of room for it there. Just wondering about the "why" behind having to move it.

jasons · 10-07-2010, 04:38 PM

That one I can't answer. I have a van tilt to put in my Blazer, but haven't done it yet. Everything I have seen here says it needs to be moved. Perhaps yours was prepped for the relocated switch and it was never installed?

Longhorn Man · 10-07-2010, 10:31 PM

that tilt was run from 72 to 81, and a small number of 82 vans. Yours looks to be a later one, starting in 77 or so. It has the later perndl lens, and shorter shifter.

shiner2001 · 10-07-2010, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

that tilt was run from 72 to 81, and a small number of 82 vans. Yours looks to be a later one, starting in 77 or so. It has the later perndl lens, and shorter shifter.

So I should be safe asking for a switch from an 81 I suppose. I checked for 80 (picked a year out of a hat) earlier and it looks to be in stock locally, so maybe I'll grab that and yank the column tomorrow.

Many thanks for the info here guys, I appreciate it!

Longhorn Man · 10-08-2010, 06:11 PM

You can make the plug with crimp on terminals, or find a van in a junk yard and snip them out.

10-07-2010, 03:06 AM	#1
shiner2001 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 222	Which model steering column do I have? Pardon my ignorance on the subject, but I'm new to these trucks. Gimme a Jeep and I'll tell ya anything you wanna know, but I'm getting there! Anyway, I just picked this truck up not too long ago, but I don't have a neutral safety switch on this column, also meaning I have no reverse lights. I know this column is out of a later model truck (mines a 72), but by sight, I don't know them well enough to know which truck it's out of and which switch to buy. Can someone let me know what column this is and/or which switch I need? Thanks in advance! (and if there is anything else I can do to ID it, feel free to pass that along as well, or let me know if you need a picture from a different angle or anything, this is just the one I happen to have on my computer right now). __________________ Derek 72 Chevy Cheyenne Super LWB 454 SS LS6 90 GMC Suburban V2500 350 ----------- 64 Chevy El Camino 357 73 Jeep Wagoneer 360 78 Jeep Cherokee 360 79 Scout II 345 88 Jeep Wrangler 4.2L 91 Jeep Wrangler 4.3L 98 Lincoln Mark VIII 4.6L 01 GMC Yukon 5.3L *"If it's not broken, fix it 'till it is!"*

10-07-2010, 08:39 AM	#2
jasons not enough hours in the day Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Axtell, NE Posts: 550	Re: Which model steering column do I have? The truck columns from 73 up have the key in the column instead of the dash. If it is a tilt column, it may have come out of a van. A picture of the end of the column under the hood will confirm this, the van columns are longer than the truck columns. To use a van column in a truck the neutral safety switch has to be moved on the column or as in your case removed. There are threads here on relocating the neutral safety switch on a van column. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...ad.php?t=63328

10-07-2010, 04:03 PM	#3
shiner2001 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 222	Re: Which model steering column do I have? Good info about the van swaps, I'll check all that out. Here are a couple more pics of the column. Since there's no key on it, I'm assuming that's what this has to be. __________________ Derek 72 Chevy Cheyenne Super LWB 454 SS LS6 90 GMC Suburban V2500 350 ----------- 64 Chevy El Camino 357 73 Jeep Wagoneer 360 78 Jeep Cherokee 360 79 Scout II 345 88 Jeep Wrangler 4.2L 91 Jeep Wrangler 4.3L 98 Lincoln Mark VIII 4.6L 01 GMC Yukon 5.3L *"If it's not broken, fix it 'till it is!"*

10-07-2010, 04:27 PM	#4
jasons not enough hours in the day Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Axtell, NE Posts: 550	Re: Which model steering column do I have? Yes, that is a van tilt column.

10-07-2010, 04:33 PM	#5
shiner2001 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 222	Re: Which model steering column do I have? What exactly is the purpose of having to move the neutral safety switch? I can feel under the dash on the column where the switch should go, and it seems like there is plenty of room for it there. Just wondering about the "why" behind having to move it. __________________ Derek 72 Chevy Cheyenne Super LWB 454 SS LS6 90 GMC Suburban V2500 350 ----------- 64 Chevy El Camino 357 73 Jeep Wagoneer 360 78 Jeep Cherokee 360 79 Scout II 345 88 Jeep Wrangler 4.2L 91 Jeep Wrangler 4.3L 98 Lincoln Mark VIII 4.6L 01 GMC Yukon 5.3L *"If it's not broken, fix it 'till it is!"*

10-07-2010, 04:38 PM	#6
jasons not enough hours in the day Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Axtell, NE Posts: 550	Re: Which model steering column do I have? That one I can't answer. I have a van tilt to put in my Blazer, but haven't done it yet. Everything I have seen here says it needs to be moved. Perhaps yours was prepped for the relocated switch and it was never installed?

10-07-2010, 10:31 PM	#7
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	Re: Which model steering column do I have? that tilt was run from 72 to 81, and a small number of 82 vans. Yours looks to be a later one, starting in 77 or so. It has the later perndl lens, and shorter shifter.

10-08-2010, 06:11 PM	#9
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	Re: Which model steering column do I have? You can make the plug with crimp on terminals, or find a van in a junk yard and snip them out.



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