1990 Town Car - Steering Column Difference?

[TecNickal]

My 90 Town Car has what I thought was a loose bolt for the steering wheel - it's not. The steering wheel has some kind of play/looseness inside the column.

Guessing I need to get another column.

Can I use the steering column from say a 97 Town Car? I thought I read that 1990-1991 have a different column from 1992-2011? is this true? If so what is/are the difference(s)?

[gadget73]

I think the column may have changed in 92, or perhaps it was 94. Not entirely certain if it was with the AODE switch, the bomb switch, or the dashboard change but it did change sometime in the mid 1990s. The steering wheel I believe is the same through 1994, so that column may be the same as 90-91. Not quite positive though.

[Kodachrome Wolf]

The biggest change was for '05 and up. I think that's when the redesigned column came around since the steering wheel used a different mount on the shaft and the gear shifter and ignition switch area changed some. '90-'04 look very alike, but I couldn't guarantee anything. There's not really any differences between '92-'97 since I swapped one of the old brick steering wheels from a '94 into my '97. The only changes I'd be aware of around the column is the different MFS. Not sure if the Box ones were different from the early Aeros, but the split for those would be '95 when the cars started using the LCM. Ignition switch difference would be the loss of the chrome switch in late '96 through '97.

I guess the only real way to see if a newer donor could be used would be to inspect the column. Otherwise, I have a feeling that just finding and earlier one would be the most straightforward.

[GM_Guy]

Check one of the p71interceptor.com mirrors, I think there was a steering column comparison in one of those writeups.

some partnumbers to start comparing things;
http://www.idmsvcs.com/2vmod/steerin...rtnumbers.html
some notes sprinkled inbetween, explore, I know theres steering column bit of information in various writeups;
http://www.pantherbb.com/p71intercep...bled/pictures/

Alex.

[TecNickal]

These were great links - thanks. I can see why I need to find a 94 and older. The interior steering column is 90-94, then 95-02.

I need a front upper bearing or a middle bearing to solve the loose column feeling. otherwise, all the joints on the car feel fine. Nothing binds.

[TecNickal]

And to update, I pulled a column from a friends junkyard that had a 93 TC. Stripped it down to a column and a shifter. Lined it all up, swapped the rotating contact slider "clockspring" that the 90-91 models use. And life is good. Just needed to lube the rubber isolator at the firewall that squeaks when turning the wheel. ALso needed to replace the hardshell connector for the ignition switch since it disintegrated when I removed it. Easy job and no more floppy wheel. It does have a small bind/pop in it - but its very tiny. Much better than a floppy wheel!

[gadget73]

The binding might be the universal joint under the hood. They get sticky.