Ford F-100 ididit Tilt Steering Column Install - A Colossal Column

Using another station on the Ironworker turret, the corners of the column drop reinforcement bracket were swiftly rounded. Making the bracket took one minute with the Ironworker. It would have taken 30 minutes with hand tools.

After sanding the brace on the belt sander, it was ready to be welded to the underdash reinforcement bracket.

The best way to hold the brace in place when welding is to drill the dash lip holes for the column drop and the bracket.

The bracket will fit under the lip as shown.

With the bracket and column drop fastened, the bracket is ready to be welded to the inner reinforcement brace.

As usual, No Limit's founder laid down a perfect weld despite welding upside down.

The steering column hole in the toeboard was a bit too snug, as it was originally cut to accommodate a 2-inch-diameter stainless steel column.

With an air die grinder and a sanding wheel attachment, he made the hole bigger to fit the ididit 2 1/4-inch black-anodized aluminum tilt column.

To prevent aluminum-to-aluminum galling from the column to the column drop and achieve a snug fit, Rob wrapped the steering column with black electrical tape. The yellow tape indicates where the electrical tape should go.

Before installing the column, he added more tape.

Still more tape did the trick.

No Limit attached the column drop.

Now that the steering column is in its new home, the engine side of the steering equation must be addressed.

After attaching the universal joint steering coupler to the column on the engine-bay side, No Limit could determine the steering shaft's length.

The steering shaft needs to be cut to 12.5 inches in length.

Once he cut the shaft to the proper size, he ground smooth the cut end.

While Mike manipulated the steering column from inside the cab, Rob nestled the steering shaft between the header tubes.

He fastened the steering shaft to the universal joint steering coupler.

Although there's clearance between the steering shaft and the rearmost header tube, more space is needed. Rob will move the header tube back a bit and reweld it for sufficient clearance.

Before drilling holes in the toeboard to locate the bottom steering column retaining clamp, No Limit secured the column within the column drop.

With the clamp held in position, he drilled the first hole.

A good tip: Rob installed the first Phillips screw before drilling the second hole.

No Limit drilled one hole at a time and inserted each fastener until the other three holes were filled with Phillips screws and tightened.

Rob tightened the pinch bolt to complete the installation of the ididit tilt steering column.

Prior to fitment of the steering wheel retaining ring, he installed the horn wire.

Concluding the two-hour job, the steering wheel adaptor ring found its rightful place atop the black-anodized, brushed-aluminum ididit tilt column.

The ididit tilt column works as well as it looks, and that's saying quite a bit. See what No Limit Engineering has cooked up next on the F-100 giveaway truck in an upcoming issue of Custom Classic Trucks.