Steering Column advice.

[Cameron Covington]

I'm currently "restoring" an 86 K30, and the steering column is pretty well trashed. The truck was a maintenance and grounds truck at Mount Vernon, and then a farm truck for nearly 20 years after that. I have been looking and the steering columns are not only pricey, as well as my ******* really doesn't know what I need. Im used to working on Jeeps particularly XJ's and knowing what all works and doesn't, square bodies are new to me as far as owning and maintaining one. The truck most definitely needs a new shifter on the column as well as the tumbler for the key etc. Truck also needs to be rewired which is no biggie for me. I was wondering if it would be better for me to just rebuild the steering column that is in it, and run a dash mounted tumbler like what came out of old chevelles and novas, in that case what would I do with the blinker and the windshield wiper? Also not anti doing like a redneck special B&M floor shifter or something along those lines, this truck is to be used as a truck, Function>Form.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

Everything you could need to rebuild, especially if it’s a tilt column, should be readily available. It’d be more sensible to tear it down in the truck, tighten the slop and loctite the four bolts, and assemble your way back up while replacing what you need on the way back up. A new lock cylinder is $10-$15 dollars, and a new lever is $30, although I’m not sure if you’re talking about the pin being broken or the plastic housing being trashed, although both of those are available, and the latter of those is not a freak occurrence in these trucks.

There’s a sticky in the exterior sub-forum detailing the teardown step by step. Rent a steering wheel puller, buy a set of lock ring pliers, and go for it. Also, funny you should mention Jeep XJ. It’s common to swap in an 84-96 sector shaft to get rid of the rag joint intermediary that GM loved so much.

 

[ali_c20]

Rebuild the column. I prefer rebuild over swapped or new parts. It takes more time but it can save some money.

 

[Cameron Covington]

Everything you could need to rebuild, especially if it’s a tilt column, should be readily available. It’d be more sensible to tear it down in the truck, tighten the slop and loctite the four bolts, and assemble your way back up while replacing what you need on the way back up. A new lock cylinder is $10-$15 dollars, and a new lever is $30, although I’m not sure if you’re talking about the pin being broken or the plastic housing being trashed, although both of those are available, and the latter of those is not a freak occurrence in these trucks.

There’s a sticky in the exterior sub-forum detailing the teardown step by step. Rent a steering wheel puller, buy a set of lock ring pliers, and go for it. Also, funny you should mention Jeep XJ. It’s common to swap in an 84-96 sector shaft to get rid of the rag joint intermediary that GM loved so much.

Thanks for the info and the help, this is what I was leaning towards, i've got all the tools to do it, i've just never fooled with a rebuild on a column. I have torn them out of stuff and put new ones in but I've never torn into one other than the tumbler, clock spring, wheel etc.

 

[WarlVlachine]

This is the guide I used. https://www.gmsquarebody.com/threads/how-to-fix-loose-gm-steering-column.3085/

Great walk through.

 

[highdesertrange]

x2 on rebuild the one you have. highdesertranger

 

[RoryH19]

I just had to tighten my tilt column in my 87 R10.
It's worth redoing yourself.
While you are there I would replace the ignition tumbler and the turn signal cam.
If the wiring is suspect you should replace that at the same time. It will come with the new cam.
I made sure to use lock tight on the 3 bolts just below the tilt mechanism.
May also want to replace the horn pieces.