Pro's and Con's:Steering Column

Putting a full cage in my Dodge with a home made dash if thats what you want to call it. Was wondering if its a dumb idea to run a steering column from the roll cage going across from driver side to passenger side. I have to recess the firewall quite a bit which is why I am not running the stock dash. Just putting some feelers out to see if it is practical and safe or a do not attempt.

 

I'm not following. Are you wanting to run the steering on the pass side, but drive on the left? If space is limited, there is a box that help clear the steering advertised in the mags, there has been a post on it here as well, company is out of Florida I think.

 

Should have explained better. I am running the cage in front of where the dash would/will be. A straight bar running from the driver side to the passenger side. Steering wheel will be where it should be on the driver side. The problem is that I am going to make a dash out of some aluminum or thin sheetmetal so I don't think it will be strong enough. Hope that explains it a little better.

 

Are you talking about where to hang the column from?

 

Steering wheel on left, steering box on right??? Why? Pedals in the way?

 

If you mean you're going to hang the steering column from the front crossbar of the cage, that makes sense. Usually I see a couple of smaller bars coming towards the upper column mount from that cross bar in a triangle shape going to the clamp that holds the upper end of the steering column (or welded directly to the steering column support tube) and another clamp down where the column goes through the floor. With the column mounted solid like that though, you will want to use seat and shoulder belt(s) for sure so you won't get impaled on the rigid column in a wreck. If you look through catalogs of places that sell frames for race cars or drag cars, you'll see examples of what you're talking about. Check catalogs like Chris Alston Chassisworks, S&W Race Cars, Art Morrison, etc. I think the tubes that come back to hold the top of the column are only about 3/4" or 1" diameter and they're really sturdy triangulated like that.

It makes sense to do it that way too, because you can pull your dashboard to make it easier to do wiring and stuff without having to pull your steering column.

 

The whole firewall is being moved into the cabin about five to six inches so pedals and everything are moving in. The steering is going to be normal on the driver side and set up just how it should be with a vega box. Not good at explaining. Guess what I'm getting at is would it be safe to mount the column to the cage. I know I've seen it done but how safe would it be or any issues I can avoid.

 

Hot damn Rustybolts understood my dumbass. That was the answer I was looking for. Feel free to keep the ideas coming though every little bit will help.

 

It all depends on how strong your roll cage is... pvc? I wouldn't hang it from there then... if its strong it should be fine, just don't want any movement...

 

I think the easy way to think of how they hang the column in race-cars is to think of the steering column as a "tripod" coming towards you from the firewall. The column makes one leg of the tripod, then two small bars going from the upper end of the column at angles towards the cross bar of the cage make the other two legs of the "tripod". That makes it triangulated and very sturdy in every direction. Since the upper bars are only in push or pull mode, they can be thinner and still be strong.

I think NASCAR cars are set up like that too.

Speedway sells a nice simple column that's a 2" diameter stainless tube with bearings at each end and a 3/4" solid shaft down the middle with a quick release hub for the steering wheel on top and a double D at the bottom end which is easy to hook up using Borgeson type U-joints. Some of the racing columns have junky plastic bearings that seem like they'd wear out faster, but I think the Speedway one has actual ball bearings.

 

I understood you, here's a few samples. Note that there is also a lower support before it goes thru the firewall...

CC

 

If it helps any, or just to give another idea - my 2CV has a steering shaft from the rack to the wheel (duh), but only the part from the dash to the wheel is covered by a mast jacket (bearings top and bottom in the jacket.).
So, what you could do is have a shaft from the box up, but have a jacket only from the 'cage up. The jacket is necessary to mount turn signal switch and to have an upper bearing, but it is not necessary for it to extend all the way to the 'box.
Just an idea....
Cosmo