Technical Easier '59 Ford Steering Box Removal?

I'm going rack and pinion on my '59, I have everything... no turning back. My buddy with a shop has volunteered to help and we'll have a lift.

Can the box and shaft be dropped out the bottom? I'd like to avoid pulling the steering column out. Although I do have to trim 2" off the bottom of the column. I'll be taking the car to his shop tomorrow for a look see. Thanks

 

Bob, I’ve no clue.
But I ***ume a ‘59 Chevy via your screen name?

 

Gulp.... I was hoping to avoid that. I have to see what retains the shaft at the top of the column. Time to dig into the manual and the kit instructions a bit more. I had heard that the reason for taking it out from the top was due to not having a lift.

 

On earlier years the engine need to be removed for the going out the bottom. Not sure on 57-59.

 

I'm out. You've lost your mind and I can't contribute anything constructive for you.

 

Thanks, I appreciate it.

 

Thanks. I am committed since I have all the parts. I'm heading over to my buddy's shop in a bit and we're going to look at it. He may wind up doing the whole job, I can afford it.

I was thinking of cutting the steering shaft to make it drop out the bottom, but see that the shaft is part of the box. I'd be interested in saving it or selling it possibly. The box is in good shape with only 90k miles on it.

 

You should be able to take the steering wheel off, take the clamp off or slide the box off the tube and drop it out the bottom.
Now, Chevy, Ford or what the hell are you working on. Full descriptions of what you are working on and what you are working with always get better answers the first time rather than BS answers.

As far as the rack, if you are mounting it on the axle rather than using a Unisteer you are probably not going to be anywhere as close to happy with it as you think you are. 20 something more pounds of unsprung weight plus having to deal with a slip shaft in the steering shaft.

I'll add something you should already know and understand. You absolutely cannot mount a rack on the frame and steer a solid axle of any kind with it, that doesn't work.

 

If your careful where and how you cut the shaft you could use a borgenson slip joint or even a factory rag joint may be possible.

 

I must have missed the part where he has an axle on the front??
My 59 steers very well. I dont think theres any reason to change it

 

The car is a '59 Ford, the rack kit is Unisteer.

 

I had thought of a DD coupler. Right now, after looking the car over on a lift, it makes more sense to pull it through the floor. We will take a closer look at it on d-day. If we think we have the room to drop it out the bottom we'll give that a go. I'll have to cut the column a bit, doable in the car, but I'll have help.

 

Not sure i understand why you said this. Unisteer makes kits that replace the Vega box and run a cross steering set up on solid axles and they aren't the first to do so. Can you please clarify?


thanks,
Rick

 

The conversion was almost two years ago. Maybe he can tell how it drives now?