Technical Spline difference 56 Ford to 78 GM Column

Does anyone know the spline count and taper for a 56 Ford steering wheel, and a 1978 GM steering wheel? I have been looking at the small diameter 56 Ford steering wheels and have heard that they don't fit the Ford splines very well from people that bought them. I recently saw one at a car show vender and asked about buying one. He told me that the small diameter Ford wheels were made to fit the popular GM columns. If true that would explain why the problem with the fit. So does anyone have a Ford and a GM wheel to compare?

 

Not much help but. Ford 49 to 56 and gm 64 to 94 are the ranges

 

A Grant 3196 horn kit fits just about every standard issue GM car or truck that has the key on the column that doesn't have a telescopic column, air bag or radio or cruise control buttons on the wheel between 69 and the late 80's.
That is also the same spline design that most all aftermarket columns run and I'd say the reason that the smaller dimater but looks like a big one steering wheel won't fit a stock Ford column. They are designed to fit the aftermarket columns.
The splines are the same from 48 into the 90's on GM as I have a 70 something truck wheel in my 48 rather than the original wheel I should have in it. It's the column and horn hookup assembly that is all different between different years.

I'm thinking that a 68 or later GM non tilt collapsible column apart and using the top part mated with the bottom part of the Ford stab you if you crash shaft won't work because it is the bottom half of the GM shaft that has the female part of the double D and the top part is the male part of the double D. I don't think you can get there from here easily and safely.

 

It’s funny because the Thunderbird parts guys sell them as a direct replacement for 56 and 57 Thunderbirds. But everyone complains about the splines not fitting correctly.

 

Thanks Moriarity, that's exactly what I wanted to know. So I wonder if the T-Bird guys were just forcing the GM spline onto the Ford column? Or do they make two different wheels and the Ford ones just have poorly made splines. Who knows.

 

36 to 39 splines...I'm pretty sure that's within a "bigger hammer" tolerance.

 

I’d inquire to the 55-57 Thunderbird suppliers. Larry’s, Prestige, Concours, etc. Why would manufacturers uses Chevrolet spline on repo 15” steerng wheels to sell to Thunderbird owners with stock columns? I know quite a few who needed the smaller wheel’s because they could no longer fit in their cars and bought them and not one ever said they didn’t fit.

 

I see a lot of those 57 T bird repro small wheels, and I’ve never heard a complaint either. On the other hand I’ve got a number of friend who wouldn’t count to 36 or 39, they’d just hammer it together and then complain.

 

I would not think it was possible to hammer a 36 spline wheel onto a 39 spline shaft.

 

I would locate the correct shaft for your wheel and machine the opposite end to suit your needs. I was lucky that the correct shaft for my wheel (‘56 Olds) is still available. I did however machine a single d end on the box end.

 

The small Birds are very tight for us old guys to get in and out of and the fat guys to fit in at all. So the smaller wheel makes for a more enjoyable experience driving the car. I agree they don't look quite right. I talked to the guy that had the 57 Bird at the GSTA show and he removed the seat tracks and put the seat right on the floor for more room.