New steering column.. Ididit or Flaming River?

I'm pretty sure either will make a fine column, it's the little stuff I'm concerned about. Removing the steering wheel yearly to fix a balky turn signal switch, tilt pawl, etc., is the kind of thing that will drive me nuts. I'd rather buy the better product at the start.

Anyone have a recurring 'pebble in you shoe' problem with either mfgr?

Thanks.

 

I didn't Flaming river




.

 

I will be following this thread as I am about to purchase a column and have the same concerns. I hope there are some better replies than post #2

 

Both companies make their stuff in the US. I've seen and dealt with both and honestly I wouldn't worry about any of those problems with either manufacturer. Find the best one with the exact features you want and don't worry too much about it.

 

guys i dont think posting a thread like this on a traditional website is going to get you helpful responses. neither column would be in a traditional rod.

 

My thoughts too. I was gonna suggest a column out of an old Chevy van. That's the way we did it when junk yards were still junk yards and guys used their hands instead of their credit cards.

 

Limeworks

 

Agreed...and I have a tilt/tele for sale in the classifieds...

R-

 

I'd agree on the old Chevy van comment. They make an excellent column and the earlier ones have no key.

If you buy a brand new one stay away from the made offshore garbage sold by Helix.

A Hoffman brand I believe.

 

If we just answer the question then it goes away. The dude's obiously not building a traditional car and has pretty thick skin since he asks this stuff all the time, gets some shit, gets an answer, then moves on.

Good stuff too.

 

And honestly both of those columns are good ones. It's now the American way to build a rod. Traditionally it will match most of the other clonemobiles at the car shows.

 

So what your saying is you have never once used a credit card to purchase anything for your ride. Man your a pretty amazing person.....at least in your own mind anyway.

 

I don't know flaming river, but I had an Ididit column in my '55 Suburban. The column had kicked around my shop for 7-8 years, the project I purchased if for went down the road. I put it in the burb and it worked great for years, then the turn signal cancel stopped working. I ran into the Sales rep @ Goodguys, discussed the problem, gave him my name, address and them forgot about it. 2 weeks later a new turn signal repair kit arrived in the mail, free of charge. Enough said.

 

I have used Flaming River for my last three builds and they worked as advertised with no problems. They also sell a complete line of joints and shaft material so it's a one source for everything you need.

I have their steering racks in two of my cars and they work good too.

 

geez - some of you guys are amazing - never a negative peep from you when a guy is asking about 'bagging' his car, but you jump all over a guy that asks a simple question about a tilt column. Those two companies (Ididit & Flaming River) were started by hot rodders to support the hobby. Why would you suggest avoiding doing business with them for the sake of "we didn't do that back then"? Are you naysayers also going to tell me you don't run disc brakes...seat belts....Gringo V8s that were acquired from 65 or newer cars? Anti-billet is fine, but to assert that somebody wishing to upgrade their steering column to a brand-new unit that has exactly the features he wants should just go pack sand? I like tilt columns, I have some physical infirmities that make it more difficult to enter/exit vehicles, so a tilt and/or tele column is a major plus for me and I've used both brands with great satisfaction.

 

Pack sand? I guess I will be one of the insulted too.

The OP is building a street rod, not up grading and there is nothing wrong with that, however this is a traditional hot rod and custom site. Many parts cross over yes, but most find the tilt tele column to be a non traditional item, especially polished aluminum ones. As far as the HAMB goes, threads do tend to go a different direction at times, as this one has, he asked for opinions on parts and some replies were not that.

This place is our little sanctuary for a specific time and style, with every OT thread that slides by and many times gets locked is another in the archive that comes up with a Google search. The searcher finds a HAMB thread on his subject and thinks this is what the site is about or caters to, joins and brings it up or starts another one. In the short while I have been here the OT leaks are springing up at an alarming rate, the mods and founding HAMBers's are doing their best to plug them.

 

Thank you. At my age, tilt is a must (as is P/S) and walking around a junk yard isn't going to happen.

 

Tons of critiques on hotrodders.com That's a site for street rods and quite a few have the Ididit columns.

 

Tilt & Telescopic out of a '67 Chrysler in my COE works and looks fine....

Here it is in it's original lair...

 

Maybe not your trad rod. We need to understand that there are times when old parts just don't cut it in a build. If the argument is that yea, well, we need *some* new parts to keep the wheels turning, bearings, ball joints, rotors, carbs, shocks, mufflers, upholstery, alternators, radios, heat and sometimes A/C in the south..... where do we draw the line? The steering column? Really? Stainless brake lines... go/no-go?

We can't all live within easy reach of a 500 pre-'65 car junkyard with all the trad parts we could want in working condition available for a song and a few minutes with a torch.

BTW, next time we see a thread featuring a brand new chassis with brand new wheels going under a body with catalog-bought patch panels all over it, I'll expect you to pipe up loudly.

 

Time to close this thread, it's been shat-upon and stinks.

 

on a side note, i look at that site a bit and after reading a few threads it would really surprise me if there's an s10 left still sitting on its frame

 

Its going to be fun watching all the tradionalsists thrash pollution control stuff on their stuff when the EPA gets around to screwing with them. Its not a matter of if its a matter of when.

 

I would be glad to help you at Flaming River. 800-648-8022 ext 113, we may even have a dealer in your area. As someone above stated we can supply all of your steering needs, columns, joints, boxes, or racks, made here in Cleveland OH.

 

Your website is one of the better ones out there. My order will be in in a few weeks.

 

No problem, just give me a call when your ready, helped a few over here on the HAMB.

 

I looked through this group of posts this morning and the more I think of what was said here the more pissed off I get. You have got to be shitting me. Is all this guy wanted to know was information on a F%^^&*g steering column. "BUT NO" he gets a bunch of shit from the guys that are suppose to be her to help him. NOT SHIT ON HIM. I have noticed that there is always some one with a smart ass remark on a lot of the posts. In my day if those things were said to me in person I would kick the living shit out of them. I'm just to old to keep reading some of this negitive crap. There f&*K you I said it.

 

^^^^Wow.

 

Like he said.

 

Like he said.