Scratch built steering column
- Thread starter Youngster
- Start date
tfeverfred
Well-Known Member
Youngster, the yards here stopped keeping stuff from later than the '90s.:sad: Maybe I can find a shaft at an auto parts store, but I doubt it.
If you have the stuff, I would be willing to buy it and, of course, cover shipping. Otherwise, I'll just get the one from Speedway. I'd like to save some money, but if I can't, oh well. I had already planned on my column and wheel running about $175.
If you have the stuff, I would be willing to buy it and, of course, cover shipping. Otherwise, I'll just get the one from Speedway. I'd like to save some money, but if I can't, oh well. I had already planned on my column and wheel running about $175.
In some of the buckets that I build I used a steering coloum from an early Mustang. They use a 3/4 shaft and it works out well. The turn signals cancel and the horn button works. In some of the cars I used the Mustang steering box. One other way Is use a Corvair iron box with the very long shaft. Leave the shaft as long as you need it and I used a race car quick disconnect. That way you can take the steering wheel off to get in and out of the car. This is how I have my current car done. I like being able to take the steering wheel off.
Fred... Let me see what I can find. Kinda cold to be running around the yards now, but I have a lot of friends with parts.
RPM's suggestion to use a quick disconnect is a good one especially if the driver is a six foot something, long legged fella'. Speedway has some good units.
Ron
RPM's suggestion to use a quick disconnect is a good one especially if the driver is a six foot something, long legged fella'. Speedway has some good units.
Ron
tfeverfred
Well-Known Member
Yea, that column I looked at by Speedway has a disconnect for the wheel. Not only would it make it easier to get in and out, it would make a great theft prevention device.
GAB
Member
I never have liked the looks of late model steering columns in street rods. To me, it looks like someone stuffed a telephone pole in there. Way too big.
In planning for what I wanted to do for a column in this maybe someday track roadster, I came up with this plan. All that I wanted in the way of controls is a turn signal setup and a column shifter for the C4 transmission.
Basically, there are 3 different sized tubes and a solid 3/4" shaft. There are some machined bushings that keep everything centered up. The 2 inner tubes are both .058 wall thickness with some rings tack welded to them on the upper ends for threading for the arms. The lower ends have a couple of arms for the turn signal accuator and the shift lever. Those arms are bored for a slip fit on the respective inner tube and attached by drilling and tapping the arm for a set screw and lock nut. The end of the set screw is turned down to a smooth dimension and a corresponding sized hole is drilled in the tube.
For the turn signal, it uses a double pole double throw toggle switch. There is an article in the NTBA technical pages about the wiring for a setup like this. I liked it because it is small, inexpensive and I had used a setup like this for a reversing switch on a power feed that I built for a small milling machine and it worked very well. The down side is that it is not self cancelling...guess we can't have everything.:lol:
The bottom end of the shaft is configured to use the stock Vega U-jointed coupler. Since I already had it and the connection is simple...and most important...it's cheap, it became part of the plan. It just requires a cross hole in the main shaft to press in the original pin. There are a couple of flats machined on the shaft for the rubber boot to match up with. A grinder would make quick work of them if lack of milling equipment was a factor. There are a couple of square blocks that ride on the pin and enter in a couple of grooves in the Vega cup housing along with a couple of springs.
Maybe there are an idea or two that might come in handy if someone is contemplating building there own column. I guess that I should confess here that I have not yet built this whole setup. Only the main shaft and the upper end mount for the steering wheel. I keep forgetting to get the required tubes and bushing material when I go to the local metal by the foot place. I need to make myself a note!
In planning for what I wanted to do for a column in this maybe someday track roadster, I came up with this plan. All that I wanted in the way of controls is a turn signal setup and a column shifter for the C4 transmission.
Basically, there are 3 different sized tubes and a solid 3/4" shaft. There are some machined bushings that keep everything centered up. The 2 inner tubes are both .058 wall thickness with some rings tack welded to them on the upper ends for threading for the arms. The lower ends have a couple of arms for the turn signal accuator and the shift lever. Those arms are bored for a slip fit on the respective inner tube and attached by drilling and tapping the arm for a set screw and lock nut. The end of the set screw is turned down to a smooth dimension and a corresponding sized hole is drilled in the tube.
For the turn signal, it uses a double pole double throw toggle switch. There is an article in the NTBA technical pages about the wiring for a setup like this. I liked it because it is small, inexpensive and I had used a setup like this for a reversing switch on a power feed that I built for a small milling machine and it worked very well. The down side is that it is not self cancelling...guess we can't have everything.:lol:
The bottom end of the shaft is configured to use the stock Vega U-jointed coupler. Since I already had it and the connection is simple...and most important...it's cheap, it became part of the plan. It just requires a cross hole in the main shaft to press in the original pin. There are a couple of flats machined on the shaft for the rubber boot to match up with. A grinder would make quick work of them if lack of milling equipment was a factor. There are a couple of square blocks that ride on the pin and enter in a couple of grooves in the Vega cup housing along with a couple of springs.
Maybe there are an idea or two that might come in handy if someone is contemplating building there own column. I guess that I should confess here that I have not yet built this whole setup. Only the main shaft and the upper end mount for the steering wheel. I keep forgetting to get the required tubes and bushing material when I go to the local metal by the foot place. I need to make myself a note!
butch27 said:
It is 6 of one and half a dozen of another. The aluminum one can be polished and has a splined shaft. The iron box needs to be painted or powder coated. They could be chromed also. Most of the iron boxes have a long shaft, and need to be cut off and a u joint welded and pinned on the end. There are a few iron boxes with the short splined shaft also.
tfeverfred
Well-Known Member
Okay, I think I MAY have a possible solution for my steering column. The shaft I use now, is a tube 3/4" in outside diameter and 5/8" inside diameter. I have a Grade 8 bolt and nyloc nut attaching it to the short shaft coming out of my iron Corvair box. The steering wheel is attached to the Grant steering wheel hub piece, which is held to the shaft by a grade 8 bolt. The bolt goes through the hub, then into the tube and a nyloc nut is attached. It works, but there is a slight movement due to column tube and inner bushing. Tatal P has the column in 3 lengths. I'm going to get the longer so I'll be able to cut off what i need for fit. Now, the only problem I see is a cosmetic one. The hub will be visable. I propose cutting a piece of PVC that will tightly slip over it, then attaching the wheel to the hub with the 3 bolts supplyed.
Does this sound like it could work? The shaft I am using works fine. I figure why use a coupler, when the whole shaft could serve the same purpose. The coupler/tube would seem to me to be weaker compared to a shaft that is one piece and attached to the steering box shaft.
Please, read and let me know if this is feasable and SAFE. While I hate to skimp on cost when it comes to safety stuff, the Total P column tube comes welded to a 3/16" plate that attaches it to not only the floor, but the frame. The cost is $40. Their nylon bushing, which has a 3/4" hole for a shaft (the same diameter as my tube) is $6. The two, plus shipping and a little hunk of PVC tubing could get me done for about $50.
So, let me have your thoughts. If what I have isn't as sake as a solid shaft with a coupling, I'll probably just drop the bucks for the Speedway unit & U-joint, and be done with it.
Does this sound like it could work? The shaft I am using works fine. I figure why use a coupler, when the whole shaft could serve the same purpose. The coupler/tube would seem to me to be weaker compared to a shaft that is one piece and attached to the steering box shaft.
Please, read and let me know if this is feasable and SAFE. While I hate to skimp on cost when it comes to safety stuff, the Total P column tube comes welded to a 3/16" plate that attaches it to not only the floor, but the frame. The cost is $40. Their nylon bushing, which has a 3/4" hole for a shaft (the same diameter as my tube) is $6. The two, plus shipping and a little hunk of PVC tubing could get me done for about $50.
So, let me have your thoughts. If what I have isn't as sake as a solid shaft with a coupling, I'll probably just drop the bucks for the Speedway unit & U-joint, and be done with it.
tfeverfred
Well-Known Member
Youngster said:
Nope, but the Borgeson U-joint that is used with the Speedway column doesn't have them on the end that mounts to the box either. Plus, my shaft coming out of the box is smooth. Where the Grant hub attaches to the column, it is SO TIGHT a fit, I had to hammer the tube in. That fit combined with the bolt&nut seems to be enough, as far as the steering wheel end is concerned.
On the stock Corvair the shaft had splines on both ends. The end at the box had a coupler with splines that slid onto both the box shaft and the column shaft. The coupler was of the split type with a bolt to sinch it to each shaft. On the steering wheel end, there was a spline and threads. The threads were for a nut to hold the hub onto the splines.
Sorry Fred, but I don't care how hard it was to get the hub on the shaft. it will come off much easier. You have alot more leverage on that hub with the steering wheel than you think. You must have either a welded coupling or one with splines in it at the box and splines in the hub for the steering wheel for safety sake. Please don't cut corners on your steering.
The Borgeson U-joint you are talking about uses a set screw to hold it to the shaft. If you want a first hand account of what it feels like to be going down a highway at speed and have that set screw back out, ask Jim Rizzo from Street Rodder Mag. It happened to him on the way to the nat's a couple of years ago. Keep in mind, if something goes wrong with your steering, man , it's just you and the big guy!
Ron
Sorry Fred, but I don't care how hard it was to get the hub on the shaft. it will come off much easier. You have alot more leverage on that hub with the steering wheel than you think. You must have either a welded coupling or one with splines in it at the box and splines in the hub for the steering wheel for safety sake. Please don't cut corners on your steering.
The Borgeson U-joint you are talking about uses a set screw to hold it to the shaft. If you want a first hand account of what it feels like to be going down a highway at speed and have that set screw back out, ask Jim Rizzo from Street Rodder Mag. It happened to him on the way to the nat's a couple of years ago. Keep in mind, if something goes wrong with your steering, man , it's just you and the big guy!
Ron
tfeverfred
Well-Known Member
Are you saying the coupling should be welded to the shaft coming out of the box? How would you get the steering shaft off the box, if you ever had to?
How would you get the steering shaft off the box, if you ever had to?
No, if you are using a straight coupling like the one in the drawing, that is welded to the column shaft. There is a bolt that goes thru the end of the coupling that slips over the splines on the box shaft. This bolt lines up with the detent in the splines on the box shaft.
I'm sorry if I sounded harsh in my last posting. But I can't tell you how i'd feel if I didn't say something and the worst happened to you or your car if I hadn't pointed that out to you. That's the good thing about a brotherhood, we watch out for each other.
Ron
I'm sorry if I sounded harsh in my last posting. But I can't tell you how i'd feel if I didn't say something and the worst happened to you or your car if I hadn't pointed that out to you. That's the good thing about a brotherhood, we watch out for each other.
Ron
tfeverfred
Well-Known Member
There are NO splines on my shaft coming out of the steering box. It is smooth and has a hole through it. In order to attach a coupling or a u-joint, a hole will have to be drilled through either to run a bolt and attach a nyloc to hold the steering shaft to the shaft coming out of the box. So, why not just drill a hole through the shaft tube I have and attach it to the shaft coming out of the steering box with a bolt? Wouldn't that be the same thing? Wouldn't my shaft tube act as one long coupling?
tfeverfred
Well-Known Member
Youngster said:
It's steel.
As for the Grant wheel hub, couldn't that be welded to my shaft tube, as well as bolted like I have it?
I know this is a lot, but I really want to try and figure this out. Please be patient.
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