Tilt steering column

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Copestang

Well-known member
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May 11, 2017
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Location
Michigan
My Car
1973 Mach 1
i’m about to change out my non-tilt for a Tilt steering column, other than disconnecting wiring and the 3 bolts on the floor what else do i need to do, was also thinking about changing the rag joint and power steering box too. i been looking for a write up 

 
You'll need the steering coupler assembly. On the fixed column the upper part of the coupler is welded to the shaft and on the tilt column they bolt to the shaft. Make sure it's for a power steering box, manual and power boxes have different input shaft sizes.

 
The plate on the floor that clamps the column   is also different on tilt. The 1973 has different turn signal wiring harness also. I have 5 tilt columns.
If you have the forgings for the rag joint you can get the rubber piece about anywhere. Dorman makes them and you can get the studs and bolts at NAPA I have done two. lost all my pics on another computer crash.

 
You'll need the steering coupler assembly. On the fixed column the upper part of the coupler is welded to the shaft and on the tilt column they bolt to the shaft. Make sure it's for a power steering box, manual and power boxes have different input shaft sizes.
How do you tell them apart? Shaft diameter or length? Part number somewhere? I bought a used one, thought they would all be the same. :(

 
On the subject of counting steering coupler splines...

For whatever reason there seems to two different methods to count splines on steering boxes / shafts.  

Method 1: Count the splines around the perimeter including the ones that were milled off where the flat is.

Method 2: Count the splines around the perimeter excluding the ones that were milled off where the flat is.

This makes it exceedingly difficult to get what you want, as like Don says, our power steering boxes are 36 spline 13/16" using method 1.  however using method 2 someone may describe them as 30 spline 13/16".  Just wanted to mention it, as it can get really confusing when shopping for a coupler as the vendor may use method 1 or method 2 to describe the coupler.

 
What kind of measuring tools do you have at home?  Might be worth getting a cheap digital caliper to measure the diameter of the steering column shaft.  

We know the steering box is 13/16" 36 spline (or 31 spline if you don't count the ones where the flat is).

As long as the steering column shaft is 3/4" 36 spline the coupler from southwest speed (link in my earlier post) should work.

 
For those looking at a tilt column never buy one without the coupling, plate that clamps to the floor and not working. Will cost you double to piece one together. Get everything or step away from the buy will dollar you to death. They are like gold now and about three years ago $300 would buy everything.

 
In the interest of learning, I have zero knowledge of these tilt columns. I have only worked on my standard fixed column. What I am not understanding is why the difference between the two. From what I have seen by watching YouTube videos and from other input, it's the top part only that has a knuckle in it with a rack system to allow the tilt. If this is so, why does the bottom end of the shaft need to be so different than a standard column and the need for a hard to source coupler? As I have not seen the insides of a tilt column, I'm thinking the shaft has to be heavier, but having said that, all I see in the Ford manual, is a diagram for a disassembled tilt column, fixed similar. That's it. No mention or diagram of the coupler. It makes no sense to me why there needs to be that difference at the bottom end connection. I have not taken the time to read all the manual's related section at this point, but this just makes no sense. Is it another case of Ford's weird engineering?

Education and comments are most welcome.

 
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