How "universal" are steering column splines? Were they done to a standard industry-wide size, or are they unique to every manufacturer? Considering that Saginaw, etc supplied steering gear to almost everybody at one time or another.... how likely or unlikely is it that we can find couplers and intermediate shafts that magically work together?
If you are junkyard prowling and hoping to grab an intermediate shaft, good luck. Its unlikely, just look at how many combinations are in Borgesons or Sweets catalogs. There is some repe***ion within the parts of each specific maker (Ford-to-Ford, etc) IMHO GM is the most interchangeable.
That’s a good question and older GM had two different spine counts and a double D . The earlier columns had the small spline count that fit boxes like the Vega and 525 and not sure on the power steering boxes. You are correct that car and truck makers such as Jeep Kaiser used the by product of a GM column. The splines on the bottom I believe is 26 count or something . The top on Jeep column will also be a GM steering wheel spline. So most older American couplings you find fit GM columns but with imports so common now not sure . It’s Unfortunate the car makers don’t believe in universal any longer . If your looking for a great little hotrod column Jeep cj the ticket and will have a GM coupling and 525 box
kind of depends what you're working on. If you give a lot of specific details, someone might know of a part that fits, and that could save you some searching. Or someone might have searched and found that nothing is available, that could save you even more time. quick answer: no, there is not much standardization.
Great replies, and I truthfully expected that standardization is rare, given the compe***ive nature of the business. I was hoping that the vendors supplying the gearboxes worked a little more cooperatively. I haven't been able to do any salvage yard scrounging for quite a while, and need to make some time for it.
That would be a good article for Hemmings to do. If you're in search of a specific component, or you know the vehicle, you might try Speedway Motors
Not sure on the 57 Chevy but counting the splines and ,measuring the shaft size will help to determine what you seek. I posted a picture of a tech in the speedway catalog and its a handy resource. I don’t order a bunch from speedway but do order somethings. Unfortunately they don’t list the older cars as we love but still a bit more knowledge to put into the brain
That's some great information to have, right there. Seems like it's actually probable to find mixable parts if you try hard enough
Never had a 55-57 Chevy only raced them And believe the Chevy used a double d shaft with a rag joint on the end by the box. I do know the shaft on a 1981 Jeep fits the 525 box as well as a Vega . The Jeep used that box and spline count from 1972 to 81 on the Manual boxes and power boxes were interduced in 1976 the Saginaw 76 box . It had a 76 marked on the side and was used on many Chevy and Jeep models.
They should be to a SAE standard for the diameter & spline count. The Vega and 525 are too different sizes unless the Vega box was from a Cosworth which used the 525. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
but there could be a rag joint if you install a 525 box into a tri five. What you do for the column...hmmm...you could cut it off and spline it however you want, or grind two flats on it, etc. It's 3/4" shaft.
Sure thing...I've mixed and matched by welding ...quite simple actually...measure 3 times ...its gonna be a one off...just use excellent used and don't ground the u joint when welding...also remember to phase the joints....
Welding to keep the pieces from slipping on each other but I have seen too many cases of **** welded steering pieces in the past and with that hate to see anyone suggest welding on a steering shaft.
GM alone had two or three shaft sizes each with their own spline count. Big cars like Buick and Cadillac had a large shaft through at least 1958. Corvair seems to have a smaller one. The most common size was used from the 30s into the 1990s, all your side ignition columns use it and post-1978 steering wheels will interchange although they may require altering or swapping the lock plate. (The 70-ish through -77 columns are different inside and I haven't been into them). The Chevy G-van 1995 (1996 one ton) and back has a shaft on the firewall side that uses two splined U-joints to let it make a sharp bend and go almost straight down into the box. The lower joint is right on the box, there's no rag joint. Inside the cab, the lower end of the shaft has a slide coupling. If I were building a rod on a budget, I'd use one of these. The last ones, 95 and the 96 1-ton for sure, have a longer lower shaft that's hidden inside of a boot - because the older ones did sometimes corrode and get stiff. I purposely pulled a lower shaft the last time I was in the Carolinas and it was like new. I suspect you can mix and match with these parts on older columns, but if you wanted to keep say a stock '55 column you'd need to cut to length and have the lower end machined for the splines. On the other hand I successfully mated a '63 Skylark wheel to an '84 Skylark column. Horn contact needed some modification.
There may be some hope - this posting lists several OEM interchanges: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/who-needs-those-high-steering-joints-not-me.159105/
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