CJ5 steering column swap

diddycj5

I want to get rid of my original '74 CJ5 steering column most for comfort issues. After a full day of wheeling I feel cramped and stiff due to positions of the steering wheel and gas pedal. - gas pedal is easy enough to relocate a bit. (Having the extra room of a CJ7 sometimes is tempting) The ''72-75 steering column seems to stick out into the drivers belly more than the later '76+ columns. Also, the angles at which the column comes through the firewall seem different. If there is a big enough difference I would like to swap in a tilt from a later '76+ model CJ. If I am going to go through the process of swaping steering column/etc I would prefer to go tilt and do it right. It looks like Flaming River makes a decent column but way too expensive.... Has anyone done this? What else is needed to swap - pedal hanger/brackets/etc? Does anyone have a TILT column for sale?

Mudrat

Diddy - haven't done one in a CJ5, but I dropped a tilt wheel in my 85 CJ. I was lazy and ordered one from Snake River(?) that was supposedly rebuilt, but the electrical connections were sorta messed up. Search the web and various Jeep sites for somebody getting rid of their's. I found a whole Wrangler harness on Jeeps Unlimited for 1/2 what I paid a slavage yard for just hte dash harness.. I'll have an '87 tilt wheel out of a Wrangler next month, but it needs help. Actually I found out you don't need a key to start and run the thing :shock: So, since this is my daughters ride, I got an 'almost new' one (again) from the JU forum for $90 $150 less than the Snake River unit. Mudrat

Lifted79CJ7

FYI, I believe its the mid 80's GM columns are the direct swap for later CJ's. Not too sure about the pre 76 CJ's. All of the parts are supposedly GM parts. I know I have read a few articles on this swap, even the wiring harness just plugs right in. Good way to go if you want a tilt column instead-and would probably be a lot cheaper, too. Been thinking about doing this myself, could get a column super cheap at the local You Wrench It yard. Shoo, what am I thinking, I still have a 401 sitting in my kitchen needing parts! :razz: Jack

diddycj5

Lifted79CJ7 wrote
FYI, I believe its the mid 80's GM columns are the direct swap for later CJ's. Not too sure about the pre 76 CJ's. All of the parts are supposedly GM parts. I know I have read a few articles on this swap, even the wiring harness just plugs right in. Good way to go if you want a tilt column instead-and would probably be a lot cheaper, too. Been thinking about doing this myself, could get a column super cheap at the local You Wrench It yard. Shoo, what am I thinking, I still have a 401 sitting in my kitchen needing parts! :razz:
Jack

Has anyone else swaped in a GM column? I looked at a cj7 once that someone had done a GM column, but they screwed something up and the intemediate steering shaft was rubbing against the exhaust - kinda sketchy. I haven't actually seen any articles about GM swaps. I still really need to get rid of the original column and improve my comfort factor.

diddycj5

Mudrat wrote
Diddy - haven't done one in a CJ5, but I dropped a tilt wheel in my 85 CJ. I was lazy and ordered one from Snake River(?) that was supposedly rebuilt, but the electrical connections were sorta messed up.
Search the web and various Jeep sites for somebody getting rid of their's. I found a whole Wrangler harness on Jeeps Unlimited for 1/2 what I paid a slavage yard for just hte dash harness..

Mudrat

Mudrat, Where did you get the Snake River Column and how much? You are the second person that has mentioned it but I cant seem to find any contact info about this company.

Mudrat

diddycj5 wrote
Mudrat, Where did you get the Snake River Column and how much? You are the second person that has mentioned it but I cant seem to find any contact info about this company.

:-| :-| :-|
I think it was via the Painless page ??? (but I just looked and didn't see it ?) Lemme look when I get home and pull the receipt. We have track and field this afternoon with the kids so it may be tomorrow.

But you might try here first ... http://columnsgalore.com/rebuilt.htm

Mudrat

diddycj5

Mudrat wrote
I think it was via the Painless page ??? (but I just looked and didn't see it ?) Lemme look when I get home and pull the receipt. We have track and field this afternoon with the kids so it may be tomorrow.

But you might try here first ... http://columnsgalore.com/rebuilt.htm

Mudrat

Thanks for the help. Let me know what you find if you still have the receipt. I looked at columnsgalore.com and they will want a $150 core charge since I don't technically have a similar column to return to them... I am assuming that they would charge $100+ for the column plus core would be $250+ which is too expensive. At that price I can get a Flaming River custom column.

Lifted79CJ7

You might also want to drop an email to Sam of Sam's off road in Tulsa, OK. I believe he is running a chevy cloumn, but looks to be a newer one. Not sure if its the bolt in kind or not. I think his page is www.samsoffroad.com.
Just a thought,
Jack

Mudrat

diddycj5 wrote
Thanks for the help. Let me know what you find if you still have the receipt. I looked at columnsgalore.com and they will want a $150 core charge since I don't technically have a similar column to return to them... I am assuming that they would charge $100+ for the column plus core would be $250+ which is too expensive. At that price I can get a Flaming River custom column.

Hey diddy...
Well I still don't know where I ordered it from???? But looking for the info I was able to file all the papers, and receipts for the last 4 years!!!! thanks I really did need to do that #-o

I even found the receipt for renting the engine hoist and buying the sandblaster when I started the CJ project in ... um ... well, never mind but it was more than 4 years ago!!!

Now, the Snake River info I did find was the business card packed with the column and it says they also sell Flaming River and Centech Wiring...

Toll free: 1-800-201-6728
voice/fax 208-458-4935
www.steeringcolumns.com (good address - the phn numbers I don't know)
Jeep colums HERE (basic column price is $209)
Snake River Rod & Custom
PO box 155
625 Church St.
Newdale, Idaho, 83436
email: Sales@steeringcolumns.com

On a side note, I found a fairly new tilt column for the YJ off the JeepClassified.com site for $100 even and it came with 3 keys :? (same guy I got a WHOLE YJ harness from (head to tail light!!) for $40, and $25 shipping :wink:

Best I can do bro ...

Mudrat :mrgreen: