Ebay chrome tilt columns... warning
Posted: February 17, 2015, 12:23 pm
I purchased a chrome tilt column off eBay when I was building my truck. I think I paid 200 for it. Simple, cheap solution for a new column right? Wrong these things are giant pieces of s%$t. There was some play at the bottom bearing right out of the box. I should have sent it back right there but i thought maybe i needed to tighten the bearings to remove the play. So I threw it in for mock up.
Fast forward about 14 months, I take it out for a drive and the steering is loose. I remember the loose bearing, disassemble the column to check bearings. Everything in the column is PLASTIC, crappy China plastic at that too.
I did some research and these are well known pos in the hot rod community. I found a study out of Australia, I'll post the link below. Basically there should be a redundant system in the tilt joint so if the plastic bushings break you still have some control of the car. When these completely plastic u joints fail, you will loose all steering of the car. I contacted the seller and told him, he could care less. Toyz recommended I post this over here to try and help prevent another member from making the same mistake. Steering and brakes are the two most important things you will do to your rig. I spent 600 on an ididit column, its perfect. Tight tolerances, very nice chrome, great customer service. Buy quality parts, from Americans.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... vHJfpEIpRQ
Fast forward about 14 months, I take it out for a drive and the steering is loose. I remember the loose bearing, disassemble the column to check bearings. Everything in the column is PLASTIC, crappy China plastic at that too.
I did some research and these are well known pos in the hot rod community. I found a study out of Australia, I'll post the link below. Basically there should be a redundant system in the tilt joint so if the plastic bushings break you still have some control of the car. When these completely plastic u joints fail, you will loose all steering of the car. I contacted the seller and told him, he could care less. Toyz recommended I post this over here to try and help prevent another member from making the same mistake. Steering and brakes are the two most important things you will do to your rig. I spent 600 on an ididit column, its perfect. Tight tolerances, very nice chrome, great customer service. Buy quality parts, from Americans.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... vHJfpEIpRQ