I have a 1985 Dodge Ramcharger Royal SE 150 4X4 Utility Vehicle.

My tilt steering column is shot and just wobbles around in the u-joint area of the tilt column. 

I picked up a like new condition column in the junkyard but it came off a 1983 Ramcharger Royal SE-150 (same options as mine).  It looks the same except for a cosmetic difference in the tilt lever.  Can anyone tell me it this will work as direct swap?  One of my friends said that he thought I could only use one from a 85 thru 87 model on my vehicle.

I realize I can rebuild this area of the column. I tried that, but it is still not as solid as I think it should be.

Thanks in advance

Jesse

jfalquez,

   If this is the same style of Saginaw tilt steering column that has been around since the '70s, there's actually nothing more wrong with it than a couple of loose bolts (four to be exact) even though it seems like the universal is shot. I have rebuilt tons of these columns and I've seen this problem a hundred times before. If you can take the steering wheel and move it and the upper part of the column up and down and kinda all around then it's the four bolts that hold the lower pivot housing to the shaft housing.

I was going to explain how to fix this, but I came across a site that has the procedure already written. Here's the web address;

http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/suspension/t_steering.html

    Don't worry, even though this is for a Grand National, Saginaw made these tilt columns for GM and Chrysler and the procedure is the same. The tools that you need to do it are available from MAC or Snap on and I think I even saw them in Pep Boys. You'll need a steering wheel puller, a lock plate depresser, a pivot pin puller and an inverted Torx socket for the four bolts. Hope this helps. Make sure you study how each part comes out and reassemble it just the same way and good luck!!!

................Robert  

I would do what Robert said to your old column, but the 83 will work if you dont repair the old one.   

Hello Robert, is this the same for the 87 Dakota? My wheel feels like it's going to fall off, the tilt still works but man is this thing sloppy.  

I have already tried taking the column apart myself and let me tell you the thing about drove me crazy. So I took it to a local shop who claimed that they rebuilt them all the time to let them do it.  They charged me $175 and although it is much tighter that it was before they got ahold of it, it is still to sloppy for my taste. I guess I can give them credit because when they started it WAS SO sloppy that everyone refused to drive it and it was down right spooky to watch it move around.  Now it's only a mere annoyance that it's still not solid as I think it used to be.  I already have the 83 column that I picked up at last weeks junkyard 50% sale for $20.  It was in like new condition when I found it in the truck (rock solid). So I pulled it out and thought this might be the eazy way out.  The only difference I noted was that the tilt release lever was all chrome where mine has a black plastic knob on the end. Everything else seemed the same. I have not been able to measure the lenght of my column to see if they are the same. Before I pulled mine out to try the swap, I was hoping someone could tell me what differences to look for.  I also wonder if the pins on the wire harness are the same? I really dont want to pull mine apart and try the repair again UNLESS the 83 column I have won't work. It was that much of a hassle to me.  I called a local junkyard and they ran my year vehicle through their interchange computer and it said that I can only use 85-87 columns but didnt know why they were different. I'm hoping its only the cosmetic differences I have noticed and that all the mechanical and electrical connections are the same.

The only thing that could be differant is the wiring just see if both have the same connectors and the wire color codes are the same if so it should cool. If they are not just change out turn signal switchs and all will be okay.  

Thanks, I'll check out the wiring in the next day or two.  

Goatheat,

   Im not sure, I don't have any experience with that particular model, but if I know Ma Mopar, when they find something that works they stick with it for a long time. If your column has the tilt release stalk directly behind the turn signal stalk, I'd say with about 85-90% certainty that it is a variation of the Saginaw tilt column. The shifter bowl and the housing cover might be different than earlier models, but the internal components should be the same. If you can take a picture of the left hand side of the column behind the steering wheel and post it here in this forum, I should be able to tell you for sure.

...............Robert  

Jfalquez,

   

It sounds to me that the shop that you took it to did not do the job properly, it should not have left the shop if it was still loose.

And yes, it not a job for the faint of heart. Excellent mechanical skills are required. But if you take your time and observe how everything comes out and goes back together, it's not so bad. If you live here in Las Vegas, let me know, I'll do it for you. If not, try it again, its great practice. Think of it as a challenge that most people wouldn't try. And if you do it correctly, think of the sense of accomplishment and think of how now you can make the $175 from someone who can't. Just a thought.....

..............Robert  

Robert,

Thanks...I know you're right about not picking it up from the shop when it wasnt fixed right... Vegas huh.......sounds like a good excuse to see if my wife wants to go on a short roadtrip to vegas (ha ha) and let her think she's getting a night on the town out of it.....yeah, wish I was up there. I'd take you up on the offer and this time WATCH closely so I can do it next time.  I'm down in the Phoenix area and live in west Glendale on Luke Air Force Base. I just returned from a 6 month "desert" deployment just before Christmas. My wife Caroline decided that she would have it fixed for me while I was gone.  She had my son take it to the shop and she picked it up. This was done about 2 months before my return home, so I didn't bother to call the shop and let them know that there was still a problem.  I think I'll try the complete column swap. That looks REALLY easy and it was not a problem pulling the column when I was at the junkyard.  I'm just worried about something not fitting right since Murphy always seems to find me lately when I'm working the ol dodge. I'm building a new engine for it, I just renewed the interior, the trans is getting a freshen up with TCI's truck master rebuild kit next week, then I'll need to swap the 3.23's for 4.11's and I'll start on the paint.  Should be good to go before too long I hope. Thanks for the input

Jesse

Jfalquez,

No problem, my pleasure. You know, Vegas isn't far from Phoenix, and your wife does deserve a night out Hmmm...........(sound of slot machines jingling).

Just kidding. Anything I can do to help. Good luck with your project!

............Robert  

Well, I finally figured out the difference (sort of) between the 83 column and the 85 column. I pulled it out and took some measurements and compared them.  All measurments were the same. The only difference was that the 85 column had 3 wire harnesses and the 83 had only two.  The harness that the 85 had (that the 83 didn't) had only two wires (blue and black). I'm not sure what it controls, but will try to check it out later.

Jesse