1974 cj-5 steering column

74 cj-5 · 10-31-2005, 10:51 PM

Alright here is a question to show my stupidity, I have always been a truck guy but have recently gotten into the cj's I bought a 74 cj-5 with out doing my homework! I am a taller guy 6-3 to be exact, I have been working on modifying the wheel well in order to get my seat back a little further, and the next step will be to get a shorter possibly tilt steering column put in. As everyone except "me" seems to know from 72-75( I think) they only put the long skinny steering colmun in the 5's, and I feel like for some reason the one in my jeep is abnormally long, because when I sit in the drivers seat straight up, the end of the steering column is only about 5inches lower than my chin and 6 inches away from my chest. It is like it was designed to be driven by a guy who is 6'8 that has a 24 inch inseam ( before I modded the seat my knee was almost in my chest when I let off the clutch.)
Following all the rambling the point of the question is what columns(possibly tilt) would be shorter and an easy swap into a 74 cj-5, since they apparently didn't offer any for 72-75 cj-5.

Any help is greatly appreciated
Thanks

earlycj5 · 11-01-2005, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 74 cj-5

Alright here is a question to show my stupidity, I have always been a truck guy but have recently gotten into the cj's I bought a 74 cj-5 with out doing my homework! I am a taller guy 6-3 to be exact, I have been working on modifying the wheel well in order to get my seat back a little further, and the next step will be to get a shorter possibly tilt steering column put in. As everyone except "me" seems to know from 72-75( I think) they only put the long skinny steering colmun in the 5's, and I feel like for some reason the one in my jeep is abnormally long, because when I sit in the drivers seat straight up, the end of the steering column is only about 5inches lower than my chin and 6 inches away from my chest. It is like it was designed to be driven by a guy who is 6'8 that has a 24 inch inseam ( before I modded the seat my knee was almost in my chest when I let off the clutch.)
Following all the rambling the point of the question is what columns(possibly tilt) would be shorter and an easy swap into a 74 cj-5, since they apparently didn't offer any for 72-75 cj-5.

Any help is greatly appreciated
Thanks

I think Camaro and Firebird columns will fit, they're pretty short IIRC. I've one from a '76 CJ-5 in my '71 5 and it points up pretty high, I considered a tilt column swap as well.

About any GM style column can be used that's found in S10s, F-bodies, XJs, YJs, later CJs, etc. if the length is right. Problem is I'm not up to date on all the lengths.

sixshooter · 11-01-2005, 07:57 PM

I used a tilt column out of a 1978-80 trans am. I used the steering box too to make it power. I will tell you this, do not make the same mistake I made. The box and column I used was out of a WS6. In a CJ5, theh box was too quick of a ratio. It was 2 turns lock to lock...it was very scary, especially on the highway. The column was great....most of my friends are over 6'2" and they always were very comfortable in it. The seats helped a bunch too, they were geo seats (tracker, storm). They have a very hard arch in the back, so you can lean them back and move them back quite far for a CJ5, without an uncomfortable feeling.

centralflaCJ · 11-01-2005, 08:09 PM

I bought my '76 CJ5 and it already had a GM tilt column fitted in it. I'm 6'1" and it does make a big difference with the tilt wheel. I;m not sure what model GM it came out of though.

KevinCJ5 · 11-02-2005, 10:21 AM

Doing a ground up restore on a 74 CJ5, 304 V8, new frame and all. Need to know what parts and from what year vehicle will work to convert to power steering. Some have said a 73-80 GMC 4x4 pick-ups power steering will bolt right on. Need some help. Don't want to spend $1000.00 on the rock climber stuff, don't plan on climbing rocks... Also- who seel new seats to fit. All I've seen is 76 and newer

sixshooter · 11-02-2005, 11:22 AM

I have always used transam/camaro stuff. It works well. The last box I used was a box dfrom an 84 T/A it wiredd well, but I had to remember to grab the bolts and such as they were metric. The box cost me like $12. I used the brackets and pump off of an 80's eagle wagon. Bolted right up. I grabbed the hoses from both vehicles and I cannot remember which I used or if I had to flare for a fitting or two.