Non-Tilt to Tilt Steering Conversion

[Jason Edge]

NON-TILT TO TILT Steering Column Conversion
(posted by Jason Edge, Updated May 11, 2026 to include 1963 Neutral Safety Switch Info)

You will have to replace quite a few items to convert from non-tilt to tilt. The Tilt steering Column is a different diameter and requires tilt specific pieces from bottom to top. 

There are basically 16 main items you will need:

1> Complete core tilt steering column for correct year (63 and 64 are different)

2> Steering wheel itself  (They are different from non-tilt!)

3> Tilt steering adjustment lever (short 3rd lever that allows you to adjust steering wheel)

4> Tilt gear shift Lever (tilt lever has a bend)

5> Chrome horn shroud and and horn button. (Horn button that attaches to under side has three screws vs the four screws for non-tilt and is of different design) 

6> Steering column to dash upper bracket (due to larger column diameter)

7> Steering column to floorpan/firewall lower bracket (due to larger diameter)

8> Steering column to floorpan/firewall rubber grommet (due to larger diameter)

9> External Turn Signal Switch (mounted on outside of column near bottom, see picture at bottom)
& Bowden Cable that goes to bell crank in actuator housing

1

10> External Turn Signal Switch short jumper wiring harness. (wiring harness about a foot long or so that plugs into dash harness where wires from non-tilt switch wires would connect.)

11.a> Neutral Safety Switch (1963) - 199 3622 was the original tilt NSS, however the Master Parts Book indicated the non-tilt 199 3560 can be used by removing the horn contact plunger on tilt cars.

11.b> Neutral Safety Switch (1964) -a 653 Neutral Safety Switch instead of the non-tilt 652 NSS for Turbo Hydramatic equipped cars or a 651 vs the 650 NSS for Hydramatic equipped cars.


12>The steering column shaft to steering gear connector (the rag joint)

13> The lower instrument panel cover. This is the metal pan below the steering column that has the row of screws across the top and the three 7/16" bolts on the bottom. There is also a special star screw right below the steering column. On the tilt unit, the neck that fits up to the tilt steering column colar (the round main part below the tilt section) is considerably shorter than the non-tilt lower instrument panel cover.

14> The steering column to gear shift linkage rod (Steering Column Transmission Shift Shaft Lower Lever) inside the engine compartment. It is shorter (4 3/16") on the tilt unit than it is on the non-tilt (4 3/8").

15> The dash piece below the instrument panel bezel and above the steering column.  See picture below for comparison:

 

16> The instrument cluster bezel on tilt units have a plastic tab on the right side that is made into the plastic shift indicator casing so that it will attach to dash piece seen above. The non-tilt instrument cluster has a metal tab that is actually part of the chrome instrument cluster bezel.   To complete the list of all tilt specific pieces you need the tilt style instrument cluster bezel, and the plastic shift indicator casing.  The tilt unit can be installed without the bezel and shift indicator case, however, you will need to grind the little metal tab off.  This will still leave you with 4 contact points that hold the little dash piece in places.  See picture below of example tilt instrument cluster bezel with plastic tab:

You can use the non-tilt instrument cluster bezel but you will need to grind off the metal tab on the non-tilt instrument cluster.  This tab connects to the dash piece just above the steering column that contains the wiper switch to left of column and ignition switch to the right of switch. 

Here is a pic after the tab was ground off:

*If you pick up a tilt steering column unit be sure and pick up everything you will need...else you have just bought yourself an expensive and bulky paper weight!

So there you go. I think that just about covers what is needed to go to tilt.

[Jason Edge]

I just made some minor updates to this help page, including information on the 1963 tilt neutral safety switch. 

[Jason Edge]

I added a picture and length specs for the lower shift rod (Steering Column Transmission Shift Shaft Lower Lever) on the non-tilt to tilt conversion Help Topic. I had the 2 side by side and have known the tilt is shorter for 2 decades but had never taken a measurement with the caliper.  I took the measurements and the tilt  lever is 4 3/16" long and the non-tilt is 4 3/8" long, or 3/16 inch longer.  Here is the picture I included in the Help Article above and a couple more I took for measurement references.

[Jason Edge]

The Tilt Column Addendum to 1963 Cadillac Shop Manual link on our on our Help Topics Page indicates you need to make a holding block and use a cover puller per the illustration, however, I have been able to remove tilt and turn signal lever and gently bump the cover at the bottom to push it off the actuator housing.

I do have a nice Turn Signal Actuator Yoke Assembly and detent spring for $25. I also have a nice Bowden cable that runs from actuator yoke to external turn signal switch if that is missing.

I don't believe I have the retainer ring,washer,collapsable spacer,rubber washer but will double check.