Making your own steering column

I would make it a 2 piece column with another steering universal, and have an indexed hanger - that's the plan if I feel i need to drop it at all.

 

I just made a similar set up with exhaust tubing. I used a 3/4 " GM shaft and placed a bearing and collar stop on each end with a Speedway floor mount collar at the firewall. The bearing O.D. was larger than tubing I.D. but I had a muffer shop expand the tubing to fit. COST , maybe $15.

 

Nice clean build! i might take your Idea and make one for my F1 I still need to wrap my head around the need for a spring .. Maybe the light will come on? Great job

 

this is great. now its on file. thanks.

 

Want a even slicker trick?? use a heim joint for the bearing at the dash, so you can adjust it up and down

 

I can slot my dash mount with no issues - perhaps I will use a Heim at the lower and solve that issue that way. Thanks.

 

The spring is putting pressure against the lower bearing via the collar below it,wilst pulling the entire shaft down and applying pressure that way on the top bearing.Keeps everything snug,but with a little room to breath.

 

^^^ Yup, I was just at ACE hardware last night and they had the right shaft collars and a spring that would work, however it looks like most valve springs would work well too.

 

FWIW, I used American BMX bottom bracket Cups/Bearing available at most bicycle shops. They are $20. They pressed into an old Ford Fairlane housing I shortened (had to shim it a bit). The inside diameter is 22mm. Just a tad larger than 3/4". Worked great!

 

I finished this up with a couple blisters on the firewall to handle the exit transition.

 

I've got a '29 AA cab and need the extra room to get in and out, so I've made a tilt column using 2-inch tube, those Tractor Supply 3/4-inch by 1.8504 ID bearings (had to split a very short - 3/4-inch long - piece of tubing to press-fit the bearing) and a Borgeson joint. I'm still trying to decide on whether I set it up to lock in two or three positions, or fully variable with about a 20-30 degree range. The 65 Mustang steering column and box stays out of the way of exhaust manifold and other things in the engine bay, yet I will get the steering wheel angle I need and can still get in and out of the cab.

 

Got any pics of this? I was thinking about adding a 2 position tilt to my setup at some point.

 

What steering box are you using? Looks kinda like a Mustang/Falcon or Toyota.
Cross-steering of course. A friend has been using these in his T builds for 40 years, yes Mustangs and Falcons are older than that!

 

The box is a Ford box, I don't recall exactly what off the top of my head but I think it was originally in a Falcon

 

I use PCV tube with caps bored 3/4 for mock up. Wooden dowel can be DD'd quickly for trying out shaft lengths. Set collars are a help for holding the finished steering shaft where you want it. I also use bearings with either flanges or od snap rings.

 

Great job, gives me something to think about.

 

Look at mine in post 7. There are 2 flanged bearings. One under the steering wheel. The steering wheel hub holds that one "down".

Then on the bottom, there is the same bearing, but it is held "up" by a coiled spring, and the tension on that spring is set with the locking collar on the inner shaft.

That is like what I see on GM columns on 60s trucks. The spring keeps the shaft stable, but does allow a bit of give, if the car flexes, or if the u-joint needs some up/down movement.

 

The universal at the box.