Column Shifter Installation
We at Speedway Motors like to do what we can to help make your dreams become reality. And that is the purpose of these tech articles. We help you out and show different ways to get the job done.
We get a lot of questions on our steering columns, such as how to measure them and what steering u-joints to use. However, I ran into a question recently that had not been answered yet. That was "How do you install the column shifter into the column itself?" If you purchase a Speedway Motors steering column, the tilt lever and turn signal lever just screw right into it with no problem at all. So I decided to get part number 910-32982 pulled to my desk so I could do some investigating on how it is installed.
This column I pulled is our standard Speedway 33’’ Chrome Column Shift, Tilt Steering Column that works as a three and four speed. To figure the length of the steering column you need, you will measure from the top of your steering column, to the end of the shaft at the bottom of the steering column. This column also comes with the standard gm wiring and plug, and features a 1” DD shaft at the end of the column.
We offer everything you need to get this column set up from the Steering Wheel Adapter to get your aftermarket eering wheel mounted, to the column drop to get the column just where you would like it.
When you pull the column out of the box you will notice that it comes with two levers with threaded ends. Those will be your column tilt and turn signal lever, which will screw right into the column. Where it can get a little confusing is when you look at the column shift lever, which comes with a pin and a spring. Most of this is a one person job, but will eventually turn into a two person in order to complete it.
You will notice that inside of the steering column there is a little seat on the inside of it where the little spring will actually sit down inside of the column. I would suggest taking a very small flat head screw driver to help you stand the spring up in the hole. Trust me when I say that if the spring falls inside the top of the column, you will be shaking the column around like a maraca trying to get the spring back out of the hole.
Once the spring is seated in the column, you can tackle the next obstacle, which is going to be getting the lever inside of the column and pushing the pin through the lever hole. This is where it will turn into a two person job. When installing the lever, you will slip the lever over the spring. This may take a couple of try’s, but you will feel it seat down over the spring. Once you get that seated this is where the second person will come in handy. As you are holding the lever in the column you can have the second set of hands slide the pin in.
You will notice the pin has a knurled end on it, which will need tapped into the hole to keep the arm from coming out of the column. Once you get the pin settled into the hole, that should about wrap up putting the arms into the column. Any other accessories you may need for this column, we at Speedway Motors can help get you set up and taken care of to get you cruising on down the road.
