tilt wheel in 77 CJ5 project

[IOPort51]

This was the first Saturday it didn't rain/snow/freeze or something so I went to the pull your part looking for a new steering column. And I found one in a 92 Cherokee with a auto floor shift and no cruse. This looks like a walk in the park to mount, the only problems I have encountered so far is the difference in the shaft clamp and the little pin that will not let you remove the key if it is not in park. I don't see these as being any real obstacle.
I put it in for a test fit and took a few pictures, It really isn't that purple, I am hoping I can paint the plastic with something to make it a bit more presentable than blue. And the really amazingly amazing thing about this column from a pull your part junk yard was that it had a key in it!! What are the odds?? I may have to find another wheel, it looks like someone already took a bite out of this one.:driving:


that was going to cost me some major bucks to have the switch picked and replaced. now it's not a problem, I guess this is one of the temporary perks to the cash for clunker program.

 

[Sasquach]

IO I am color challanged for sure but even I can see clash there .
I used a 2 part epoxy paint on my Jeeps body and made tests on dif. materials like plastic and such and it stuck to everything and had good flex too.

 

[IOPort51]

I think the quartz halogen work light may have something to do with the color in the picture but I will check out the epoxy paint, I think black will look a lot better unless I can find a red wheel.
A couple of shots of the new and improved steering shaft. I put a 4 inch section of the unused male shaft in the splice to keep it aligned and add a bit of rigidity beveled the joint and TIG welded the sections together to make a new shaft the same length as the original CJ shaft with the end clamp from the Cherokee.
I was mistaken about one thing, the steering column from the CJ and the Cherokee are the same length.

IO I am color challanged for sure but even I can see clash there .
I used a 2 part epoxy paint on my Jeeps body and made tests on dif. materials like plastic and such and it stuck to everything and had good flex too.

 

[essexmo]

there are vinyl paints you can buy to change the color I would think the steering wheel would be leather though so that may require a dye the trick is getting it totally clean first then painting it

 

[IOPort51]

The new tilt wheel is in the CJ, much thanks to Rush power systems for blazing the trail. I do have to sort out the windshield wipers and washer but I don’t think this will be a problem, it is really cool to have the high beam switch on the column.
Now for the only issue I have with my project and the topic I would like some opinions on.
The steering shaft, not the column but the shaft with a u joint on both ends that connects the column to the steering actuator, had to be modified. I don’t think I have taken any liberties with safety or the system integrity in any way but for some reason I had really wanted to do this without cutting and welding. Specifically, I cut the top u joint from the XJ shaft and welded it on to the CJ shaft after cutting the top of the CJ shaft off. There was no way the CJ u joint was ever going to fit the XJ column.
The XJ also had an arrangement that allowed a lot of play in the shaft, about 5 degrees I would guess, which was totally not going to happen. So I welded this also. I now have the slider for the extension of the shaft but axially it is totally ridged.
Now, the question, Is there something wrong with modifying the steering system in such a way, morally, mechanically, aesthetically, legally?

 

[Old Dog]

You didn't really do that did you.
No really I don't see where it would hurt anything, but I would want mine to be able to slide for flex in the frame.
Legally, I don't know. Maybe, depends on how good the lawyer is.

 

[IOPort51]

I just saw this Dog. The linear shaft still slides in and out. the top U joint no longer has a rubber damper in it. the slack in out of the turn.

 

[IOPort51]

Well, almost four years later and the Wipers, that I said would not be a problem to get working, are about to work!!

I love the tilt column and one of the things I like about it most is the light and wiper controls on the column and get them off the floor and the dash. The high beam switch? Who in their right mind puts a high amperage circuit in a potentially submerged area. I had managed the headlights and the high/low wipers but the intermittent was a bit more of a problem.

There are 8 wires from the blinker handle to the wiper system on a 90 something Cherokee, and they are all involved with making the wipers do something. The trick is to make all those things happen with an 81 CJ wiper motor that has four wires.

There are things I dislike about the CJ, not many but a few. one of them is the wipers. two speed and too short. the wiper blades specifically The windshield frame has a flex, I don't think I am a fan of the bushings .

This is the the step where I loose the two speed switch.




This is how I sorted the control wires. I used one solid state relay for the intermittent and low speed and Bosh relay for the high speed. The bottom shot is of the little circuit board I built to control the frequency of the wipers. Got to learn how to solder, really. All kinds of Google hits on intermittent wiper.

 

[IOPort51]

Got the wipers working the way I wanted them to work. Intermittent and everything else works great. I have to mention that I put an amp meter on it and although the load was constantly changing I think I saw 8 amps pop up a time or two. this , of course is on a dry windshield with "Wipeboy wiper system installed. I put a 5 amp fuse in it and it seems OK for the moment. Don't know what I would do if it snowed hear, that would definitely increase the amp load.