Steering column year?

[bluex]

Can anyone help me narrow down what year this column is? I'd like to find out so I can go ahead an swap the wiring around if need be. I bought it from guy that has a small personal yard, it was just laying loose in a truck so he was unsure of the exact year. If I need more/better pictures of a specific area to help narrow it down let me know.

Thanks!

[chrismoore701]

I could be wrong. But a column is a column. You may have to repin the harness but they should be I interchangeable

[Prong]

For sure it's older than 84--that was when they put the wiper controls on the turn signal stalk.

[hatzie]

It has the long harmonica plug so it's between 1978 & 1983.
The small Hazard lamp button places it closer to 1978.

If you have the smaller harmonica plug from your original 73-77 column you can put it in one of those too. I believe there were several plugs used in those years so...

[bluex]

Originally Posted by hatzie

It has the long harmonica plug so it's between 1978 & 1983.
The small Hazard lamp button places it closer to 1978.

If you have the smaller harmonica plug from your original 73-77 column you can put it in one of those too. I believe there were several plugs used in those years so...

My truck is a 78 as well and has the larger hazzard button so that small one had me thinking that it could be a 73-77 column. I've been searching for answers before making this tread and found that there were several different ways they were wired between 73-77 so if it is one of those years I was hoping to narrow it down so I didnt have to dig through 5 yrs of diagrams for an answer.

Hopefully it is a 78+ and in that case it should just plug right up, everything I've read so far says everything 78-83 is a direct swap wiring wise.

[tommy217xxx]

It's pretty easy to pull the wiring harness out and swap it over if they don't just plug right in. I put a tilt column in my truck and the plug was different so I pulled it apart and swapped it around.

[1774btcrew]

Is the output shaft splined or does it have a double D?

[bluex]

Originally Posted by 1774btcrew

Is the output shaft splined or does it have a double D?

It's splines

[1774btcrew]

It is 77 and earlier

[bluex]

Originally Posted by 1774btcrew

It is 77 and earlier

But the column in my truck is also splined at the bottom as well which just adds to the comfusion. I guess all I can do is compare the wiring plugs when I pull the current one out.

[1774btcrew]

It may be 78 and earlier that is splined then. I tend to disagree on the plug years as well. I rebuild a lot of columns and I have seen that it is 75 and earlier with the shorter plug. I actually have a very hard time coming up with the shorter plug when I buy new switches for my customers that have 75 and earlier trucks. I usually repin them with the customers plug if it is good and not broken.

[hatzie]

I had a short plug in the 76. Whether it was original is a guess. I am the 5th owner.
I was told that 77 and before were a see what you have and re-pin to fit if required.
The best advice is to hang onto the original column til the new one is installed and working 100%.

Spline vs Double D is a matter of changing the intermediate shaft. I thought about adding tilt and moving the dimmer and wipers to the column using a 1985 -1994 CK RV or T400 column. Not sure how many mods to the column itself would be required to fit an early T400 column but I was looking that direction before I lucked into the 1979 unit I put in my 76.

[bluex]

Well the LMC catalog gives me these tid bits of info.

Ignition switch fits 73-87 one part number for it
Ignition Lock Cylinder is 73-77, then 78 (3 numbers for 78 only) and then 79-87
Turn signal switch 73-76, 77-83 and 84-87.

So with the info you gentleman have provided, plus that I'm going to guess this is a 77-79 column. I am going to try and pull the wheel off tonight and see what the lock cylinder looks like as that should narrow it down more. But with all the info I have now I think I'm pretty safe on the wiring side and shouldnt have any issues. As mentioned I will still compare them when the current column is pulled for the swap. I'll update with what I find.

On a side note anyone know a place or part number for decent priced turn signal and tilt levers? I cant see paying $50 for two levers....

[bluex]

So I got it apart, an I think it has a mismatch of parts.

This is a lock cylinder that should be retained by a screw correct?



But this is a housing for a cylinder that wouldn't have a retaining screw. Based mainly off the fact that there obviously isn't a screw to hold the cylinder in.



Leads me to believe this is probably a 78 column an someone picked the wrong cylinder for at when it was replaced at some point, since both type cylinders are listed under a 78 it's a 50/50 shot if you don't know.....