Ebay chrome tilt columns... warning

[65styleside]

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

[Speedjester]

Thanks for the heads up

[White97]

Thanks for the warning, I'm actually looking for one right now, Tried callining IDIDIT, no answers, Tried emailling them, 3 weeks later, no replies. Guessing with the PS conversion I need the 67-72 column but can't get hold of them to confirm.

[65styleside]

That's weird, when I needed my column i had no problem contacting them. They are in Michigan so maybe this big storm has closed them up. You could try flaming river too, they are also made here in the US.

[White97]

I'll try later this week, just finished up PS conversion last weekend, been too busy to spend time chasing them down. Flaming river doesn't have a ford 100% drop in like IDIDIT.

[pikupmn]

just got done doing the column in my 64/2. used Ididit universal column with a grant wheel looks good and i didn't have to pay 750$$ for the ford one, mine was 400 and it's just as good. the columns on Evilbay that are 2&3 hundred are a "git what you paid for" thing. I also believe that steering and brakes are NOT where you try to save $$$ on your build. I don't want to hit a bump @ 65 MPH and wonder is everything OK. Jeff

[LM14]

I have used both Ididit and Flaming River. Anything else has plastic bearings and plastic in all the tile mechanism. Do yo want your steering to quit at 60 going down the highway?

The Ididit is a better piece.

The Flaming river had cheap wiring in it and the horn quit working within 6 months. When I called about it they didn't seem to be too excited and told me how to fix it. I just unhooked it and went on with my life. They knew before I calld there was a problem with the wire getting pinched in the tilt area.

The cheapest place to get an Ididit is on Amazon. Find your part number for what you need and get on Amazon and type in the part number. I saved almost $230 on a tilt/shift Ididit from the Speedway Motors price on the same part number.

SPark