swapping in a tilt column 99 xj

i was wondering if it was possible to swap in a tilt column in the place of a non tilt on a 1999 xj or if anyone had done it

The steering column is just bolted in place and the wire harnesses unplug. Your ignition key cylinder can be removed and installed in the new steering column. Just make sure your donor steering column comes with a key. You need the key to remove the ignition cylinder. Also, make sure the tires are pointed straight ahead when you pull the donor column and when you install it on your Cherokee. You can damage the clock spring if you aren't careful. Keep the donor steering column locked until you are done with the install. Take proper safety precautions when you are working with the airbags.


You will not have to perform all the steps listed below, but they give you the general idea.



AIRBAG and CLOCKSPRING
WARNING: THE AIRBAG SYSTEM IS A SENSITIVE,
COMPLEX ELECTROMECHANICAL UNIT. BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO DIAGNOSE OR SERVICE ANY AIRBAG SYSTEM OR RELATED STEERING WHEEL, STEERING COLUMN, OR INSTRUMENT PANEL COMPONENTS YOU MUST FIRST DISCONNECT AND ISOLATE THE BATTERY NEGATIVE (GROUND) CABLE. THEN WAIT TWO MINUTES FOR THE SYSTEM CAPACITOR TO DISCHARGE BEFORE FURTHER SYSTEM SERVICE. THIS IS THE ONLY SURE WAY TO DISABLE THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. FAILURE TO DO THIS COULD RESULT IN ACCIDENTAL AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT AND POSSIBLE PERSONAL INJURY.
(1) Turn the steering wheel until the front wheels are in the straight-ahead position before starting the procedure.
(2) Disconnect and isolate the battery negative cable. If the airbag has not been deployed, wait two minutes for the system capacitor to discharge before further service.
(3) Remove the driver side airbag module as described in this group.
(4) If the vehicle is equipped with the optional vehicle speed control, unplug the speed control switch wire harness connector in the steering wheel.
(5) Remove the nut that secures the steering wheel to the steering column upper shaft.
(6) Remove the steering wheel with a steering wheel puller (Special Tool C-3428B).
(7) Remove the steering column opening cover as described in Group 8E - Instrument Panel Systems.
(8) If the vehicle is so equipped, move the tilt steering column to the fully raised position.

(STEPS 9,10,11 are optional and performed only if required)

(9) Insert the key in the ignition lock cylinder and turn the ignition switch to the On position.
(10) Insert a small screwdriver or pin punch through the access hole in the lower steering column shroud and depress the ignition lock cylinder retaining tumbler (Fig. 13).
(11) While holding the retaining tumbler depressed, pull the ignition lock cylinder and key out of the ignition lock housing.
(12) Remove the three screws that secure the lower steering column shroud to the upper shroud.
(13) If the vehicle is equipped with a standard non-tilt steering column, loosen the two upper steering column mounting nuts. If the vehicle is equipped with the optional tilt steering column, move the tilt steering column to the fully lowered position.
(14) Remove both the upper and lower shrouds from the steering column.
(15) Unplug the two wire harness connectors from the steering column side of the clockspring.
(16) To remove the clockspring, carefully lift the locating fingers of the clockspring assembly from the steering column as necessary. If the clockspring locating fingers are broken, be certain to remove the broken pieces from the upper steering column housing. The clockspring cannot be repaired. It must be replaced if faulty or damaged, or if the airbag has been deployed.

XJ PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEMS 8M - 9
REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION (Continued)
(17) When installing the clockspring, snap the clockspring onto the steering column. If the clockspring is not properly positioned, see Clockspring Centering in this group before installing the steering wheel.
(18) Plug the two clockspring wire harness connectors into the steering column side of the clockspring. Be certain that the wire harness connector latches are fully engaged.
(19) Reinstall the steering column shrouds and ignition lock cylinder.
(20) Reinstall the steering column opening cover as described in Group 8E - Instrument Panel Systems.
(21) The front wheels should still be in the straight-ahead position. Install the steering wheel being certain to fit the flats on the hub of the steering wheel onto the formations on the inside of the clockspring. Pull the wire harness through the lower hole in the steering wheel hub. Tighten the steering wheel nut to 61 N·m (45 ft. lbs.). Be certain not to pinch the wiring between the steering wheel and the nut.
(22) Install the airbag module as described in this group.

so the tilt column should bolt in place of the non tilt? i figured the electronics would be the same but was not sure of the column its self

I have pulled a spare 97+ column, but never done the swap you are tyring. I don't see any reason it won't work, the tilt mechanism is part of the column.

thats kind of what i thought. I've compared two jeeps with columns still in and i don't see why it wouldn't work. ill try and pick one up the next time I'm at the junk yard if so ill let you know the out come. if not ill have some spare parts lol. i appreciate your insight thanks.

They should swap right out. Like Tim said, make sure it has the key. Also check the multifunction switch to make sure it's the same (and works). Otherwise you'll need to do some extra disassembly to swap it.

yeah i was planning on adding the factory cruise on this jeep too and i wanted a tilt column also so i figured id just put the whole column in that way id already have everything inside wise.

I pulled a column with tilt and cruise and was gonna install the whole thing in my 99 without either of those features- if I get all the cruise control parts, will that setup work? Just asking because of the mixed years(Maybe that matters only if you were swapping parts, not the whole column?)

Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk

97 up should bolt in. That being said, 97,98 Cruise Control switches are different and incompatable with 99 up...

o-gauge-steamer said:

97 up should bolt in. That being said, 97,98 Cruise Control switches are different and incompatable with 99 up...

Click to expand...

Just trying to get this completely-like the 97 switch wont hook up to my wiring, or just wont work, computer wise?

So ill have to get everything from a 99 column and transfer it over to the 97 column? Just the switch?

I appreciate the answers even if they already were up, I just didn't fully understand the incompatibility.

Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk

In the infinite wisdom of the Great Chrysler, the Cruise Control system is controlled with two conductors from the steering wheel switches to the PCM. Depending on the resistance of the switch depressed, the system reacts accordingly.

The switches must match the PCM of the vehicle that the CC is being installed into. Clock springs are the same, just the resistors in the switches themselves are different. So, you will need to find a 99 and up donor or get them from RockAuto (RH switch p/n DH1204 $34.76, LH switch p/n DH1205 $34.78)

When I converted my 98, I just grabbed the entire steering wheel as the air bags are different on the 97,98 years for with/without CC. You should have plastic covers already in the CC switch locations that get swapped out for the actual switches.

As to why? Who knows. Infinite wisdom can not and must not be questioned....

Thanks for the info

o-gauge-steamer said:

In the infinite wisdom of the Great Chrysler, the Cruise Control system is controlled with two conductors from the steering wheel switches to the PCM. Depending on the resistance of the switch depressed, the system reacts accordingly.

The switches must match the PCM of the vehicle that the CC is being installed into. Clock springs are the same, just the resistors in the switches themselves are different. So, you will need to find a 99 and up donor or get them from RockAuto (RH switch p/n DH1204 $34.76, LH switch p/n DH1205 $34.78)

When I converted my 98, I just grabbed the entire steering wheel as the air bags are different on the 97,98 years for with/without CC. You should have plastic covers already in the CC switch locations that get swapped out for the actual switches.

As to why? Who knows. Infinite wisdom can not and must not be questioned....

Click to expand...

ok, i looked on rockauto, and the switch is the same part number for 99's and 97's...

o-gauge-steamer said:

In the infinite wisdom of the Great Chrysler, the Cruise Control system is controlled with two conductors from the steering wheel switches to the PCM. Depending on the resistance of the switch depressed, the system reacts accordingly.

The switches must match the PCM of the vehicle that the CC is being installed into. Clock springs are the same, just the resistors in the switches themselves are different. So, you will need to find a 99 and up donor or get them from RockAuto (RH switch p/n DH1204 $34.76, LH switch p/n DH1205 $34.78)

When I converted my 98, I just grabbed the entire steering wheel as the air bags are different on the 97,98 years for with/without CC. You should have plastic covers already in the CC switch locations that get swapped out for the actual switches.

As to why? Who knows. Infinite wisdom can not and must not be questioned....

Click to expand...

Not to thread jack, but are the rocker switches the same between 97 & 98? My 97 had a broken switch bezel and the paint was worn down on the buttons. I pulled the rocker switches with bezel's from my 98 parts XJ and swapped them.

I've got a mysterious vacuum leak, so the cruise never worked before. But I had hoped once I got the vacuum issues taken care of that my cruise would work again. Right now I get the indicator light on the cluster when I turn the cruise on, but the vacuum problems keep the servo from engaging (been like that since before I swapped the switches).

I just want to know if I need to find a set of 97 cruise switches.

EDIT: I just checked Rock Auto (who knew they would have the switches) and it shows the same part for a 97 XJ SE & a 98 XJ (no trim options).

There has been extensive discussion on this... Measurements have been made and 97,98 switches are interchangeable. 99 up are interchangeable. You cannot mix them as the PCMs are expecting different resistances. The resistors in the switches are different. I know. When I retrofitted CC into my 98, I grabbed parts off of a 99. The CC light would not come on, system would not arm let alone set. A set of switches from a 98 corrected that and the system arms just fine. You can do a search to find the actual values of the resistors in the switches.

o-gauge-steamer said:

There has been extensive discussion on this... Measurements have been made and 97,98 switches are interchangeable. 99 up are interchangeable. You cannot mix them as the PCMs are expecting different resistances. The resistors in the switches are different. I know. When I retrofitted CC into my 98, I grabbed parts off of a 99. The CC light would not come on, system would not arm let alone set. A set of switches from a 98 corrected that and the system arms just fine. You can do a search to find the actual values of the resistors in the switches.

Click to expand...

I understand what you're saying. I think I have my old switches still, so hopefully I can just replace the bezel and reinstall the old switches.

My question is why Rock Auto calls for the same switches from 97 to 99 if the resistance of the actual switches are different and will not cross years.

Good Question. Next Questiion? If RockAuto is doing this, they are in error. Call your local Stealership and get the part numbers from them. The last digit (letter, actually) is different and they are not backward compatable.

Go figure the universe...

o-gauge-steamer said:

Good Question. Next Questiion? If RockAuto is doing this, they are in error. Call your local Stealership and get the part numbers from them. The last digit (letter, actually) is different and they are not backward compatable.

Go figure the universe...

Click to expand...

I went searching for the resistance values and came across the following posts.

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showpost.php?p=245062794&postcount=3
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showpost.php?p=244989464&postcount=1
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showpost.php?p=244989757&postcount=3
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showpost.php?p=244562894&postcount=8

Seems that 97 & 98 use an AA, AB, & AC revision on the switches that are compatible. The AD revision on 99+ is not compatible with previous revisions. Otherwise the part numbers are the same, just different revisions. This revision info should be stamped on the back of the switches.