Hot Rods 1930s open steering coulumn conversion need ideas!???

hello all i want to convert my late 30s column to use with a cross link f1 box in a model a. using the ball bearing on the taper top. my question is what to do on the bottom? i need something to retain the shaft. bronze bushings and some sort of collar cup? any thing off the shelf would be great. thanks skotty

 

skotty

I am not sure what you are asking but if you have a late 30's column from a Ford, you may find the worm and shaft will interchange into the F1 box. I am not 100% on this but if I had them both, I would try it. If it works, you have the bottom fixed as the outer column will then slide down over the opening on the F1 box. There is no bearing outside the box on the lower end of the column as there is in the upper end.

I bet someone here can confirm.

 

hey thanks for the reply. i m gona have to post some pics. i may be incorrect in saying i have an f1 box. i am using cross link steering and have the pitman arm under the frame. the box has a spline and is not going to be part of the column. if that makes sense. so on the column i need to fabricate some retainer/bearing system to isolate the shaft and make the unit stand alone. i ll get some pics.

 

i have an idea of what has to be done but id like to see if any one else has a plan or suggestions.

 

Picture of my project

 

some sort of pillow block bearing? any one?

 

There is no real load or need for a fancy bearing on lower end of the column.
I have used hardware store wheel barrow bearing and a 3/4" shaft collar a couple of times at the bottom of a column. The Ford shaft is a little over 3/4" so it needs to be turned, filed, sanded, or reduced in diameter in some manner; but it needs to be reduced to fit a u-joint anyway. The OD of these bearing is slightly smaller than the ID of the tube, a slit in conjunction with the stock column clamp takes care of the difference.
My kid uses bronze pilot bearings in the same manner.
I suppose an appropriate sized piece plastic bushing material would work also.

 

Here's a picture of what I described in the previous post. You can see the rounded edge of the bearing just above the shaft collar.

 

Skotty that sure doesn't look like any F1 box I've ever seen. Who told you it was F1? I'd guess it was a Vega with that short splined shaft coming out of it.

 

ok i see how you did that with a clamp? looks like it works well

 

i originally had a stock frame under my coupe but found a unused socal customs for dirt cheap locally. guy just wanted it out of his garage. it came with this steering box and i was told its F1. so im not certain. as bad as i feel about not using the cars birth frame theres something to be said about a laser straight tigged frame built by a professional frame company for less coin and time it would take to use my oem. you may be correct tho i ll pull it out and compare it to some pics online.

 

For the bottom of the column where it passes through the toe board a nylon bushing will work fine. if you want to support the shaft where it goes from the toe board to the steering box use a heim joint the *correct diameter and attach it to the chassis as a steering shaft support.

* same diameter as the shaft.

 

Definitely not an F-1 box. Nice looking coupe!