Aftermarket Steering Column

[TLC76]

Getting ready to rewire and the steering column is the last piece of the puzzle, anyone have experience good bad or otherwise with the following type: Hot Rod Chrome Tilt Steering Column 32" Floor Shift GM | eBay

 

[hawkeyealum]

Just curious....have you thought of heading to a junkyard and just pulling an old GM steering column? The wiring would be the same and I think it would be much cheaper.

 

[TLC76]

I'm already setup for the 1" DD output, so by the time I found one and adapted it to work I'd rather just start with a clean new unit.

 

[hawkeyealum]

gotcha. makes sense.

 

[Shawn Russell]

I have a Flaming River column in my 40. It was not hard to wire at all.. My 40 is a 1970 (Hazard on the dash). All I did was find the GM pin out and was able to get it working in about 5 mins.

I went the the junk yard and cut the other end of the plug and spliced my 40 wires into that. Now I can just unplug the column if needed.

Shawn

 

[TLC76]

This one has the GM style plug ready to connect right to my EZ Wire harness, I was just wondering if this one would snap in half the first time I nosed in versus a more expensive model like the Flaming River or I did it.

 

[lone gunman]

i have no experiance with that column but it looks almost like the ididit column my buddy installed in his 64 40 and he used there floor mount bracket ( ididit inc - Floor Mounts ) at the firewall and just cut and welded a factory chevy bracket at the dash end. do some checking on what steering wheel will work or what adapter you need for it because that could cost you. and make sure you use a collapsable shaft between the column and gear box so you dont take a wheel to the face or chest in an accident. you can make a stock chevy steering shaft work if need be (i did) plus it will allow for frame flex in the shaft too. my budy went through about six stock chevy columns over the years because of this. it wore out the bearings in the columns and the steering wheels would start to kind of flop around. he finally had enough and went to a rod shop and they told him why this happened and set him up with the ididit column and a shaft and he hasnt had a problem in years.

 

[In2cruisers]

looks good...do they make an anti bling version..that thing would be a bit much when the sun is ..just right and with the top off, you might just set your bikini on fire

but thats just me..........

 

[TLC76]

Well, the chrome will match my spinners. Actually, I couldn't find the plain steel in this price range, so the gleam will have to do.

As for the rest of the system, I had already upgraded it with Borgeson U joints and a variable length steering rod, when I got it there was a 3/8" buggar weld connecting the stock parts to the donor column. I welded a small piece of 1" DD to the column to mate with the new parts.

 

[jefishing]

One thing is to make sure the 2" column will fit without hitting the brake pedal arm. I got a summit column that was 2" and it hit the arm on my 68. I sent it back and got a flaming river 1 3/4 column shaft and it fits tight but does not hit. I started to have to choose my battles and cutting and bending the brake pedal arm was one I was not going to do for a extra 40.00 for a smaller column

 

[Brandon rescue]

Site for all that need some modern tech specifically for a FJ40. You wana see something cool? Go to this site, they have all you need and they have a better steering wheel set-up without ur rapstar chrome finish.

BTB Motorsports

Trust me, this is where i bought my steering wheel setup.

 

[TLC76]

BTB Is still over $100 more... Has anyone tried directionally sanding the chrome with fine grit to give it a brushed aluminum look? It will be covered in dust and mud chunks soon enough anyway...