Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 21 to 31 of 31

Thread: Tilt steering column bent while driving?!

  1. #21
    Hybrid booster Turbo Mopar Contributor 85lebaront2's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Exmore, Va. USA
    Posts
    513

    Re: Tilt steering column bent while driving?!

    Ok, here are the pictures of the two columns: Pictures in order are:1 K on top, G & J below, top view of mounts, 2 same sequence from the bottom, 3 K column, 4 G & J column.
    I f you can repair the tube, I will be happy to send you the top portion from the K column as it is a junk column.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Top of columns K on top.jpg 
Views:	367 
Size:	351.2 KB 
ID:	64420   Click image for larger version. 

Name:	G & J body column mounting.jpg 
Views:	352 
Size:	343.5 KB 
ID:	64423   Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Bottom of columns K on top.jpg 
Views:	401 
Size:	368.2 KB 
ID:	64422   Click image for larger version. 

Name:	K car column mounts.jpg 
Views:	339 
Size:	378.0 KB 
ID:	64421  

  2. #22
    Supporting Member Turbo Mopar Contributor jonnymopar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Southeastern MA
    Posts
    780

    Re: Tilt steering column bent while driving?!

    Thank you so much for the photos, clarification, and offer for the K-body part. Welding isn't something that I have easy access to, so I'm going to attempt to find the correct column first. I may end up taking your junk column if nothing pans out quickly.
    Jon J.

    1989 Daytona ES 2.4L DOHC
    2003 Neon SXT - gone but never forgotten

    If it ain't broke, fix it 'till it is!

  3. #23
    turbo addict
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Toronto Canada
    Posts
    1,772

    Re: Tilt steering column bent while driving?!

    depending on your car and the replacement cllm you may need other parts

    I had an 86 turbo z - I wanted to put an 89 tilt cllm from a daytona in it

    but first I also needed the swivel for the bottom end of the column and the hoop that bolts to the pedal support bracket , that the bottom end of the cllm rests in

    I don't know when the changes happened but it had nothing to do with fitting to the ZF rack instead of the sag/trw ones as I didn't change the rack in the T-Z

    so get the swivel and support hoop with the cllm to avoid frustrations

  4. #24
    Hybrid booster Turbo Mopar Contributor 85lebaront2's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Exmore, Va. USA
    Posts
    513

    Re: Tilt steering column bent while driving?!

    Quote Originally Posted by Dr. Johny Dodge View Post
    depending on your car and the replacement cllm you may need other parts

    I had an 86 turbo z - I wanted to put an 89 tilt cllm from a daytona in it

    but first I also needed the swivel for the bottom end of the column and the hoop that bolts to the pedal support bracket , that the bottom end of the cllm rests in

    I don't know when the changes happened but it had nothing to do with fitting to the ZF rack instead of the sag/trw ones as I didn't change the rack in the T-Z

    so get the swivel and support hoop with the cllm to avoid frustrations
    What I found when doing my other changes was the tilt columns are basically the same, but the upper mount and the lower hoop are different on the G and J body cars from the K and E body cars. The column opening in the dash is approximately 3/4" left on the G and J bodies from the K and E bodies. The pedal support and attaching studs are in the same locations, the column is shifted left 3/4". This is done by making the upper mount asymmetric along with the lower hoop. As far as the U-joint, the 1984 Laser column has a bolt and nut retaining the U-joint to the column shaft, the 1985 up through 1989 uses a roll pin driven into the U-joint upper portion, the slip joint to the steering rack joint appears to be the same on both styles.

    My project is a 1986 K Lebaron convertible that I have installed a 1989 J Lebaron dash into. I discovered the column issue when I went to reinstall the 1986 column and it was too far to the right to fit the opening in the dash.

  5. #25
    turbo addict
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Toronto Canada
    Posts
    1,772

    Re: Tilt steering column bent while driving?!

    had an 89 daytona tilt cllm
    had a non tilt 86 turbo z

    there was NO WAY the end of the 89 cllm was going to fit the lower hoop mount in the 86 as the ends of the cllm were totally different and I think the 89 was larger

    also needed the swivel for the end ..no choice in that

    so to sum up , get the parts with the cllm that actually fit it into the car
    you may or may not need 'em but you probably will if you don't have them
    usually the way it goes for me
    Last edited by Dr. Johny Dodge; 10-22-2019 at 02:55 PM.

  6. #26
    Hybrid booster Turbo Mopar Contributor 85lebaront2's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Exmore, Va. USA
    Posts
    513

    Re: Tilt steering column bent while driving?!

    Quote Originally Posted by Dr. Johny Dodge View Post
    had an 89 daytona tilt cllm
    had a non tilt 86 turbo z

    there was NO WAY the end of the 89 cllm was going to fit the lower hoop mount in the 86 as the ends of the cllm were totally different and I think the 89 was larger

    also needed the swivel for the end ..no choice in that

    so to sum up , get the parts with the cllm that actually fit it into the car
    you may or may not need 'em but you probably will if you don't have them
    usually the way it goes for me
    You just actually stated your problem, non-tilt columns were Chrysler built and very skinny, tilt columns were Saginaw built and other than the Chrysler specific pieces are pure GM inside and pretty large OD compared to the non-tilt. If you read anything I said, I have a G body column from a 1984 Laser and it, other than the bolt for the U-joint is identical to the 1989 J body one in my 1986 Lebaron convertible.

  7. #27
    turbo addict
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Toronto Canada
    Posts
    1,772

    Re: Tilt steering column bent while driving?!

    yep.. read your post
    clarified mine to correspond with given info ..

    thanks , seriously ..no sarcasm infrered

  8. #28
    Supporting Member Turbo Mopar Contributor jonnymopar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Southeastern MA
    Posts
    780

    Re: Tilt steering column bent while driving?!

    Quote Originally Posted by 85lebaront2 View Post
    ...non-tilt columns were Chrysler built and very skinny, tilt columns were Saginaw built and other than the Chrysler specific pieces are pure GM inside and pretty large OD compared to the non-tilt..
    I swapped a past Daytona years ago and seeing the two columns next to each other, you might question whether they're interchangeable because of how different they look. Luckily they were.

    In other news, a column is on its way. Many thanks to those who helped. I still don't really know why mine broke the way it did, but the findings do explain the symptoms. Chalk it up to the fact that it's a 30-year-old car and stuff will just fail I guess.
    Jon J.

    1989 Daytona ES 2.4L DOHC
    2003 Neon SXT - gone but never forgotten

    If it ain't broke, fix it 'till it is!

  9. #29
    Rhymes with tortoise. Turbo Mopar Staff cordes's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Tuscola, IL
    Posts
    21,438

    Re: Tilt steering column bent while driving?!

    The column interchange among these cars can be frustrating to say the least. I have made some things work, but that has caused me great frustration in other areas. I actually helped to put a manual trans tilt column from *I think* a J body into a minivan recently, and that only required swapping out the lower u joint piece. At the same time, I'm pretty sure the P body columns are P body specific. Even then, I know the 87 cars had different length wiring going to the connector under the dash. Frustrating indeed.

  10. #30
    Supporting Member Turbo Mopar Contributor jonnymopar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Southeastern MA
    Posts
    780

    Re: Tilt steering column bent while driving?!

    Finally got everything back to normal after 2 stupid setbacks.

    1: I had to tighten the 4 Torx screws on my replacement column just like every other one. While disassembling, I broke my tilt pin extraction tool in one of the pins. She was stuck good! I had to pull the whole column out again to drill and chase the threads. Thankfully I got it out.
    2: I got about 95% of it finished a few days ago and went to install the steering wheel. The damn keyway was 180 degrees off, so the steering wheel could only be installed upside down. Apparently the plastic spherical joint inside can be installed both ways. Grrr... back in we go.

    Thanks everyone for the help. Unexpected bonus: this is the first time that I've had one of these cars with an intact sleeve on the turn signal stalk! Directionals work with minimal effort now, just like new. My replacement column came from a cruise control car and the stalk feels much beefier, almost like it's metal instead of plastic.
    Jon J.

    1989 Daytona ES 2.4L DOHC
    2003 Neon SXT - gone but never forgotten

    If it ain't broke, fix it 'till it is!

  11. #31
    Hybrid booster Turbo Mopar Contributor 85lebaront2's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Exmore, Va. USA
    Posts
    513

    Re: Tilt steering column bent while driving?!

    Sounds good! Glad it's fixed, yes, the cruise control stalk is much beefier, still plastic, but less likely to bend or break.

Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12

Similar Threads

  1. Loose tilt steering column - special tool
    By jonnymopar in forum "I need help!"
    Replies: 13
    Last Post: 08-16-2018, 10:40 PM
  2. Interior Tilt Steering Column
    By BIG PSI in forum Parts Wanted
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 06-21-2010, 02:25 PM
  3. Interior Black 90 tilt steering column old style cruise
    By Xtrempickup in forum Parts For Sale
    Replies: 13
    Last Post: 05-08-2009, 10:30 PM
  4. tilt column omni
    By RedDeerGLH in forum Interior, Exterior and Chassis Modifications
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 04-18-2006, 10:51 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •