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If the upper flange is plastic, this is a 1978/79 F100/350 tilt steering column. Pressing the T/S handle forward operates the tilt wheel.
And, a tilt steering column is not a collapsible steering column. Collapsible column has pins on the outer shaft...that once...ones chest comes in contact with the steering wheel, the pins snap, the column collapses.
First mandated by the feds in 1968 passenger cars, F100/350's don't have it until 1980.
What I was thinking Bill, thing that got me was why the opening in the outer sleeve hole was so big? I forgot that there was only one lever also. I went back and looked again and can see the slide for tilt.
I am going to his house after lunch to try to figure why the end of the shaft in the engine bay is not moving in step with the wheel. I suspect a PO has tried to convert to tilt without full engineering.
Any reader in the Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro, area have a complete 73-79 auto column available for sale? just in case
Mr. Wilson, Please be careful with "steering column is not a collapsible" because this one might collapse at any time.
First of all, don't guess at measurements and give those to a carpenter. My six inche's of play was measured as two....I told John if felt like a lot more than that going down the highway.
Anyway, It does appear to be a 66 column for most of its length with a 78-79 tilt on top. The tilt is busted and there is some kind of U-joint that we could see that was supplying all of the play. Basically the top shaft turns and the U-joint kinda wiggles and then finally engages. Pictures below.
Question would be is this repairable? John suggested posting in the 73-79 forums as someone has likely dealt with it. I could also just replace the whole thing.
All of the play is in the tilt knuckle joint, it is pretty well worn, and I have never worked on one. I suggested Mr. Wilson might advise on available parts for repair. I also suggested he look for a 73-79 auto column to replace the complete unit.
So again any member in the Greensboro, Durham, Raleigh area know of one let him know.
Maybe I am using bad terminology. John called it a knuckle.
I believe it is the area numbered 3524 in the diagram. Those two "U shaped" pieces are not working together properly. The column no longer tilts and that join has the slop in it that allows the wheel and upper rod to turn but not the lower one that goes into the rag joint.
Maybe I am using bad terminology. John called it a knuckle.
I believe it is the area numbered 3524 in the diagram. Those two "U shaped" pieces are not working together properly. The column no longer tilts and that join has the slop in it that allows the wheel and upper rod to turn but not the lower one that goes into the rag joint.
3524 is the one piece steering shaft. If the tilt wheel no longer works, this shaft has nothing to do with the problemo.
All the tilt wheel related parts are located within the column...above the shift collar (7228).
Yes, this is the area with part that is the concern 353081-S. Sorry I don't speak part numbers, I speak southern. Whatchaya want us to call it Mr. Wilson?
I have no experience with these, I also tried to make the tilt action work and it would not.
Matt your truck is missing the dash cuff part #3530. It wouldn't work anyway because of the difference in the cuff depth.
I had one of those in my '78 Bronco. That joint allows the shaft to pivot and mine was also worn out. Being a tool and mold maker at the time, I simply made new bushings for it and it was good as new.
I had one of those in my '78 Bronco. That joint allows the shaft to pivot and mine was also worn out. Being a tool and mold maker at the time, I simply made new bushings for it and it was good as new.
Unfortunately, I do not have that skill-set.
I searched on the 73-79 forums and it there were a couple of threads that a I found on this and my sense was these parts are not really available. Some bought entirely new tilt mechanisms which were around $235. Given that the turn signal cam is broken and the hazard switch does not work, it would seem this column will be a lot of time and effort (and potentially $$) to fix. The turn signal + hazard piece on DC was around ~$150.
Could I just remove that tilt mechanism + collar + old steering shaft and just buy a new shaft to run through the tube and ditch the tilt? Find something to use as a new collar? That's one option I thought of...would need to figure out the turn signals still.
Other than the obvious of either buying an old column on eBay/CL/junkyard, I have two other ideas:
(1) an ididit universal straight column, as I am a slim guy and don't care about or need tilt and after talking to John about the collapsible column yesterday and reading more about that, probably overkill for how I will use this truck. These columns run about $290, but unless they would customize one with a different output shaft, I would have to spend another $100 on a new rag joint even though the one I have is fine. ididit has 1" DD output, my joint is a 3/4 36 spline. Has hazard/turn signal/horn wiring.
(2) flaming river "nostalgic column", similar to the ididit but $240 and is stainless steel so do not need to paint it (ididit column has to be painted), has the correct output shaft and looks pretty similar to the original column. Has zero wiring, so would need to figure that out but as my carb is an electric choke, I thought of removing that **** from the dash and putting in a toggle switch to run the turn signals. Would be kinda hot roddish but it would be a useful item instead of the unused choke **** and not that challenging to wire.
Whatever I do, I have to create/buy a floor mount as there was NOTHING holding this column to the firewall. It was mounted to the dash and the shaft was in the rag joint and that was it. This probably contributed to the fun of driving it hah.
in it that could be worn, or more likely the column is badly worn right where it pivots and that gives all kind of play.
My six inche's of play was measured as two....I told John if felt like a lot more than that going down the highway. 
