Removing the steering column

by orange Juiced Tue Mar 25, 2014 11:59 pm

How difficult is it to remove the the steering column? I wasn't planning on changing the steering column, but I came across a tilt steering column at a price I couldn't pass.

Does the dash have to be removed to pull out the steering column? We have painted and installed the dash back into the car and don't want to mess with it. Also the firewall, and inner fenders have been painted too and installed.

It came with the steering shaft too, is it different then the non tilt?

Thanks Eddie

by pila Wed Mar 26, 2014 12:15 am

Removing the column isn't too difficult. Is the replacement column the same year as the original ?? I know the shaft size at the bottom of the column was changed in '77. If the intermediate shaft will fit your steering box OK.....you are good to go, since you have the shaft with the tilt column.

The cover on the bottom of the dash, and the column support bracket have to come off, and the flange that's bolted to the firewall. Then there's the wiring to be unplugged, the shift linkage to be un-hooked from the column arm. And the steering wheel of course.

ONE CAUTION ! Exclamation

the little cable the moves the shift indicator is clipped to the shell which holds the shift lever, and if you lower the column without removing the clip & cable, the cable will get broke....and they are not easy to find for replacement.

Good luck with it.
I changed the column in my '74 Malibu to a tilt type, which came from a '73. My '75 El Camino project has a '77 column, which is where I found out about the shaft difference.

Bill

by orange Juiced Wed Mar 26, 2014 4:47 pm

I don't remember what year he said it came from, I know it wasn't a 77. Thanks for the heads up on shift indicator cable. Thanks Bill

by orange Juiced Sun Oct 19, 2014 1:39 am

I went thru all steering column topics and could not find any info.

We finished the wiring the gauges and had a problem with the steering column. I never noticed the ignition switch was different for a tilt and non tilt and we were using the the non tilt since the tilt never came with one.

I noticed the 2 plugs/wire harness are different. Anyone know where i can get them? Or did the parts store gave me the wrong ignition switch

by 1973 454 MONTE Sun Oct 19, 2014 5:01 pm

all you have to do is put plugs in upside down

by orange Juiced Sun Oct 19, 2014 7:01 pm

1973 454 MONTE wrote:all you have to do is put plugs in upside down

Really? lol, I'll to try it again

by pila Sun Oct 19, 2014 8:21 pm

Not sure about the "upside down" part Very Happy

But I know the "harmonica" connector faces the opposite side on a tilt column...

Maybe you have to play a tune on the harmonica connector to make it work....

by w451973 Tue Oct 21, 2014 1:36 pm

The ignition switch on top the colunm is different from a standard to a tilt. If your tilt did not come with one simply buy a replacement for a tilt for the year of the car you have. Then like 454 Monte said, it plugs in upside down.

by Roadcaptain S3 Fri Nov 21, 2014 11:56 am

So If I want to swap from a column shift/non tilt to a floor shift/tilt in a 77 malibu, then my best bet is to find a column from another 77 G3.

How about a column from a 77 Grand Prix?

OJ, how did this work out for you?

by 1973montec Fri Nov 21, 2014 2:53 pm

77 gp column has the funky high beam set up on it. kinda has an extra bump on left side. would still work

by orange Juiced Fri Nov 21, 2014 11:55 pm

I haven't installed the steering shaft, everything else works fine. Its was a pain rebuilding the column, but now my turn signals work again.

by Roadcaptain S3 Sat Nov 22, 2014 10:48 am

1973montec wrote:77 gp column has the funky high beam set up on it. kinda has an extra bump on left side. would still work

Would the wiring still work or would I have to swap something out?

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