Looking for a source for a steering column, CHEEEEEP!!! Just the basic one no extras, for an old gasser!!!
Simple. A piece of 2" stainless steel exhaust tubing. Polished in a drill press or lathe. Lower bushing from a small car (I used a Pinto ball bearing). Upper hub/bearing similar. done
Combine a chunk of exhaust tube, an old Ford steering shaft *, a shaft collar, along with a couple wheel barrow bearings and you have a simple, clean, and "cheap" column. *or any other 3/4" steering shaft you can get a wheel adapter for.
Considering the column is the first line of defense between the steering wheel and possible death why would one "cheap out" on such a critical component.
Any old leftover column should work. Even if the steering box is made on it. Whack off the box, add a bearing and a u-joint a 3/4 shaft A couple 3/4 bearing blocks U-joint And weld on a steering wheel flange
Pay attention to match the steering shaft engagement to the steering wheel hub. The guy I bought my '38 Packard steering wheel from included the correct steering shaft stub. To be welded onto whatever shaft I use. How thoughtful. Actually, I probably could've used the whole column and box.
I'm revising this a bit. Simple and cheap for a "gasser" might be a 47/53 Chevy truck column that someone has cut off at the box. It takes a standard Chevy spline steering wheel hub for your "gasser steering wheel" the tube is pretty clean and clutter free and you can get a bearing saver bearing for the bottom end and probably at a better price than this one from Classic parts. Cut the tube and shaft to correct lengths. grind the flats to use a double D U joint on the shaft and you have your gasser column that is clean and plain but if you need turn signals you will have to use a clamp on turn signal switch.
You can make your own as said and I did a tech on it a few years back giving you the part numbers needed. Also look for a 1972-1975 jeep column . It's a simple straightforward tube column everyone seems to be reproduction. It's basically a GM column that has gm splines on both ends. It used GM chevy u joints and jeep even used the GM box. The box they use was a 525 manual box and 20% larger then Vega. The power steering box was a 76 box and super strong and that was used forever.
Hunting that one down shows that you can get in lengths from 24 to 40 inches and even at the current price range (now 116.99 for the 24 inch) and 124.99 for the 32 inch that many of us choose, when you add in a 4o dollar bearing and a now 30 dollar steering wheel adapter kit plus what ever you give for a used column it becomes real cost effective.
8 sizes to choose from, prices don't go up too much more. I bought one for my 34, I don't care much for the sloppy quick release. But that could probably be fixed.
Cut tri 5 column with rag joint added Ground the flange on a hardware store bronze bushing to take up the slack EZPZ
I don't know why this was stuck in my head but I just came across it the other day so I looked it up again. Here is a very basic 2-inch fully polished stainless steel tube 32-in steering column with a 3-bolt steering wheel mount that with shipping it's 160 bucks https://ebay.us/m/KWjavV I mean realistically I don't think you could build one for much cheaper
I usually make my own , Less then $100 Out of Chromoly, Welder , A Lathe make it easer to make , but not needed . Quick disconnects , choice wisely if you want No play in the splines One's with No play I use are Strange around 175 MoMo Around 250 plus Sparco , Around 300 plus. The Mark Willams & Moroso 80- 150 To much play for Me. For Street use . Steering column , I feel most of the Ones aftermarket sold are Cheap made on the internals , Especially The Ones with Turn ,with Tilt , Way to much play throughout CCP Flaming River IDIDIT others have cheap cast parts ,cheap plastic internals Compared to OEM
I used a chrome clothing rack tube I got when a store went out of business and I expanded it slightly to fit the same $5 bearings my kids mini bike used in the fork tube ( might have been a wheel barrow bearing ) and some 3/4 " shaft with a steering wheel flange for a go cart ( a quick relase addpater would work well also) on the top and a lock collar on the bottom for a dune buggy once it cost me like $15 total to make . I welded the Ujoint on the end after grinding the shaft to be a D for the joint . I figured there was no reason id ever replace a bearing and if I did Id just cut the weld . Also look for old fork lifts , golf carts , floor sweepers and such for a simple column. That $42 bearing s way to expensive for some thing that is spinning like .05 RPM
chrome tilt manual universal steering column 9 hole wheel - Temu I sure it the finest quality for $135 with tilt and turn signals and wheel adapters
I got a U-Pull-It steering column and modified it to fit my application. It came out of a late 60's Chevy truck with a floor shift. I needed a shorty, so I cut the column and the shaft to fit. I milled two flats on the end of the shaft to accept a universal joint. I think it cost me under $50.00.
I made this One, Maine tube is 1.500 Then taper up to 2.250 The Quick disconnect ring "Black" is 2.437
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