Can you swap a steering column from a 98 Tahoe and use one from a 94 or older?

[jmgonzalez1984]

I have a 98 Tahoe and was wondering if anybody has swapped the steering column for and older one? Im trying to use one from like a 94 or older if possible. Is there a direct plug n play harness for those or is this just not possible to do? My goal is to fit a 59 impala dash in place of the stock dash but the box look of the newer column looks ugly to me with it. would prefer the straight clean billet column.

 

[Erik the Awful]

The older column uses the one-sided keys that make your truck easier to steal. It isn't a swap that anybody's interested in, so there isn't going to be a plug-and-play harness. If you want this, it's going to be a FAAFO project.

 

[jmgonzalez1984]

The older column uses the one-sided keys that make your truck easier to steal. It isn't a swap that anybody's interested in, so there isn't going to be a plug-and-play harness. If you want this, it's going to be a FAAFO project.

thats what its looking like. im not too concerned about it being easier to steal as this wont be driven as a daily or to run to the store. just as a cruise or anywhere i will always have my eyes on. I did hope it was an easy swap but its becoming more of a headache. might have to stick with stock column and do a custom dash instead.

 

[someotherguy]

It'll look weird, but that's subjective. I've seen 88-94 trucks where people did the 95-up dash swap but didn't want to battle the steering column so they left the old one.

The wiring and connections will be totally different but looking through the interior swap threads, or comparing two different year model factory service manual wiring diagrams will help you get it all together.

On the "easier to steal" angle I disagree. Either style is stupid easy to steal, historically proven.

Richard

 

[AK49BWL]

I made my own harness, it's not hard at all to do if you can follow a wiring diagram. Or six.

 

[jmgonzalez1984]

i

It'll look weird, but that's subjective. I've seen 88-94 trucks where people did the 95-up dash swap but didn't want to battle the steering column so they left the old one.

The wiring and connections will be totally different but looking through the interior swap threads, or comparing two different year model factory service manual wiring diagrams will help you get it all together.

On the "easier to steal" angle I disagree. Either style is stupid easy to steal, historically proven.

Richard

got the idea from someone online that did a 92 silverado and put in a 59 0r 60s galaxie 500 dash. looks so sweet. thats why i need my column to be of an older model. it will look weird if i kept the original one that it has on now.

 

[jmgonzalez1984]

It'll look weird, but that's subjective. I've seen 88-94 trucks where people did the 95-up dash swap but didn't want to battle the steering column so they left the old one.

The wiring and connections will be totally different but looking through the interior swap threads, or comparing two different year model factory service manual wiring diagrams will help you get it all together.

On the "easier to steal" angle I disagree. Either style is stupid easy to steal, historically proven.

Richard

I made my own harness, it's not hard at all to do if you can follow a wiring diagram. Or six.

it would be awesome if you still remember what all you did and possible drew up a schematic for me man, it would make my life easier.

 

[AK49BWL]

Well the biggest issue you're going to have with it is 98+ has PassLock and you're going to have to bypass it. Wire colors between the years actually stayed the same for the most part so a lot of it is just matching functions. I made a wiring diagram for my entire truck but I'll warn you ahead of time it's 100% custom rewired so it won't fully match a stock truck for any year. https://www.ak49bwl.com/other/wires/1997K1500/MySierra/SierraWiringSchematic.png

 

[jmgonzalez1984]

Well the biggest issue you're going to have with it is 98+ has PassLock and you're going to have to bypass it. Wire colors between the years actually stayed the same for the most part so a lot of it is just matching functions. I made a wiring diagram for my entire truck but I'll warn you ahead of time it's 100% custom rewired so it won't fully match a stock truck for any year. https://www.ak49bwl.com/other/wires/1997K1500/MySierra/SierraWiringSchematic.png

did you add a resistor to bypass the passlock or simply spliced the two wires together?

 

[AK49BWL]

My truck is a 97 so I escaped the PassLock issue lol. But that is an option, to just use a resistor inline and force a relearn on the controller. I don't precisely remember how to do the relearn tho, it's like turn the key on and try to start, then leave it on until the Security light goes out, then do that again without trying to start the truck again 3 times.