Steering column swap

[slotard]

I have a '73 C20, 350/350 column shift, no tilt. The ignition linkage is giving me a lot of trouble, I can't manage to get it working right.

How involved is swapping for a tilt column? I figure if I swap for something else I might as well improve it.

Thanks for any advice.

[NJ C10 Guy]

Its pretty easy, just a few bolts and screws and you're set. I just did one, but I swapped out the ignition cylinder and ran into a small problem that was easily fixed, just had to take it back apart. If you arent swapping out the ignition cylinder or the steering wheel, it's a piece of cake. Just make sure you get the correct year column that will bolt up to the intermediate shaft. There are plenty of writeups on how to do it.

[slotard]

So I need to find 73-78?

What was the problem you ran into?

[NJ C10 Guy]

Yes, there are 2 different shafts, I believe yours will be a spline shaft. My key wouldn't turn, which I didn't check before I buttoned everything up. There was a piece that was binding it. Easy fix, but a pain because I had to take it apart again.

[slotard]

What was binding it? My current symptom is that, even with the small leaf spring in that applies some load to the rack & pinion made up of the cylinder and ignition actuator, I jump teeth before it pushes the rod. Right now I have some parts removed and am just pushing on the rod to start it, but it takes a lot of force.

[NJ C10 Guy]

It was the contact for the warning buzzer, which is directly beneath the ignition cylinder.

[slotard]

Oh, you have a tilt column. I don't think my truck has a warning buzzer anyway.