1985 steering column shelled out

[Keyser]

I just got a 1985 k20 with a 350 and a 4 speed manual. The steering column is shot. The assembly will just whirl and rotate all over the place. If you get it just right it will even kill the engine. Do i need a replacement or can it be rebuilt fairly easily and cheaply? If I am not explaining it well enough let me know and i will try to help you help me

Thanks

[82 Silverado 4X]

Is this a tilt wheel?

[Keyser]

yes it is tilt.

[82 Silverado 4X]

There are 4 Torx headed bolts that hold the tilt assembly together that have worked their way loose. Driving it like it is very dangerous but more importantly can cause a wiring fire in your columb if one of the wires in there shorts out if it gets pinched.
You can repair it yourself with the right specialty tools which can be purchased at places like AutoZone, Advance, Carquest or Napa. I beleive there is a post somewhere here on doing this repair.

[82 Silverado 4X]

You'll need screwdrivers, socket set, steering wheel puller, lock plate remover, and a set of torx head sockets to tighten the torx head bolts after you get it apart. To get to all 4 bolts the tilt part of the columb needs to be taken apart completely. On my son's car I left the tilt together and just tightened the 3 bolts that I could get to. I removed the 4th bolt with a magnet and left it out completely. It still works fine.

[Slonaker]

I posted some links to sites showing how to do this a week or two ago. You should be able to find the post using search.

Slonaker

[Keyser]

Ok i found the instructions that you added to the other thread. I will try to get to this soon and let you know how it goes. Considering what I paid for this and the fact that it had been sitting since 1999 I think this is a minor problem to have to try and fix. I mean I bought the truck with a working plow for $500

[Keyser]

Also since I have you attention the key does not want to flip back when I am starting it. It sticks on start and you have to turn it back to disengage the starter without turning it too far and shutting it off. I managed to shut it off 4 times in a row the first day I had it. Is there a spring or something similar that needs to be replaced?

[79BIG10]

There's a rod linkage that goes down further into the column on the top. It works like a slider along an electrical contact board. I'm thinking there is a spring along it in there.

[Keyser]

Finally looked at it last weekend. Its way beyond tightening the bolts. Didn't help at all. What are my cheap options? I don't really want to put a bunch of money into a truck i drive 4-5 times a year.

[85X3]

Replace it with a non-tilt column. lot's cheaper.

[Keyser]

Where do I get my hands on an inexpensive non-tilt column? I guess as long as it doesn't snow again there is no rush.

[beaterC10]

If you just need a cheap column you might consider an auto trans column shift column. The four speed column columns can be tough to find.

[Keyser]

So I can use either an auto or a manual column and either tilt or nontilt in this truck. What years will work. Apparently the guy who had it before rewired some stuff in the column. The misters are on a tiggle switch. The wipers turn on, but there is a separate box for the delay (which doesn't work). Anyone have a column that would work that they want ot get rid of really cheaply?

[Chevrolet4x4s]

Look in junkyards usually round 50 for auto tilt one