:::Why The Move Away From Tilt Columns?

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NDL

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I often wonder who specifies automotive trends. The quick answer would be the market, but government standards play into design as well. I often wonder how much.

Three design features on older cars that have vanished - without any good reason:

1) Steering columns have migrated from a tilt steering design, to an adjustable rake column design. Since I am 6' 4", I hate the adjustable rake design; the tilt steering column offers a lot more legroom, and is less cumbersome in use. I wonder why manufacturers moved away from the traditional tilt steering design?

2) Spring loaded hinges on car hoods. Again...the move away from this made no sense. The only advantage to the current style hinges is that current style hinges prevent no fore and aft movement of the hood, should a crash occur - making the hood an integral part in absorbing the impact of a crash. On the other hand, prop rods (which replace spring loaded hinges), are less convenient, and prop rods can sometimes be bumped into, or brushed up against, when working under the hood. I miss my spring loaded hinges...

3) Flip up door handles. The current style "pull the handle toward you" replaced flip up handles very quickly, making me wonder if this design change was driven by the market, or by the government? Of door handle designs I have no preference.
 
I can remember My Grandpa always tilting the wheel all the way up before getting out of the car, and back down before driving off...

I hate Prop Rods.. so glad my car has hood struts.

I too miss the pull up handles, and the handles with the push button to open the door...
 
90% or more of people never open their hood anyway, so why would they bother with the extra cost of putting on spring loaded hinges?
 
The "Rake Tilt" column is more of an Asian automaker thing that has caught-on in some of the domestic sub-compacts.....IIRC Lexus uses a more traditional tilt style buts it's electric.

The "Prop-Rod" is again a sub-compact Asian automaker thing, Most other cars use gas charged lift struts today.
Spring loaded hinges are gone & they will never come back. My 2006 2500HD is the only thing I own with spring type hinges.
 
Most likely the reasons are assembly simplicity, weight reduction and reduced cost.

Yeah I miss the high beam switch on the floor too.
 
I also miss the high beam switch on the floor.

Putting it on the turn signal lever is stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid

My F150 still has a "self-holding-up" hood, and also door handles that pull very nicely.
 
1) Most vehicles I'm aware of today ( not all ) offer tilt and telescoping steering columns so I'm assuming you mean the old style that tilts out of the way or a function that's not determined.

2) Springs under the hood can take up space, add weight, cost more, possibly conflict with the more cluttered engine bay of modern cars, have implications for crash safety/crumble zones and I don't doubt other reasons.

3) I would think that flip up door handles are both less ergonomic and less reliable than handle designs where force moves in the direction the door moves. The '71 Ford Galaxy 500 I grew up with had the flip up door handles and on some occasions you'd have to put down something you were carrying to open the door because the tuck position of your hand didn't allow you the same pulling movement of a handle that pulls toward you. I don't doubt if you had arthritis or some debilitating condition you'd be hating those handles.

I was reading that the floor pedal emergency brake might be making a comeback...so all isn't lost.
 
Appreciate everyone's replies.

Surprised to see the love of floor switches for the high beams; I am a tall man, which may explain the reason why I always hit the switch with my left foot - try as I might.

Glad I am not the only one who hates prop rods. I can't imagine cost being an issue with spring loaded hinges; gas struts likely cost more than spring loaded hinges.
 
Originally Posted By: PimTac

Yeah I miss the high beam switch on the floor too.


Well LOL they have a suggestion for some customer satisfaction you think they take or are they to clueless?
 
I hear you. Sometimes I wish our Mazda had gas struts for the hood. It’s quite heavy which is surprising considering everyone is going lighter. It only has plain hinges and the prop rod.
 
Originally Posted By: earlyre
and the handles with the push button to open the door...


I'd forgotten about those. My dad's 1990 Delta 88 had those.
 
Originally Posted By: Linctex
I also miss the high beam switch on the floor.

Putting it on the turn signal lever is stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid



Growing up and living in NW Pa I had to replace several floor mounted hi-beam switches on older cars because of corrosion from winter salty slop from shoes getting in them. Have never replaced a stalk hi-beam switch.

Tilt columns seemed like a little used feature BITD.
 
I also miss the super heavy doors that if you got your fingers caught in when shut made them throb for hours.

Also miss wing vents, pull out choke, sunroof with a crank handle, air conditioning that took the whole bottom of the dashboard and could freeze you if you wanted, a rear deck to put your 6x9 or bookshelf speakers on and etc etc.
 
I love prop rods on my hoods. Less stuff to break. Easier to remove the hood when replacing the engine.
I miss having a manual spark advance lever. Now all we have are these turn signal levers, which NOBODY EVEN USES
 
Originally Posted By: earlyre
I can remember My Grandpa always tilting the wheel all the way up before getting out of the car, and back down before driving off...

I hate Prop Rods.. so glad my car has hood struts.

I too miss the pull up handles, and the handles with the push button to open the door...


He'd like a Mercedes then, lots of them have the easy entry feature where the steering wheel moves up when you open the door to get in and out. I think some models even moved the seat back.

As for the door handle, one of mine has an easy open feature where the door pops open once you hit the button under the handle for keyless go. Some models even had a soft close feature.
 
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
I miss the floor mounted high beam headlight switch.


Same here. To me it is way easier to just push my foot down to change the lights than have to lift my are off and up to the steering wheel, must be just me I guess.
 
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