Steering Column, Tilt? Push me over the ledge.

[Jeep Driver]

I now have my keyless ignition and my steering wheel. 

 

My column is straight, no tilt. I know where there is a very nice tilt column. Tilt is a little loose but the entire column has to come apart anyway. 

The real advantage to getting a replacement column is that I can leave mine in the truck so I can move the truck while I'm gutting and modifying and painting the replacement. 

 

Those of you who have tilt, is there anything about tilt you just can't live without? pros? cons?

 

Thanks

[Minuit]

It didn't change my life but having a tilt column definitely made it feel more comfortable and natural to drive. I also gained intermittent wipers with the new column.  No cons at all, the column I got came from a pretty high mileage XJ and the tilt mechanism seems to have been fixed already before I got it. Other than the tilt mechanism working loose, swapping from a non-tilt to a tilt column seems like a straight upgrade to me.

[schardein]

7 hours ago, Minuit said:

 swapping from a non-tilt to a tilt column seems like a straight upgrade to me.

Is there a pun in here? LOL

 

I would like to have tilt one day.

[cruiser54]

I have it in all my Jeeps. Never move it. 

[Eagle]

I'm 6'-1" tall. The default, straight position is what works best for me, and even with a tilt column I've never used the feature to swing the wheel out of the way when exiting or entering the vehicle. Considering how the titl columns like to loosen up over time, I'm happier without it.

[HOrnbrod]

Agree. All my other stuff has tilt and I never use it. It's just something else to go wrong and I don't need / want it especially as I'm the only driver of my MJ.

[kryptronic]

I'm a taller guy at 6'2" and I generally only ever use tilt once, and that's to bump it up one notch above straight to get the wheel where I want it the first time I sit in a vehicle.  Then nobody ever touches it.  My MJ came with a non-tilt column that sits a little low for my taste, therefore I acquired a rebuilt tilt column which will be going in when my build starts.  I'm also a Wrangler guy, and as such am more comfortable sitting a bit higher in the cab, therefore I will be bumping the height on the bench seat, and may need to make one further adjustment to the tilt at that time.  If a standard non-tilt wheel put the wheel where I wanted it, I wouldn't need/want tilt either.

[johnj92131]

Just something else to go wrong is right.  Fixed the tilt wheel about 8-9 years ago and now notice it will need repair again in a couple of years.

 

[DirtyComanche]

I'd have to make sure, but I think I have mine a notch or two below the straight on position.  I like the wheel to be lower than most people would.

 

I think I could live without it though.

 

I did snag a tilt column for my Gladiator.  That doesn't mean I'll definitely wind up using it though.

[Kyleinreallife]

On the subject of columns I have to replace my wiper/blinker switch....has anyone seen a write up? I haven’t been able to find one...I have the tilt column


87' XJ Wagoneer I-6 AW4 NP242

[SVPete]

Can I live without it? Sure. Am I happy I have it? Yes. I have the column where I want it, not where someone else wanted it.

 

If you are going to be the only person behind the wheel, take your pick. I'm 5'11" and my wife is 5'1". If she drives the truck, the column gets moved.

[Sir Sam]

Generally I set the column once and then it doesn't move for my seating position. 

 

But it is nice to be able to adjust it when needed. 

[gogmorgo]

On February 15, 2018 at 10:43 AM, DirtyComanche said:

I'd have to make sure, but I think I have mine a notch or two below the straight on position.  I like the wheel to be lower than most people would.

 

I think I could live without it though.

 

I did snag a tilt column for my Gladiator.  That doesn't mean I'll definitely wind up using it though.

With you here. I don't know where the wheel would end up with it tilt, but seems like one of the first things I do when I get in a vehicle for the first time is to pull the wheel down. I'm 6'2 and pretty sure my MJ's column is the second off the bottom notch, any lower and it starts interfering with my view of the gauge cluster and also my legs. But I like the wheel as close to vertical as I can get it. When you tilt it up you just start gaining too many degrees of bus driver, and end up having to overreach to get to the top of the wheel. My Lada's non-tilt column (I don't think tilt was an option...) is a reasonable compromise between high and low so I can live with it, but it's still higher than I'd like it.

 

The purpose of tilt isn't so much to be able to move it up and down all the time, but rather to move it once to where it's most comfortable, instead of having to live with whatever compromise the factory chose. Doesn't necessarily mean you shouldn't be using it to accolade multiple drivers or anything like that, but it's one of those small things that can go a long way towards decreasing driver fatigue over long drives. 

[Jeep Driver]

There was one column at the PnP, from a really nice '90XJ, tilt. Can't say I really wanted tilt but I could be waiting for months for a good column. 

 

Dove in tonight, got it stripped down, all ignition and related parts gutted, steering lock too. Now I need to paint and reassemble.