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Does anyone know what the small cone tool circled in the picture is called?
It's used to help guide the cruise control wire down the column. CSM just calls it "tool" and doesn't show it in the tool page of either the steering column or accessories sections. Not sure if the fish wire is part of it or not.
We got the wire run back down the column using a wire but on a late 70s car with column mounted dimmer switch there's a lot of stuff to navigate around. Pull, hang up, back up, try again half a dozen times. But when you hit it just right it slides right thru the column.
There's reasons they made those special tools and even though I don't do much steering column work anymore I'd like to have it. I just don't know what to tell google to look for!
Glenn, it's not in any of the Kent-Moore catalogs I have, which go up to 1986. I looked in steering column, electrical, and general tools sections. Nada.
Appears same type (with blunt end) as identified in your image inclusive of fish wire with blunt end (identified by circles) used to snake through the gemish.
Kent Moore tool “J-piano-wire” is what I have always used. If that tool is unavailable, Kent Moore “J-Picture hanging wire” is an acceptable substitute. 😁
Well- somebody somewhere came up with it! Bound to think it makes the job easier. When dimmer switches and wiper switches migrated to the turn signal stalk, steering columns got awfully crowded.
I've probably overlooked the tool a dozen times at a swap meet tool trailer. Guess I'll have to keep using a piece of wire. Hey, it's worked for 50 years...
Like the Pontiac bud said when we were fighting the thing a couple days ago "I hope this is the last time I have to go into this column". 77 Buick Estate Wagon with a 403. Between turn signal, loose tilt mechanism and a LOT of trouble with the dimmer switch pivot, I know he's been in that steering column half a dozen times.
You'd think a GM tilt column would be the same across the whole lineup. He's found this ain't the case, and Buick columns have more in common with Corvette columns than they do with everyone else.
Last edited by rocketraider; Mar 22, 2024 at 08:45 AM.
The rigid toll that Norm posted doesn't look like it will be able to negotiate the path in the column that requires a flexible fish tape. I do this by tying a line to the old wire before I pull it out.
