Steering column help... to tilt or not to tilt? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Trip59 · 03-20-2010, 08:17 PM

Ok, so I get the truck, it has a van tilt crammed into the dash. At the time it was an automatic with column shift.

I buy a floor shift manual trans non-tilting column in really good shape from a board member. Take it apart, clean it up, and in the process drop the rear aluminum cover/cone piece...

So I hammer it back into shape (with a wood dowel, relax) and get the column back together today, put it in and...

pulled so far it's jammed into the dash and it's STILL short enough that the shaft comes out trying to get it into the joint.

The gearbox is manual, from the rag joint to the point in the knuckle where the column shaft goes is about 13" Is it the wrong lower shaft? Did someone crush it?

So I'm looking at this all, and while I like the simplicity of the non-tilt column, the tilt is a nice feature... I'm thinking about maybe rebuilding it and using it (else I'll be selling it here soon) but the turn signal component is missing a few things. It looks the same as the one from the other column, would they swap over?

What would you do? Here's the tilt in the dash, so it seems the lower column is too short to begin with, but that tilt sticks waaay out into the cab.

Trip

JimKshortstep4x4 · 03-20-2010, 08:51 PM

It looks like the shaft extension has been collapsed. If it is in good shape you can pull it back into the original position. I believe that it is 17" long originally.

Jim

Trip59 · 03-20-2010, 09:30 PM

Ok, now for the big question... do the holes the plastic pins used to be in go all the way through? In otherwords, I take this out, yank on it... can I tell where it was factory by holes going all the way through?

Trip

Dustydog · 03-20-2010, 10:11 PM

No, the holes do not go all the way through.

Trip59 · 03-20-2010, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dustydog

No, the holes do not go all the way through.

Is there an easy way to tell when I've pulled it back to stock and not pulled too far?

Trip

Dustydog · 03-20-2010, 10:25 PM

If it comes apart you pulled it too far! Sorry, that was just too easy

I put a tilt in mine and shortend it about a month ago, it seemed like there was a lot of room to move it in or out. I needed more room between my big belly and the wheel so I pushed it in as far as I could.

Dusty

**DPowers** · 03-20-2010, 11:21 PM

The shaft that I used- the holes did go all the way through. I put a tilt column from a '64 Impala in mine. I redrilled and repinned it.

Trip59 · 03-21-2010, 02:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dustydog

If it comes apart you pulled it too far! Sorry, that was just too easy

I put a tilt in mine and shortend it about a month ago, it seemed like there was a lot of room to move it in or out. I needed more room between my big belly and the wheel so I pushed it in as far as I could.

Dusty

I saw that coming, really I did... just as I'll likely see the shaft coming tomorrow...and coming, and coming and SMACK!!! Right between the eyes with the upper half of a lower steering shaft

I actually want to keep it a bit short, but not so short the column is jammed in the dash. I'll just have to make sure to record it so I can post the smack on YouTube tomorrow...

Trip

Trip59 · 03-22-2010, 12:07 AM

OK, so I DID IT!!!

(now I wish I took pics, will charge the camera before next project)

Thanks to everyone for the advice. I split the rag joint (and looked like a fool trying to put the wrong nut on the wrong bolt...) and lo and behold, the shaft was compressed so far the end was at the joint. Stuck a piece of conduit in there and whacked the hell out of it with a 5lb fist maul. Knocked it about 4" back, set everything back in the truck and then put some vice grips on it to tap it back down about 3/4-1 1/4" so the column was in the cab as far as I wanted.

Bolted back up, took it out for a spin, all is GOOD!!! The rear cone on the column is still tweaked, either need a new one or to spend an afternoon playing with it. Steering wheel is screaming for a resto, though I want to put a '67 on it.

Next steering issue is to adjust the manual gearbox...next weekend.

I'm going to clean up the tilt and list it in a few days, it's a van tilt, not bad shape, but needs a couple bits and pieces and some TLC.

Again, thanks to all for the advice!

Trip

**DPowers** · 03-22-2010, 09:21 AM

Congrats

03-20-2010, 08:17 PM	#1
Trip59 Who needs sleep... Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Middleburg, Florida Posts: 260	Steering column help... to tilt or not to tilt? Ok, so I get the truck, it has a van tilt crammed into the dash. At the time it was an automatic with column shift. I buy a floor shift manual trans non-tilting column in really good shape from a board member. Take it apart, clean it up, and in the process drop the rear aluminum cover/cone piece... So I hammer it back into shape (with a wood dowel, relax) and get the column back together today, put it in and... pulled so far it's jammed into the dash and it's STILL short enough that the shaft comes out trying to get it into the joint. The gearbox is manual, from the rag joint to the point in the knuckle where the column shaft goes is about 13" Is it the wrong lower shaft? Did someone crush it? So I'm looking at this all, and while I like the simplicity of the non-tilt column, the tilt is a nice feature... I'm thinking about maybe rebuilding it and using it (else I'll be selling it here soon) but the turn signal component is missing a few things. It looks the same as the one from the other column, would they swap over? What would you do? Here's the tilt in the dash, so it seems the lower column is too short to begin with, but that tilt sticks waaay out into the cab. Trip

03-20-2010, 08:51 PM	#2
JimKshortstep4x4 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Muskegon,MI,USA Posts: 6,026	Re: Steering column help... to tilt or not to tilt? It looks like the shaft extension has been collapsed. If it is in good shape you can pull it back into the original position. I believe that it is 17" long originally. Jim __________________ 1971 Shortbox step side 4x4, 350 sbc, 3:07 rear end 1965 Impala SS 400 sbc, Muncie rock crusher 1966 Impala SS 396 bbc, TH 400 1969 El Camino, 350 sbc, TH 350 1971 Snowplow built on a Blazer frame 1972 GMC Short bed, stepside, TH 400, 427 BBC

03-20-2010, 09:30 PM	#3
Trip59 Who needs sleep... Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Middleburg, Florida Posts: 260	Re: Steering column help... to tilt or not to tilt? Ok, now for the big question... do the holes the plastic pins used to be in go all the way through? In otherwords, I take this out, yank on it... can I tell where it was factory by holes going all the way through? Trip

03-20-2010, 10:11 PM	#4
Dustydog Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Spring Grove Il Posts: 122	Re: Steering column help... to tilt or not to tilt? No, the holes do not go all the way through. __________________ Dustydog 1940 Ford 2D SDN 1970 GMC SB 2004 C5 Vette

03-20-2010, 10:25 PM	#6
Dustydog Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Spring Grove Il Posts: 122	Re: Steering column help... to tilt or not to tilt? If it comes apart you pulled it too far! Sorry, that was just too easy I put a tilt in mine and shortend it about a month ago, it seemed like there was a lot of room to move it in or out. I needed more room between my big belly and the wheel so I pushed it in as far as I could. Dusty __________________ Dustydog 1940 Ford 2D SDN 1970 GMC SB 2004 C5 Vette

03-20-2010, 11:21 PM	#7
DPowers One foot in front of the other Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Parrottsville, TN Posts: 5,442	Re: Steering column help... to tilt or not to tilt? The shaft that I used- the holes did go all the way through. I put a tilt column from a '64 Impala in mine. I redrilled and repinned it. Attached Images __________________ DP's 66 Build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=361556

03-22-2010, 12:07 AM	#9
Trip59 Who needs sleep... Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Middleburg, Florida Posts: 260	Re: Steering column help... to tilt or not to tilt? OK, so I DID IT!!! (now I wish I took pics, will charge the camera before next project) Thanks to everyone for the advice. I split the rag joint (and looked like a fool trying to put the wrong nut on the wrong bolt...) and lo and behold, the shaft was compressed so far the end was at the joint. Stuck a piece of conduit in there and whacked the hell out of it with a 5lb fist maul. Knocked it about 4" back, set everything back in the truck and then put some vice grips on it to tap it back down about 3/4-1 1/4" so the column was in the cab as far as I wanted. Bolted back up, took it out for a spin, all is GOOD!!! The rear cone on the column is still tweaked, either need a new one or to spend an afternoon playing with it. Steering wheel is screaming for a resto, though I want to put a '67 on it. Next steering issue is to adjust the manual gearbox...next weekend. I'm going to clean up the tilt and list it in a few days, it's a van tilt, not bad shape, but needs a couple bits and pieces and some TLC. Again, thanks to all for the advice! Trip

03-22-2010, 09:21 AM	#10
DPowers One foot in front of the other Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Parrottsville, TN Posts: 5,442	Re: Steering column help... to tilt or not to tilt? Congrats __________________ DP's 66 Build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=361556



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