Tech Month CHEAP and EASY Steering column (under $20)

CHEAP and EASY Steering column (under $20)

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask and I will do my best. Many of you guys have a lot of this laying around in your scrap pile, or raid your buddy’s. If you don’t, you can still make this column any length you want and won’t cost you more than $20, including bearings.

Parts needed for column:
* ¾” solid steel bar the length you need the column to be.
*1.5” tubing 16 gauge the length of your column. Several different sizes of tubing can work, but the 1.5” will be cheapest. We have also used left over 1 5/8” X .120” wall roll cage tubing.
* Two bearings. Part # HW-13C TIC. Most steel supply places have these in stock for $1-$2 each or so. If you can’t find them, contact me.
* ¼” plate to cut out a 3” diameter circle.

Parts needed for column drop:
• One connecting rod.
• A small piece of 2” tube with a .250” wall. Only needs to be as long as the connecting rod is thick.
• ¾” flat bar 3” long, ¼” thick.


Lets get started. Pic #1 shows the ¾” solid bar stock. Cut the bar the length you need from the universal joint on the steering box to the base of your steering wheel.



Pic #2. We use universal joints with the “double D” hole so the whole assemble is easily removed and disassemble. A mill works best for this, but not everyone has one, so a grinder works just fine. Mill or grind one end of the shaft with flat sides to match the opening of the universal joint as shown. Take your time and you will end up with a good fit.



Pic #3. Slide the universal over the double d end you just made on the shaft. Center punch the set screw opening. Spot drill a recess so you can tighten the set screw so it wont slip off.



Pic #4. Take your ¼” plate and cut a 3” diameter circle. Mark out the center of your circle, then drill or cut out a ¾” hole.



Pic #5. This is what the bearings look like top and bottom, the ends use the same bearing.



Pic #6. Weld the ¾” bar stock into the ¾” hole in your plate at 90 degrees. Word of caution, if you are unsure of your welds, have a competent welder do it for you. This is one area you do not want to fail. Mark and drill your holes for your steering wheel.



Pic #7. Slide or press your bearing on over the shaft in the direction shown. Although this is a tight fit, doesn’t hurt to throw a quick tack weld on to keep it sliding up or down.



Pic #8. Measure your tube from the top lip of the top bearing to the bottom lip of where you want your bottom bearing to fit. Cut the tube.



Pic #9. Slide the tube over the shaft onto the top bearing. You might need to sand the inside of the tube a little to get it to slide on by hand, but mostly just debur it.



Pic #10. Slide the bottom bearing on. I usually put a SMALL tack on it to hold everything in place, but I do this right before I paint so I can disassemble if needed during building.



Pic #11. Making the column drop. You can make a billet one out of aluminum, or even buy one. This is just for guys that want it cheap and old school. Most car guys have a connecting rod lying around somewhere. If you don’t, just ask a buddy. The bare one on the right is a 350 Chevy, and will work just fine. I used one from a 302 Ford because it’s going into a Ford and this rod had the oval on it (plus the Chevy would probably break down on me, lol). I bend my own tube axles and we always have tube lying around leftover. This tube is a 2” X 2.50” wall, so just find something similar. Cut a slice off your tube the thickness of the connecting rod. Weld into place, as shown.



Pic #12. Slide over the tube.



Pic #13. As you can see in the pic what I did was cut the connecting rod to the angle of the dash. Welded on the ¾” X ¼” X 3” flat stock. Drilled two holes and bolted it up. Once everything is in place tack weld the column drop onto the column, pull it all back out and weld as you like.



Pic #14. Under $20, and 60 minutes later, you are ready to paint it. In the meantime, grab a seat, spin the wheel and make engine and racing sounds, just don’t let anyone hear you.

 

Great tech, saves cutting down mismatched columns.

 

kick ass tech!

 

This is great.

 

I use exhaust pipe for mine. I also use the column center from a Chevy van (no tilt) and it has the splines on one end for the steering wheel. I get the bearings to fit the center and just a little larger than the inside diameter of the exhaust tubing. Then have the muffler shop expand the ends, drop the bearings in and peen the exhaust pipe over the bearings. I also use a sealed bearing for the lower because it is out in the elements. You can use aluminized pipe, steel or stainless and polish. Connecting rod will fit with a small rubber insert too.

 

That is cool!!!!!

 

Great tech... I've built my own as well... but instead of tach welding a spot for immobilizing the lower bearing... I bought a "SLIP COLLAR" that has an allen set screw so that I can disassemble to repair and or modify the column very easily!

Every hardware store carries the Bearings with a .75" I.D.... about $3 each and "Speedway" has the "double D" shafts for about $20 - $35 depending on the length and you can find pipe almost anywhere.

 

Thanks for the Tech post it's just what i was looking for !, not sure if i can source the same bearings with the flange, guess it's time to try ebay

 

If you got access to a lathe, you can make a bushing with a collar/flange. I did this on my column. And drilled for 1/4-28 thru the tube into the bushing. Then a grease fitting retains the bushing and alows grease for the bushing, too. Did mine in brass, but any metal will do.

 

Excellent tech article. Keep them coming bro!

Thanks, RGV

 

choppintops, for a FNG, you sure do know how to put your best foot forward on a forum.
GOOD JOB and GREAT INFO!


~Jef

 

Great tech! I build one some what like yours. I went to the local Tractor Supply and bought a couple 3/4" X 1 3/8" bearings and a piece of electrial conduit that the bearings fit in snugly, 1 1/2 inch maybe....grouchy

 

Great tech! Very well thought out and explained. Thanks! We are living in the "Good Old Days". Lucky

 

But now I can't bitch to all my chainer friends about how much I had to spend for that shiney billit Limeworks unit !?!!!!!?? Thanks, Mike

 

What a cheap way to build a column,very cool and great pics thanks

 

Did I miss where the bearings came from?

 

great tech this is the stuff i come here for

 

AWESOME TECH... I need one, like yesterday. Think I give one a shoot. Thanks Scott

 

yes..nice tech

 

Great thread! This is what the Hamb is all about. I used to go to the junk yard to get stuff to build but these days in L.A. county the stuff is either metric or expensive or both. I get a bigger kick out of building it anyway.

 

That is the same bearing that is used in a lot of lawn mower wheels.

 

Awsome Dude, You are the king. I needed one of these and have been thinking about how to do it. Keep up the good work.

 

Now if only i could find a place that sells a splined corvair wormshaft!

 

http://www.gasalleystreetrods.com/Steering.html

 

If you can find an old canister vacuum cleaner, like an old Electrolux, you can use the chrome tube that attached to the head, to cover the steering shaft. Instant chrome plated steering column.

 

I've got 2 choices on mine....a piece of aluminum tube and a piece of stainless "Lazer Tube'. Both were grabbed out of the scrap bin just for this purpose.

I made the end pieces with bushing, just cuz they were handy. Need a bell on mine to match my steering wheel, and found an oil filter can that has the right 3 3/4" od..........yeah, it helps that i work in an oil filter factory.

Now I just gotta find a neat way to attach the cut down filter can to the tube and grab a GM shaft. Can't just use the 3/4" rod, cuz I'm not using a 3-bolt steering wheel.

Great Tech piece!

Tim D.

 

Neat steering column, I have a funny story about the one I built for my 29 hiboy, I went down to ----- bearing where I had bought bearings for years, I told the guy I needed 2 bearings with ---id and --- od he ask me what they where being used for and when I told him he would not sale them to me, I thought he was kidding, but he was'nt, so I went around the corner and bought my bearings. I guess its the lawsuit world we live in.

 

I have used similar bearings that I got at a Northen Hyd. & tool store and I think I have seen them at a tractor supply as well. As said earlier you can probably also find them at a local hardware store.

 

This one needed a bump, imo.

 

Where did the pics go?