Steering wheel just fell into my lap.

[chris142]

Went to the feed store and the gas station. On the way home my tilt steering came loose and practically fell into my lap.

I pulled the steering wheel off and can't see the problem. I you tubed it and only found videos on how to adjust the steering box. Nothing with my problem.

I got home and couldn't turn it off as the loose column must have jammed the ignition somehow.

I had to pull the power wire at the alt then a battery cable on each battery to turn it off.

So it's sitting there with $200 worth of fuel in it and I can't drive it. What the way to attack this problem?

 

[Nero]

Replace the column. The tilt mechanism has broken and I don't believe it is something that can be fixed.

 

[chris142]

Replace the column. The tilt mechanism has broken and I don't believe it is something that can be fixed.

Anything can be fixed.

 

[Nero]

Then tear the column apart and fix it, good luck.

 

[chris142]

Anyone used this place? Can I use an auto column if mines a stick?

 

[Jesus Freak]

Anything can be fixed.

I actually keep an extra truck, just for parts. This is important, because they don't make these trucks anymore.

Then tear the column apart and fix it, good luck.

Nero is correct, kinda, but if you have a junkyard a few miles from your house that houses a bunch of regular cars and trucks from the 60s, 70s, 80s,and early 90s with a cool old guy that owns it (and I do) I suggest you go get another colum and just replace it. But DON'T throw the old one away, take it apart and see if you can fix/ restore it at your own speed. That way you can drive your truck and be ready for the next time the steering wheel falls in your lap, I mean, come on, you just put a 30+yr old colum in your truck, what do you expect? A good way to get on the junkyard guys good side is to start running WMO and pump his oil tank out, thus saving him hundreds of dollars (I did). Best WMO ive run through my truck.

 

[Jesus Freak]

Anyone used this place? Can I use an auto column if mines a stick?

Yes, you can use an automatics colum, it just looks wrong.

 

[chris142]

I actually keep an extra truck, just for parts. This is important, because they don't make these trucks anymore.

Nero is correct, kinda, but if you have a junkyard a few miles from your house that houses a bunch of regular cars and trucks from the 60s, 70s, 80s,and early 90s with a cool old guy that owns it (and I do) I suggest you go get another colum and just replace it. But DON'T throw the old one away, take it apart and see if you can fix/ restore it at your own speed. That way you can drive your truck and be ready for the next time the steering wheel falls in your lap, I mean, come on, you just put a 30+yr old colum in your truck, what do you expect? A good way to get on the junkyard guys good side is to start running WMO and pump his oil tank out, thus saving him hundreds of dollars (I did). Best WMO ive run through my truck.

I'm in southern California. The picapart are full of these old trucks. Finding the time to go hunting is a problem

 

[Cubey]

I'm in southern California. The picapart are full of these old trucks. Finding the time to go hunting is a problem

So use a salvage yard where they pick the part for you and you just pay and leave with the part? Use the "part wanted" feature of row52 perhaps?

 

[Jim993]

Just looked on eBay, looks like there is one:

'87 F250 steering parts for sale | eBay

Get the best deals for '87 F250 steering parts at eBay.com. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items!

www.ebay.com

 

[Jesus Freak]

Just looked on eBay, looks like there is one:

'87 F250 steering parts for sale | eBay

Get the best deals for '87 F250 steering parts at eBay.com. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items!

www.ebay.com

That's it, but MY GOODNESS! That's a lot of money.

 

[hacked89]

This has been on my mind for awhile but haven’t ran into a broken tilt column to experiment.
There’s always a back and forth discussion like you saw in this thread of “anything can be fixed” versus “you need to replace the column.

Here’s my thoughts.

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[quickster]

there are two pins in the cplumn, one on the left and the other right. A pin came loose on the 91 one time and the steering wheel hung on an angle. Pull the wheel off and check the pins. You'll see. You could have cracked to column housing on one side. I think it's pot metal.

 

[Nero]

Can confirm, you have to pull those pins to rebuild the column. But to answer @hacked89 in most cases (and skill level) it's easier to replace columns.

 

[hacked89]

there are two pins in the cplumn, one on the left and the other right. A pin came loose on the 91 one time and the steering wheel hung on an angle. Pull the wheel off and check the pins. You'll see. You could have cracked to column housing on one side. I think it's pot metal.

The OP has been gone for months but yes about the pins