Sorry if this is a dumb question but my search didn't turn up anything... Is there any way to shorten/push in the steering column so that the steering wheel sits closer to the dash? I'm a fairly big guy and the steering wheel in my '89 K5 sits maybe a foot or so from my chest and I'd like to get some more room if I can. I know there's a couple bolts on the bottom on the shaft inside the cab and a couple more on the firewall inside the engine bay and I'm wondering if I can just loosen all of those and push it in a little to gain a couple inches? I have an XJ shaft that I was going to try and get installed this weekend and thought I might try playing with the column while I'm at it but I've never seen anyone do it before and wasn't sure if I'm missing some glaring reason I shouldn't mess with it...
CK5
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Shortening Steering Column?
- Thread starter NorCalAnthony
- Start date
I understand what you mean. I would say moving my seat back a little would be easier. I did this when I put new seats in mine.
car steering wheel swap from gm . cavalier / sunbird / few others off top of my head . in the non air bag style there a basic swap .
also the tilt helps if you didn't have one . find one and swap in .
otherwise its a bit of work to move it . and if you go in it will bring it down to your knees also . so then it would be needing to tilt up more than stock .
also the tilt helps if you didn't have one . find one and swap in .
otherwise its a bit of work to move it . and if you go in it will bring it down to your knees also . so then it would be needing to tilt up more than stock .
I was going to play with the placement of the seats whenever I get around to swapping in the ones from my donor Yukon but I'm not sure how much that's going to help. The drivers seat that is in there now can slide far enough back to where I have plenty of leg room but the steering wheel is still too close for my liking. I'm basically diving like a t-rex and have to do quick hand over hand movements on sharp turns instead of doing the one handed spin that I would normally do. Hopefully that makes sense...
On my 68 it's an easy job, but I've never done this with my 85. The 68 is a regular cab, so space is limited, while the 85 is my Blazer. Much easier to get away from a steering wheel in a blazer.
I managed to sink mine ~3" into the dash and run a smaller wheel, helped a lot. Plus I got rid of the gas tank inside so hopefully I can push the seat back some more. Maybe when you get started with yours, you find it's similar to mine.
Here is some info I followed. (yeah, I know, it's a rival site)
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?p=1625267#post1625267
I ended up deleting the reverse light switch on the column and using something else. You may find that switch to be the limiting factor, as to how far you can push the column in. Some people are able to mount it outside the firewall. I bought a Lokar unit that mounts to the trans.
I managed to sink mine ~3" into the dash and run a smaller wheel, helped a lot. Plus I got rid of the gas tank inside so hopefully I can push the seat back some more. Maybe when you get started with yours, you find it's similar to mine.
Here is some info I followed. (yeah, I know, it's a rival site)
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?p=1625267#post1625267
I ended up deleting the reverse light switch on the column and using something else. You may find that switch to be the limiting factor, as to how far you can push the column in. Some people are able to mount it outside the firewall. I bought a Lokar unit that mounts to the trans.
That's a good point I didn't think about the steering wheel sitting lower as it gets further in it's hole/closer to the dash.
My truck already has the tilt column in it but it isn't much help... Never thought about swapping in the steering column out of a car before but I might take a look at them next time I'm at the Pick-n-Pull. You wouldn't happen to know what years to look for on the car column do you? I can't remember when they started putting air bags in...
I like the idea of putting a newer style one in there since I'll eventually be putting in the newer seats and doing my LS swap. It won't be anything as nice as your '78 but I really like the modern meets vintage idea and wanted to do a little of that on my truck.
Thanks for posting the link to your build that's pretty much exactly what I was picturing in my head I just wasn't sure what else might be involved like the reverse switch you mentioned. Maybe I'll just try loosening the column after I get the shaft out for the XJ swap and see how things look. I'd be happy if I could pick up even if only pick up an inch or two but I guess if there isn't any wiggle room I'll just tighten everything back down the way it was.
I'm 6'5" and the steering wheel in my '82 rubs on my crotch ,especially if I'm wearing a thick winter coat--gets annoying and makes for an uncomfortable ride and hard to steer it when your parking,etc..the steering wheel does seem to stick out too far on square bodies,especially if your a tall guy..
On my '77 GMC, I had ,I put a Cavalier steering wheel on it --I had put velour bucket seats in it from a Mercury Topaz that I mounted on the original seat tracks from the bench seat using some angle iron,and they sat almost "straight up" and hit the back wall of the cab when pushed all the way back,and sat up higher than the bench seat by an inch or so--swapping the steering wheel made all the difference..being smaller made it feel "harder" to steer a bit,but I got used to it quickly..
On my '77 GMC, I had ,I put a Cavalier steering wheel on it --I had put velour bucket seats in it from a Mercury Topaz that I mounted on the original seat tracks from the bench seat using some angle iron,and they sat almost "straight up" and hit the back wall of the cab when pushed all the way back,and sat up higher than the bench seat by an inch or so--swapping the steering wheel made all the difference..being smaller made it feel "harder" to steer a bit,but I got used to it quickly..
I put a vega gt steering wheel in. Smaller diameter. On a non tilt column.
Yeah I'm only 6'3" but it's still pretty tight in there and what's weird is I don't remember my dad's old '85 Burb or the '78 K5 I had in high school being this way. Of course I'm 3" taller and around 100 lbs bigger than I was back then so maybe that explains the difference lol. The PO on my current '89 K5 replaced the seats at some point and welded a couple patches in the floor so it's possible he moved the seats closer at the same time but I could've sworn I saw all the of the original seat mounting holes being used and in their normal spots.
Do you have a build thread for your '77 or something that shows the steering wheel? I tried going through your some of the posts on your profile page but you've got a sh*t ton in there and I probably missed it as I was quickly scanning through...
Sorry,I never have had a camera to take pictures with and still dont..
I still have the steering colum from the '77 GMC with the Cavalier wheel on it,I kept it for a spare when I scrapped the truck out...
--(actually now that I think about it--the steering wheel came off an 80's Pontiac J-2000 wagon,but is the same thing as a Cavalier !)--but I have no way to take a picture and post it up here..
It was a direct fit,the directional signal hardware worked fine,and the horn,it even matched the diameter where it meets with the colum where the shifter is like the original..only bummer is it was maroon,and the truck had a blue interior...but it made driving it much more comfortable..
I still have the steering colum from the '77 GMC with the Cavalier wheel on it,I kept it for a spare when I scrapped the truck out...
--(actually now that I think about it--the steering wheel came off an 80's Pontiac J-2000 wagon,but is the same thing as a Cavalier !)--but I have no way to take a picture and post it up here..
It was a direct fit,the directional signal hardware worked fine,and the horn,it even matched the diameter where it meets with the colum where the shifter is like the original..only bummer is it was maroon,and the truck had a blue interior...but it made driving it much more comfortable..
