steering column

[2tankin79]

I have a sloppy steering column, so i've been lookin around for one, and have found one pretty cheap. The only thing is my truck does not have cruise and this steering column has it on the turn signal lever, so i was wondering if i bought this steering column, if i could just plug it all up and everything, and just have the cruise button sittin there, seein as i dont have cruise, and dont want it. i just wanna know if this column will still work, like turn signals etc. can i still plug it all up.

thanks, Jeff

[Russell]

Hey Jeff!

If the wiring harnesses are the same for the lights, then you're in good shape! You can just use your old turn signal lever as the cruise switch has it's own independant wire that runs down the column, it is totally independant from the rest of the harness =) If your column is sloppy, I would strongly suggest you take it apart and tighten the infamous torx bolts at the base of it. They have a really bad reputation of coming loose. You could easily save yourself a couple bucks by renting the tools you need to do it (locking plate compressor, steering wheel puller, and a puller for a couple little locking rods inside the column) It is a half day job to do the column properly, but I'm sure you can do it. I had to rebuild my column when I first got my truck a couple months back, and I was able to do it, and I'm only 16 and had next to no knowledge of how to fix stuff like that... Its a real tough job to pull the whole column anyways, much easier to rebuild it, if you have the right tools... I rebuilt mine using a peice of scrap metal that I found and drilled holes into, it would have been a heck of a lot easier if I had gone and rented the proper tools...

Good luck with your column, if you need a tutorial, feel free to PM me and I can send you one with pictures and everything!

[apstguy]

Here is a tutorial: http://home.t-online.de/home/O_Scholz/steering.html