Steering Column Help ?

[Bunky67]

I'm wanting to change the steering column in my 77 CJ5 over to a tilt model, I was given this column, but not sure what it's out of, Can someone help me identify this column and tell me if It would work alright with modifications in my 77 CJ5 ?

 

[Jimbos76cj]

Looks like one from a Cherokee. Judging by the way the end of it looks I'd so no or will need a lot of fab work done. CJ columns have a bolt on cover at the bottom. The colum sticks out a bit past the cover where the picture you have shows it being pretty short. Although I do remember some one on here saying they installed a Cherokee column and even got the wipers to work of the multifunction switch..

 

[IOPort51]

It's a walk in the park.

you will have to cut the firewall mount off and use the existing one with a little blocking down. the switch needs about 1/2" more clearance. You need the the steering shaft that goes from the column to the steering box from the Cherokee. I cut and welded the u joint from that one and put it on the end of the 77 shaft, it has to be about an inch shorter. The wiring is pretty much plug and play with the exception of the wipers and high beams, I moved these to the column.

Jeep CJ Steering Column Swap

read this, it helped me a lot.

 

[cerrajero]

X2 with IO

it does have the key switch of a GM
it looks like a floor shifter steering column
but it looks like you got cruise control on the lever ?
the 1990 (last year of GM key switch) Cherokee did have a GM key switch and floor shifter



but i don't think the cruise control will work without a little modification

 

[IOPort51]

it could've come off a S10 or S10 blazer as well

Steering Column Help ?

I'm wanting to change the steering column in my 77 CJ5 over to a tilt model, I was given this column, but not sure what it's out of, Can someone help me identify this column and tell me if It would work alright with modifications in my 77 CJ5 ?

jeep-cj.com

so the "Jeep" on the horn button is just to throw us off??

 

[cerrajero]

it could've come off a S10 or S10 blazer as well

Steering Column Help ?

I'm wanting to change the steering column in my 77 CJ5 over to a tilt model, I was given this column, but not sure what it's out of, Can someone help me identify this column and tell me if It would work alright with modifications in my 77 CJ5 ?

jeep-cj.com

so the "Jeep" on the horn button is just to throw us off??[/COLOR]
​

looked way past that and didnt even see

I am only on the 2nd CD "so your baby can read"

the very rare jeep blazer only 1 made
but they could have swapped the wheel as well

 

[cerrajero]

edited right out of there

 

[IOPort51]

so now I have a punch line with no joke?? Thanks a bunch

 

[Bunky67]

OK IOPort51 I got me a xj shaft to go with my column, But the shafts are not the same on the top where they go into the joint, So where do I cut them to weld them back together on the flat sided part of the shaft ?

 

[IOPort51]

Yes, that is basically the plan.

you have to measure the columns as one is a bit longer than the other and make the finished shaft the right length. It is also important to pay attention to the "timing" of the top clamp. It is very easy to get the steering wheel to be upside down and there may not be enough adjustment in the drag link to turn it around far enough. remember the clamp will only go on in one position as you will notice when you pull the bolt out to remove the shaft.

What I did was to cut the new shaft a few inches below the u joint and weld it onto what ever you need from the top section of the old shaft. I think I cut a few inches from the new bottom end to insert into the joint and keep it aligned and as a little reinforcement. Do a good weld on this one, it isn't a lot of strain on the joint but it would be incredibly embarrassing if your weld did not hold.

I hope this is all reasonably clear.

the biggest problem I had was dropping the firewall end about 1/2 inch so the ignition switch would clear up under the dash.
you can see the wooden block I used on the left side of this picture. this is actually looking down so the block is on the top of the column. Here you can see where I re drilled the firewall bolts in the firewall mounting clamp bottom half so the column could drop a bit. you can almost see the crescent shaped block at the top.

looking back, it may be better to extend the top section of the clamp so it can be dropped by relocating the holes rather than use the block.

OK IOPort51 I got me a xj shaft to go with my column, But the shafts are not the same on the top where they go into the joint, So where do I cut them to weld them back together on the flat sided part of the shaft ?

 

[Bunky67]

Thanks IO

Do you have a Photo of the lower end of the joint where you connected them together ?

Thanks For all your Help

 

[IOPort51]

do you want to see where it was welded or where it slips one into the other?

Thanks IO

Do you have a Photo of the lower end of the joint where you connected them together ?

Thanks For all your Help

 

[Bunky67]

do you want to see where it was welded or where it slips one into the other?

I would like to see where and how exactly you made your connection ?

 

[IOPort51]

I have nothing right now but I will try to remember the next time I am under the hood

I would like to see where and how exactly you made your connection ?

 

[Bunky67]

Ok Today I cut the Cherokee mount of the Cherokee column and cut the Cherokee shaft and disassembled that, So now this weekend I can remove the CJ coulmn and start to replace it with the Cherokee Column,

But I have a couple of more questions ?

1) is there anything special needed to move the Wipers to the Column ?
2) the Dimmer on the Cherokee appears to have 4 prongs and the Floor mounted has only 3 is there something I need to do here, Change the dimmer switch or something ??

Thanks to All for all the Help so far,

 

[IOPort51]

go to auto zone.com and look at the diagram for the cherokee to make the transition to the column from the CJ stuff. it is pretty easy to figure you just need the wire colors and the plug that goes into the column plug.

Ok Today I cut the Cherokee mount of the Cherokee column and cut the Cherokee shaft and disassembled that, So now this weekend I can remove the CJ coulmn and start to replace it with the Cherokee Column,

But I have a couple of more questions ?

1) is there anything special needed to move the Wipers to the Column ?
2) the Dimmer on the Cherokee appears to have 4 prongs and the Floor mounted has only 3 is there something I need to do here, Change the dimmer switch or something ??

Thanks to All for all the Help so far,

 

[Bunky67]

Today I went and mounted the Cherokee Column, Did something Different but it worked, I took and Dropped the upper firewall mount down as far as it would go, then I added 1/4" spacers between the upper mount and the dash and it worked perfect, ( I know this dropped the wheel Down a little but it worked out for me,

The wires from my CJ5 and the Wires from the Cherokee Ignition switch were different and located in a couple of Different spots, but they plugged right onto my switch and everything works fine,

I ran into a problem because I miss read IOPort51 post correctly, on splicing the 2 steering Shafts together, I cut the Cherokee shaft off where the bottom shaft went into the upper, and I cut the CJ shaft off at the Joint, but like I said I miss read the Previous Post and took the Shaft completely out of the Cherokee Joint, this left a big hole in the Cherokee Joint and it was impossible to weld the CJ shaft back into the Cherokee Joint, So Luckily we have a Lathe so My Dad is going to turn me a piece to weld into the Cherokee Joint and then weld the CJ joint that,

But the easiest way would be to cut the 2 shafts on the upper round tube and splice them back together like IOPort51 did.

Otherwise it was an easy swap and can't wait to cruise again...

Thanks IO for all your help in this

 

[IOPort51]

One other thing I did, the Cherokee top U joint has a rubber damper that allowed a couple of degrees of play, I welded it up.

do not confuse this with the u joint itself. If you twist the Cherokee shaft and there is play in it you will see what I am talking about. If not don't worry about it. I am not all that sure it would have had a significant affect on the steering but I had spent some fair amount of time taking the play out of the steering and did not wish to allow any.

 

[Bunky67]

One other thing I did, the Cherokee top U joint has a rubber damper that allowed a couple of degrees of play, I welded it up.

do not confuse this with the u joint itself. If you twist the Cherokee shaft and there is play in it you will see what I am talking about. If not don't worry about it. I am not all that sure it would have had a significant affect on the steering but I had spent some fair amount of time taking the play out of the steering and did not wish to allow any.

This is where I made the mistake and I took the rubber completely out and where the rubber was is where I have to make the piece to go into the opening where the rubber was

 

[Bunky67]

Ok well I finally got everything working, except the wipers waiting on a delay box and a 4 wire motor, I swapped the dimmer switch out with one off a 1988 S-10 it only has 3 plugs and it gave me a little more clearance between the Dimmer switch and brake pedal arm.

Really Like the difference would do this swap again

Thanks for all the Help IO !