Anyone made their own telescopic column?

[Keeper]

Okay as I was playing with column placement today it occurred to me that the column I have could easily be made into a telescopic column.

So has anyone tried this?

The column I have is collapsible with about 5 inches of travel. It would have to be a "sleeve" type adjustment, smaller tube on the bottom would be bolted to the body to hold it in place, the upper portion would be where the adjustment would be, nothing too radical just a few inches of travel. I figure I could make the upper mount with a couple of "wing nuts" to allow the driver to loosen, adjust the column then tighten them back up.

I tried to think of any safety issues that could result from this, and I couldn't think of any.

Any else thought to try making one of these?

 

[INVU2]

Hello Keeper,

I originally thought about modifying an MGA steering column.

MG made a simple early telescopic steering column.

Gerry in the UK could tell you more.

-E

 

[Gerry]

I will try and help but my experience with early MGs is limited. Have a friend that can help if needed.
Gerry

 

[Old Rotor Flap]

Take a look at woodwardsteerig.com regarding collapsible columns and their engine bay collapsible section.

woodwardsteerig.com

 

[Corley]

I've got a Jag column out of a Mark 2 Salon, that telescopes, but they did not telescope the actual "column", just the top part of the inner shaft. It uses a splined shaft with a twist knob around it to tighen a compression nut down on the outter portion so it squeases the inner shaft to hold position. Sort of sucks after it gets old because it doesn't want to release easily, and you have to bang it a bit to get it to move, but it does work... I've got a couple of XJ6 columns that work the same way... Probably simple enough for a 'T' bucket...

The trouble with these Jag units is that it puts the turn signal switch a long ways down the column, with all that tele mechanizm up right under the wheel. About 3-4 inches of tele mechanizm under the wheel before you get to the outer shell that can mount the TS sw...

Corley

PS The TS sw, which came from Lucas, the knight of darkness, sucks... Grant does make a very cool wheel adaptor for it though, so you can attach your fav. wheel.

 

[Keeper]

I've got a Jag column out of a Mark 2 Salon, that telescopes, but they did not telescope the actual "column", just the top part of the inner shaft. It uses a splined shaft with a twist knob around it to tighen a compression nut down on the outter portion so it squeases the inner shaft to hold position. Sort of sucks after it gets old because it doesn't want to release easily, and you have to bang it a bit to get it to move, but it does work... I've got a couple of XJ6 columns that work the same way... Probably simple enough for a 'T' bucket...

Thats how this column is set up. It has a DD shaft at the top, that slides into another tube that has a single D at the bottom. I was thinking that if I bolted a lower tube to the firewall then slide a tight fitting tube over that, I could use a pinch system on the upper column mount to allow me to move it in or out a few inches.