The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Tilt Column Wiring

Installing 81 Malibu tilt column in my 49 sub. Wiring is in good shape in the column. Will any of the wiring harnesses (Painless, EZ etc. etc.) just simply plug into the column so that all the circuits controlled at the column work? These circuits would include wipers, directionals, horn, highbeam/low beam, neutral safety switch, starter, ignition, cruise etc. or is it going to involve cutting splicing and soldering? Any advice or suggestions is appreciated. Weeds

Don't buy a restoration harness, buy a streetrod harness. Most are available with the right connector for a GM column.

2MNY & Old S Thanks for the info. Any recommendations on what brand harness? Weeds

Weeds What type of front end do you have and what did you have to do to get malibu to connect up. I have Nova clip and have been told most columns are too long to mate up. Please let me know column length if possible. thanks

Must be an early rear steer clip? Ididit's catalog describes how to measure for a column and they offer columns in lots of lengths. Check front-wheel-drive cars for a short column. Lots of GM front drive cars the column barely pokes through the firewall before a univeral joint that directs the action to the rack and pinion which are located behind the axle centerline.

49Bourb My IFS is out of an 84 GMC. I am using the power steering box from the 84 and it is mounted at the very front of the drivers side frame rail on the outside. The body is off the frame so I can't fit up the Malibu column yet. I have seen this column mounted in a 51 AD pickup and it looked good. It may be have to be shortened I don't know but I will cross that bridge when I get there. I will take a measurement for you. How do you want it measured, from where to where?

Thanks Weeds, I don't need any measurements, I was only trying to help sort out the column question.

On my hot rod '54 I'm using '78 Monte Carlo clip and column, and expect to put it together without too much trouble.

Old Sub, Anything I can help you with let me know. I am not as knowledgeable as most of the posters on the Bolt but I am learning fast about AD subs.

Thanks Weeds!

I try to answer every question I can, because so many deal with stuff where I don't have a clue...

I installed the EZ-Wire kit ... the give you two different plugs to use and one of them was the right one for me -- I have a Caddy tilt-telescopic steering column. Not a problem.

G = Horn
H = L-front turn signal
J = R-front turn signal
K = Hazard
L = turn signal flasher
M = L-rear turn signal
N = R-rear turn signal
P = brake switch

Alan thanks for the update on the EZ harness Weeds

Weeds, I to used the EZ-Wire harness, like Horvath. I have an 85 camaro tilt column and the harness worked like a champ.

-Chris

Weeds and anyone that cares.

I bought a painless new in box at a swap meet cheaper than I could get a ezwire. That being said. The customer service was superb from painless. No matter how dumb the question they answered it. I called them several times. I also bought an extra molex connector and made my own temporary harness so that I could use my dash switch and aftermarket turn signal until I put in my power steering and camaro steering column. So when I put it in i simply unplug the temporary and plug it right into the gm keyed column that I have. Works great. The only problem I had was run on after installing the harness. I had to put a resistor inline to the alternator.

Make sense?

Bessie -- you mean a diode right? A diode is a great addition to your alternator/generator wiring ... it goes on the wire that comes from the ignition, stops electricity from traveling BACK to the ignition and thus eliminates "run-on."

I put one in my setup and I love it! When I turn my engine off ... it shuts OFF!!

horvath,

where do you get a diode, and what kind do i need to ask for?

Hmmm ... I dunno, BiG_MaN ... I got mine with this Alternator Wiring Kit from the biggest wiring genius on the web -- Mark Hamilton.

I think you can buy them at Radio Shack ... but I don't know the specs. Maybe just a 12-volt diode will work? Make sure you install it in the right direction: There's a stripe on ONE END of the diode and that side goes towards the alternater -- NOT towards the ignition.