Tilt column 79 and up

[chevak20]

Why did GM change the steering column from 1979 and up?
From 1973-78 it had a clamp around the shaft and from 1979 and up it had a bolt through it and a not a spline surface.

Is the 79 and newer better construction? Did the prior clamp style spin around on some vehicles when the wheel was turned?

The reason I ask is that I am putting in an older style in my 82 truck and I want to be safe. I can change the bottom shafts otherwise and make a mix 77/82 style steering column.

[motornut]

im wondering now too
i wana put my 89 tilt colum in the 78

[chevak20]

I talked to a guy who works in the vehicle business and asked why they changed the design of this and he said that it might be a cost reason. Underneath the clamp style there must be splines, and splines are more expensive to manufacture than the double D design with a bolt through it.

I am going to go ahead and put this older style in my -82 4x4. The older style had been working well in my -77 2WD with no problems. I will post my obituary here if it doesn't work.

[Jonboy]

If you use the lower shaft also, it should go right in.

[motornut]

Cool I'm scrapping the truck soon and I am pulling the wipers and wires to figure out how to change that all over to the coloum with low and high beams too I hope
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[madcow75]

Makes sence they are allways trying to save money one way or another. I would think the splines would be stronger myself.

[chevak20]

I am starting to believe so too, I looked at a Jeep J20 pickup mid eighties yesterday and it had the clamp with splines style on it also.