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I'm trying to find a definitive answer. I have a '79 Bronco AT, PS with a tilt column. I purchased a mid 80s Econoline padded steering wheel on eBay hoping it would drop in but it won't. The steering colum is splined all around and it lacks the flat spot that matches the steering wheel. Does this mean someone swapped in an earlier column into the truck at one point or were the tilt columns different in '79? Thanks.
Later wheels sometimes have the flat spot. Take a small round file & remove the flat spot, & the wheel will slide right on the steering shaft. Tighten the nut & you'll be good to go.
You could file a matching flat spot on the steering shaft, but you can loose the ability to index the wheel correctly if the new flat spot is off.
I'm trying to find a definitive answer. I have a '79 Bronco AT, PS with a tilt column. I purchased a mid 80s Econoline padded steering wheel on eBay hoping it would drop in but it won't. The steering colum is splined all around and it lacks the flat spot that matches the steering wheel. Does this mean someone swapped in an earlier column into the truck at one point or were the tilt columns different in '79? Thanks.
The only earlier Dentside/Bronco tilt that could have been installed would have been from a '78 model and it would be the same as the '79 model.
'78 was the first year a tilt was put in the trucks/Broncos. The Dentside trucks still had the ignition switch on the dash (last year for this was 1979). Beginning in 1980, a truck with a fixed column or, an optional tilt, would have had the key on the right side of the column itself.
I have a tilt from a '78 F150 that I put in my '69 F100. (Key is on the dash in a Bumpside but, it's left of the column/steering wheel).
Thanks for the help. How guys are getting the later wheels to drop right in without filing the flat spot? Do the non-tilt columns have the flat spot on the shaft?
Most of the tilt wheel specific parts used on 1978/79 F100/350's, Bronco's and Econolines were the same thru 1991. The parts are also mostly the same as 1971/79 FoMoCo Passenger Cars.
You can't get the later wheel with the flat spot to fit an earlier column without flat spot on the shaft without filing out the offending flat spot. It takes a couple of minutes to file it out, & in no way affects how the wheel mounts. You still have plenty of splines to hold the wheel tight to the shaft.
Every Ford truck column I've seen from 73-79 has splines all the way around the shaft, whether the column is tilt or non tilt.
The only earlier Dentside/Bronco tilt that could have been installed would have been from a '78 model and it would be the same as the '79 model.
'78 was the first year a tilt was put in the trucks/Broncos. The Dentside trucks still had the ignition switch on the dash (last year for this was 1979). Beginning in 1980, a truck with a fixed column or, an optional tilt, would have had the key on the right side of the column itself.
I have a tilt from a '78 F150 that I put in my '69 F100. (Key is on the dash in a Bumpside but, it's left of the column/steering wheel).
What did you use for the rag joint or u joint from the column to the steering box? I have a ps 73 f100 which I want to put a rebuilt tilt column and after market wheel on. Also is your 69 f100 a 2wd or 4wd?
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Econoline padded steering wheel on eBay hoping it would drop in but it won't.
