Making your own steering column

I set out this past week to order a steering column for my car and when I couldn't find what I wanted i decided to make one. I took some tips form here and set to work.

1.5" tubing, 3/4" steel rod, a plate cut for the wheel and the bearings.


Here are the bearings I used, from a local tractor supply.


plate welded to the rod, mounting tab mounted to the tube and the bearings have been greased and tack welded to the tube.


Mounted up


Removed and painted


I didnt like seeing the bearing and rod when it was installed os I added a sleeve to the wheel plate


Painted and installed




Attched at the steering box with a 3/4" DD x 3/4" DD,


The only thing left is to clean up the exit area and make a lower mount at the firewall, works great very happy. Hope thsi helps someone.

 

Nice job it's great to see some home built hot rod stuff.

 

Of couse it will. That and all the other tech posts are a big part of what makes this place so good. Cool

 

quote''plate welded to the rod, mounting tab mounted to the column and the bearings have been greased and tacked in.''

did you mean you tack welded the bearing into the tube?

 

Damn dude you made that look easy! Thanks for sharing with us......

 

Yes, that is what I meant - I will go back and clarify that.

 

If you prefer not to tack it in.. You can do sort of what GM did with a coil spring and a locking collar with a set screw. These 2 pieces push up on the lower bearing, and they also pull down on the steering wheel, which presses the top bearing down.

Both pieces came from the same hardware store as the flange bearings did.

 

Probesport,

You have just made a big light go on in my head. I've been pondering this very project for a while now. Thanks for the write-up and pics. Consider you idea stolen.

Mike

 

I was going to do the shaft collar until I realized I forgot to buy them, I like that setup. I did not think about adding a spring to it.

 

I think GM used the spring for two reasons; One-it holds upwards pressure while maintaing the bearing pre-load on the GM type factory upper bearing, and Two, I think it allows some movement upwards, of the center shaft as the car may twist or whatever, over bumps.


EDIT; yours will work fine because your inner shaft can move a bit upwards without binding anything. If you did use the collar that you forgot, but did not use a spring, any flex of the chassis components might put too much wear/tear on the lower bearing.

 

looks good, should work fine.

 

Nice, I will have to remember that if/when I have to service these bearings.

 

good tech ..........

 

Perfict timing as I am about to do the same. Thank's

 

Yeh, good tech... I like it, will save this info for my T "super crew".

 

Nice clean instalation. I like that exhaust pipe adapter as a transition sleeve. Can't wait to see the lower mount.

 

Nice
I did something simular , although I used a pre existing column for some of my parts

 

cool idea! thanks for posing your tech.

 

Bookmarked!

 

Saw an article once where a guy used an aluminum baseball bat for his column. Looked pretty cool actually

 

Perfect! I was just mocking my steering column up exactly like this post and was wondering how I was going to get an "exact fit"!

 

Interesting, I'd like to see how that looked - if you have a link or pics please post 'em.

 

Thanks Probesport, I have had that process explained to me in the past, and you made it look as easy as they made it sounded! Now I'm ready to get rid of that crappy 80's coulmn!

 

Looks great! Very nice job. I'll save this one.

 

i have been making my columns like this for many years. the only difference on mine is, i use chrome exhaust tubing for it.

 

I have done the same thing on my last couple cars. Works great! Home built and fairly cheap! Gotta love the HAMB!

 

x2 on that

 

Take this next task in hand. How do you take a piece to make into a tilt piece without making too many complications? How do make it look clean?
I built my own steering column and appreciate how yours is built and looked at something I didn't do.
Good build.

 

Like FLATHEADGARY, I used 1-1/2 exhaust tube with one end flared out to match the Le Carra hub with shaft bearing inside tube, then chromed the tube.
I fabbed my own design steering column holder which splits in two with hidden allen 1/4 inch bolts from behind. This makes a clean appearance.

 

Nice, neat and looks good.