Tilt Steering column question

[stangconv]

Hey if I add tilt steerig from a 78 ford truck... I am going to have the key hole on the column right? Anyway to get rid of that so its not there?

And would a 78 or a 79 work better? or No difference?

[fordman]

it would be easier to plug the hole in the dash than it would the column. and use the column switch

[stangconv]

it would be easier to plug the hole in the dash than it would the column. and use the column switch

Yeah but its so damn cool having it on your dash!!!!

[Hawkrod]

78 and 79 truck tilt columns are the same and do not have a switch on the column, it is still on the dash. Hawkrod

[stangconv]

Really??? Cool!!!

[Joshpow]

The 78/9 columns are a direct bolt in. The key is still in the dash. The wiring must be modified. You will also need to fab up a cover to go on it to match up to your dash. I used a column cover from a 84 f150 in mine. A little cutting and time made for a nice enough trim.

[Hawkrod]

The wiring does not really need much work, there are simply one or two extra wires depending on what year it is going into. One wire is for emergency flashers and so if you already have them on the column nothing changes but if not all you need is to have a wire from power to a flasher and then a wire from the flasher to the wire on the column (very easy) and then the 78/9 does not use a grounded horn wire so it has two wires for the horn and all you have to do is ground one of them. Everything else will hook up to your existing wiring. It is very simple. Hawkrod

[Joshpow]

Yeah, it ain't that hard to figure out. Mostly different darkness colors on mine.

[td]

there can be a few more wires if the donner truck were to be equipped with cruise as the one i used was.

[Hawkrod]

there can be a few more wires if the donner truck were to be equipped with cruise as the one i used was.

You are mistaken. a 78/79 ford truck tilt column with cruise uses the same turn signal switch as without cruise. There are no extra wires. The cruise works electronically through the horn wires. The cruise control wiring is simply a jumper harness that plugs in between the turn signal switch wiring and the dash harness. You can't use the cruise horn pad though unless you have the cruise eklectronics. Hawkrod

[td]

Hawkrod,

thanks for correcting me, i never actually identified the extra wires i had but i did assume some were for the cruise. you know what they say about assuming

[Hawkrod]

Not a problem, I only responded because that has been posted by so many people and it isn't correct but it gets people looking for cruise and non-cruise parts and except for the horn pad there are no different parts. I actually converted my 79 to cruise and was amazed at how simple the system is. The only problem for me was I was using a sport wheel and had to design my own switches based on the ones in a regular wheel horn pad. Lets just say it was "interesting"! LOL Hawkrod

[stangconv]

Thanks guys...

New problem.. the donor column is for an Auto trans... I want to keep mine a Manual... Can this be done without looking ghetto?

The guy who is selling it says you disassemble the column. you cut off the stub and use devcon or other metal patch , sand,repaint and reassemble column.

Does he know what he is talking about?

[fordman]

i guess you could do that to the shift collar. its made of pot metal. or you might be able to get a new collar from a junkyard or one of the vendors i don't know.