Tilt Column Reccomendations Needed ASAP.

[needabronco]

I need to order a tilt column ASAP! I'm between the Ididit, and the Flaming river floor shift columns.

What do you guys have, do you like them, and would you recommend them? Also I'm looking at the brushed steel clear coated Ididit, and adding the silver Tom's wheel to it, if any of you have that combo, please post up pix?

Thanks in advance.

Casey

 

[Z Bronco]

I have a Flaming River Tilt column and like it a lot. The tilt has made getting into and out off my old Beard seats much easier. I used Flaming River's adapter (I have the Polished column) instead of the Grant one that came with Tom's wheel.

 

[blubuckaroo]

If you buy directly from IDIDIT rather than from a Bronco supply, you can have them make it to your specs. Mine would be a bit closer to the dash.

 

[66fora69er]

Or you could save a lot of money and pull a tilt column out of a 78-79 ford F-150. I cut the column shifter off did a little body work on it and painted it and use an art car floor shifter. Good as used

 

[needabronco]

By the time I locate a decent F150 column, clean it up an replace all of the parts it will need, I'm not far off of a new column. I've actually been looking for a decent donor, but around here the tilt mechanisms and turn cams are all hammered out, usually the bearings are trashed also. I figure 2 days yarding, $75 for the used column, another $40-50 for the turn signal cam switch, another $75 for bearings and seals, fix the wiring, another $25-40 for prep and paint or $75 for powder coating, and probably 12-15+ hours in my time fixing it. So $225-300 or so for a 30 year old column that needs 2-3 days worth of work, versus $330-420 to bolt in a brand new one, with a better designed turn signal cam.

This is going in a full body off resto/mod and it needs to show like it. Hence the reason for the custom tilt column. I've got more time than money, but sometimes it's cheaper in the long run to spend a few bucks more...

I've called Ididit and Flaming River and I can order directly from them, the problem is their prices are almost double from them. The Bronco parts houses must not mark their columns up very much.

Thanks for the replies, keep them coming.

 

[Mark]

Why would you have to rebuild the F150 column?
If you find one in good shape, you'll just have to change the mounting bracket.. easy as pie. You can put fresh paint on it if you like.

Maybe this one is still available...
http://www.classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=144518

 

[needabronco]

Mark, I've yet to find one that's in good shape around here, I've been looking for about a year or more, and almost all that I've found are automatic columns, I'm using a floor shift.

 

[Mark]

Ok, I see.
Those new ones sure are pretty in the catalogs and web sites! Can't wait to see pic's and read feedback on them...

 

[fatboy]

Don't forget to look on ebay, I had some real favorable pricing on the Flaming River unit when I was building my FJ. Also look at the Jeeps in the u pull it yards, the older ones have the GM units that are the basis for the flaming river and Ididit designs. (I know, I know but if you can save some coin and you are going to repaint it anyway)

 

[jtyler4570]

I just finished installing a polished flaming river column in my 77', they are beautiful and work good but I only had one problem. I dont know if they sell ford style columns but mine was a GM style. The wiring was the only problem, just had to do some modifications to plug into my painless harness. Also for some reason my Grant steering wheel I had on my factory ford column wont slide on correctly to my new column. I ordered a GM style hub for my steering wheel to see if that works? Send me your email if you would like pictures of it installed.

 

[Dusty]

Both Flaming River and Ididit use the GM style wiring. In fact the columns from those two companies are very similar. I have an Ididit I bought from Chuck years ago and its been great. When I was at WCB we sold Flaming River. Both are great products, it just comes down to price and your choice of vendor.

Dusty

 

[357Bronco]

I went with an IDIDIT , from Summit Racing. They had good prices, lowest handling and shipping, and had everything in stock. I went from the Grant wheel, all the way to the box. I've used IDIDIT on half dozen other projects, and have never been disappointed. Never heard anything bad about Flaming River, you'd be happy with both I think.

 

[blackbeauty]

I've got the Ididit column. The turn signal cam sucks. It's hard get to stay in turn mode, and then sometimes it wont go to the off position after turning.

 

[airbur]

I just ordered the clear powder coated Ididit column from the Bronco Hut. They have Ididit customize the column for the early bronco. The markup is very low.

 

[sprdv1]

Don't think you could go wrong w/either of them..!

 

[needabronco]

Yesterday I sucked it up and ordered a Flaming River column and steering wheel from Toms. The deciding factor was the Flaming river are stainless steel, and I know more people with them, over the Ididit. Toms was about $20 more than ebay, but I'd rather support a vendor than some unknown ebay dealer...

Thanks for the replies.

 

[yjzonie]

ouch!!! But it will look good...

 

[sprdv1]

Yesterday I sucked it up and ordered a Flaming River column and steering wheel from Toms. The deciding factor was the Flaming river are stainless steel, and I know more people with them, over the Ididit. Toms was about $20 more than ebay, but I'd rather support a vendor than some unknown ebay dealer...

Thanks for the replies.

Good deal, I'm sure you will be happy with it

 

[needabronco]

Well, according to flaming river all of there columns are stainless steel. So considering I have a bit of brushed stainless already in my truck, I'm hoping I can get away with a 'light' polish on the 'paintable' column and be done. The Ididit column is plain old steel tube.

 

[airbur]

Yesterday I sucked it up and ordered a Flaming River column and steering wheel from Toms. The deciding factor was the Flaming river are stainless steel, and I know more people with them, over the Ididit. Toms was about $20 more than ebay, but I'd rather support a vendor than some unknown ebay dealer...

Thanks for the replies.

I did the same...although I ordered the Ididit tilt column. The main reason was they offer a mild steel version powdercoated clear....the thing looks just awesome Also, the Bronco Hut has them customize it a bit specifically for the Bronco.