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Thread: Flaming River tilt column and cruise control

  1. #11
    Registered Member chevynut's Avatar
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    So here's something that bothers me. I was looking at the harness that comes out of the column, and when I turn the steering shaft I can tell that the DD shaft inside the column rubs on the harness. I thought there was an inner tube that the shaft was inside of to protect the wiring from this. How long until the shaft wears a hole in the insulation?
    56 Nomad, Ramjet 502, Viper 6-speed T56, C4 Corvette front and rear suspension


    Other vehicles:

    56 Chevy 2-door BelAir sedan
    56 Chevy 210 4-door sedan
    57 Chevy 210 4-door sedan
    1962 327/340HP Corvette
    1961 Willys CJ3B Jeep
    2001 Porsche Boxster S
    2003 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD Duramax
    2019 GMC Sierra Denali Duramax

  2. #12
    Registered Member chevynut's Avatar
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    I didn't hear from FR for several days so I went to an online chat. I was told they install the cruise lever when the column is assembled, and that it "can't be done" with an assembled column. I take that to mean they don't do it that way. They want $50 plus shipping both ways to install mine. I might try to install it myself first and if I can't do it I'll send it to them. Still bothered by the fact that the shaft rubs on the harness inside the column.

    Any tips?
    56 Nomad, Ramjet 502, Viper 6-speed T56, C4 Corvette front and rear suspension


    Other vehicles:

    56 Chevy 2-door BelAir sedan
    56 Chevy 210 4-door sedan
    57 Chevy 210 4-door sedan
    1962 327/340HP Corvette
    1961 Willys CJ3B Jeep
    2001 Porsche Boxster S
    2003 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD Duramax
    2019 GMC Sierra Denali Duramax

  3. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by chevynut View Post
    I didn't hear from FR for several days so I went to an online chat. I was told they install the cruise lever when the column is assembled, and that it "can't be done" with an assembled column. I take that to mean they don't do it that way. They want $50 plus shipping both ways to install mine. I might try to install it myself first and if I can't do it I'll send it to them. Still bothered by the fact that the shaft rubs on the harness inside the column.

    Any tips?
    Chevynut,

    You seem to be a details-oriented guy (like me), so I say give it a go. I've disassembled a few tilt columns, and it looks intimidating but so long as you take pictures and diagram where everything goes it's no big deal. Take your time. It will be worth it - and satisfying - in the long run.
    Cheers!

    Ken in SSF
    56 One-Fifty Two-Door Sedan

  4. #14
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    There's no tube for the wire harness. The wires are just run through unused space. Seems like you could put a sleeve over the wires near the signal lever using spaghetti tube or even heat shrink if needed.

    As I stated previously, it was a snap to install the signal lever with switch in my FR column. Takes 5 minutes. Pry the grommet out of the housing where the wires exit. Run a piece of mig wire up from the exit hole to the turn signal area. Attach the new wires to the "fish" wire by making a loop in the "fish" wire. Pull the "fish" wire and new wires back through the wire exit hole and put the grommet back in place. I didn't feel the need to cover the wires near the lever, they weren't rubbing.

  5. #15
    Registered Member chevynut's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick_L View Post
    There's no tube for the wire harness. The wires are just run through unused space. Seems like you could put a sleeve over the wires near the signal lever using spaghetti tube or even heat shrink if needed.
    I'm not worried about the turn signal/cruise wires, they're protected by a sleeve already. It just seemed odd to me that they let the shaft rub on the turn signal switch harness.

    Pry the grommet out of the housing where the wires exit. Run a piece of mig wire up from the exit hole to the turn signal area. Attach the new wires to the "fish" wire by making a loop in the "fish" wire. Pull the "fish" wire and new wires back through the wire exit hole and put the grommet back in place. I didn't feel the need to cover the wires near the lever, they weren't rubbing.
    I'll give it a try. Did you remove the turn signal switch from the top of the column first so you could get the mig wire where you wanted it? Seems like it might make it easier, but maybe not necessary. I haven't looked that closely at it.
    56 Nomad, Ramjet 502, Viper 6-speed T56, C4 Corvette front and rear suspension


    Other vehicles:

    56 Chevy 2-door BelAir sedan
    56 Chevy 210 4-door sedan
    57 Chevy 210 4-door sedan
    1962 327/340HP Corvette
    1961 Willys CJ3B Jeep
    2001 Porsche Boxster S
    2003 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD Duramax
    2019 GMC Sierra Denali Duramax

  6. #16
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    Been a while, so my memory is foggy. I'm thinking no, I didn't remove the switch, that I guided it with a small screwdriver and maybe twisting the wire. What I do remember is that it was easier than I expected.

  7. #17
    Registered Member chevynut's Avatar
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    Well it took me quite a bit longer than 5 minutes , but I did manage to get the cruise control harness installed. First I removed the grommet from the tube and I removed the screws from the turn signal switch and pulled it up and out to make it easier to route the cruise wires. The turn signal handle is higher in the column so routing is a little more difficult than running wires to the tilt lever. Next I fished a mig wire through as Rick suggested but I couldn't get it to go through from the bottom so I did it from the top and pulled it out from the bottom....same result. Then I removed the connector from the cruise wires and ground the lever to fit the turn signal switch properly. Not sure why I had to do that but it wouldn't fit as shipped from DD. Then I fed the wires through the lever hole and attached them to the mig wire with electrical tape. After pulling it through I attached the lever to the turn signal switch.

    20190130_002.JPG

    20190130_001 (1).JPG

    One thing I noticed before I started this....actually years ago....is that the column collar seems to be clocked a little off from where it should be. I contacted FR right after I noticed it and sent them a pic but never followed through on getting it corrected. This is what it looks like and it doesn't seem right to me. I'll send them these pics and see if I need to correct it or if this is as good as it gets.

    20190130_005.JPG

    20190130_006.JPG

    20190130_007.JPG

    20190130_008.JPG

    Anyone know how the collar is indexed to the tilt mechanism and if there's a way to tweak it?
    56 Nomad, Ramjet 502, Viper 6-speed T56, C4 Corvette front and rear suspension


    Other vehicles:

    56 Chevy 2-door BelAir sedan
    56 Chevy 210 4-door sedan
    57 Chevy 210 4-door sedan
    1962 327/340HP Corvette
    1961 Willys CJ3B Jeep
    2001 Porsche Boxster S
    2003 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD Duramax
    2019 GMC Sierra Denali Duramax

  8. #18
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    I just had a look at mine, and sure enough, it's about the same. The turn signal and tilt levers are not too bad, but like yours the hazard button is off fore/aft as well as angularly. Almost to the point of not being able to install the hazard button.

    Hope I didn't mislead you too much on the wire fishing, it's possible I ran the fish wire from the top.

  9. #19
    Registered Member chevynut's Avatar
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    This is the pic I took and sent to FR long ago, right after I bought the column. Not sure what to do about it and I should have had them fix it at the time but I thought I could address it. The switch only goes in one way.

    10260007.JPG
    56 Nomad, Ramjet 502, Viper 6-speed T56, C4 Corvette front and rear suspension


    Other vehicles:

    56 Chevy 2-door BelAir sedan
    56 Chevy 210 4-door sedan
    57 Chevy 210 4-door sedan
    1962 327/340HP Corvette
    1961 Willys CJ3B Jeep
    2001 Porsche Boxster S
    2003 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD Duramax
    2019 GMC Sierra Denali Duramax

  10. #20
    Registered Member chevynut's Avatar
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    Nov 2011

    Member #:115
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    Fort Collins, CO
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    10,835
    So I've been going round and round with Flaming River tech support on this column issue. The first guy I contacted didn't reply to me for two weeks when I asked him if this is the way it's supposed to be. So I found another contact in tech support and sent him the pics. He said the column only goes together one way, and it's a "little off". Something isn't right.

    Does anyone here have a 55-56 FR tilt column that they could post a pic of? I'd like to see if the holes line up better with the tilt lever and the hazard button. Mine just doesn't look right to me, and it can't be that this is the way they're supposed to be.
    56 Nomad, Ramjet 502, Viper 6-speed T56, C4 Corvette front and rear suspension


    Other vehicles:

    56 Chevy 2-door BelAir sedan
    56 Chevy 210 4-door sedan
    57 Chevy 210 4-door sedan
    1962 327/340HP Corvette
    1961 Willys CJ3B Jeep
    2001 Porsche Boxster S
    2003 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD Duramax
    2019 GMC Sierra Denali Duramax

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