I'm rebuilng a 1923 t-bucket I just purchased. Originally built in the 80's it has a one piece steering box and steering column/shaft but have I have no idea what make or year. I want to remove the column cover (outer sleeve). I've removed the steering wheel and the bearing race at the top of the column but don't see any screws or anything holding the column cover to the settring box - it just tapers down at the bottom to a round thick washer type piece at the top of the steering box. Any ideas ? Thanks.
Steering column cover
- Thread starter gyanni
- Start date
Welcome, :tip: and yes pics would help.
Sawzall or Blue Tip Wrench time..... Sorta kidding.
For safety reasons, you do not want a one piece shaft from the box to your chest as it becomes a harpoon in the case of an accident. Remember you can't possibly accelerate as quickly as you can stop - like, if you were to rear end a parked cement mixer at forty miles an hour. The last thing to go through your mind will be your butt.
Cut the cover off about 3 to 4 inches from the box. Cut the shaft about 5 to 6 inches from the box.
You must think in terms of a collapsible column or a coupe of u-joints and short shafts together with a sacrificial column. PVC pipe sounds dumb and can shatter to produce sharp edges and pointed ends that would be dangerous, but you get the idea. Supports for the column should be designed to crunch or fold and not be spears that could peirce you and that includes piercing an inner thigh where blood loss might be a survivability factor. That means no small diameter steel tubing or angle iron and nothing that you could impaled upon.
Check out woodwardsteering.com where I got my stuff for u-joints and a good primer on columns. They have a niffty engine bay collasible steering section that might be a good choice together witt a couple of u-joints and short shaft to the steering wheel.
For safety reasons, you do not want a one piece shaft from the box to your chest as it becomes a harpoon in the case of an accident. Remember you can't possibly accelerate as quickly as you can stop - like, if you were to rear end a parked cement mixer at forty miles an hour. The last thing to go through your mind will be your butt.
Cut the cover off about 3 to 4 inches from the box. Cut the shaft about 5 to 6 inches from the box.
You must think in terms of a collapsible column or a coupe of u-joints and short shafts together with a sacrificial column. PVC pipe sounds dumb and can shatter to produce sharp edges and pointed ends that would be dangerous, but you get the idea. Supports for the column should be designed to crunch or fold and not be spears that could peirce you and that includes piercing an inner thigh where blood loss might be a survivability factor. That means no small diameter steel tubing or angle iron and nothing that you could impaled upon.
Check out woodwardsteering.com where I got my stuff for u-joints and a good primer on columns. They have a niffty engine bay collasible steering section that might be a good choice together witt a couple of u-joints and short shaft to the steering wheel.
Ted Brown
Member
I really get upset when folks want to turn a fun T Bucket into a late model car, with collapsible this and that, very ugly and the more this and that, the more slop happens in steering and everything else that has too many joints, etc. KISS is how I like to build, and it is also easier to look at.. JMHO 
PS, If you run into a cement mixer, you have more problems than a steering wheel in your chest...
PS, If you run into a cement mixer, you have more problems than a steering wheel in your chest...
2old2fast
Active Member
and don't forget those airbags, energy absorbing frame , rollcage, etc. etc. dave
Yea we need some pictures of what you are working on. Somebody here has been there and done that and will be able to help. Several boxes come to mind one being the Corvair and also a Mustang were like that.
Oh and welcome to the site.
Stainless is the way to go. I sometimes use long bathroom handrails either polished or brushed. Cheaper than buying tubing at the mill.
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