Technical steering column alingment

Does the steering column have to be dead nuts in line with the box? I have my steering column in place but only loosely held in place under the dash. I was messing around with it the other day turning the wheel back and forth playing make believe and noticed the bottom of the column moves around a little. Do I need to get the column and box squared up a bit more or will U-joint take care of it once I get it all bolted up?

 

Both need to be mounted solid but there can be some misalignment that a ujoint will take care of

 

Normally you want 2 u joints between the steering column and the box if you don't have a box with a solid straight column running up to the steering wheel. That is to eliminate any chance of binding.

I went quick and nasty on my 51 Merc when I did the subframe swap and got in a big rush to put the column in to get it together to go to a car show. Ended up getting an ekg at doc in the box from a hot little nurse because I had severe chest pains. Found out that I had inflamed chest muscles from working the column that was binding up just enough to cause me to strain a tad. We ripped it back out the next week and redid it right.
When you get it all together and have the tires off the shop floor and the weight on the suspension (stands) you should be able to turn the wheel lock to lock and back without feeling any binding or hard spots.

 

Certainly sounds like it was worth the trip. I barely have enough room between the column and the box for one U-joint. Haven't seen any other pics of similar setups so can't confirm what others have done.

 

Here is some good tech

https://www.borgeson.com/xcart/pages.php?pageid=1

 

If the steering column isn't perfectly perpendicular to the dashboard, no one will see that or care.

 

Show us some pictures of the angles involved in the engine compartment. Then you will get some relevant comments.

 

https://www.borgeson.com/xcart/home.php?cat=2&keep_https=yes#rfplist
I think you need 2 joints and need to at least make room for one of these.

Gary

 

A single joint can handle up to 35 degrees of misalignment.
Beyond that you need two joints, or maybe one of these?
https://www.borgeson.com/xcart/product.php?productid=457&cat=2&page=2

 

Pretty tight quarters. Looking at the pic I'm thinking of I scoot the top of the column over an inch or so it might help out

 

From the picture it looks like the shaft is sticking too far into the U joint and causing it to bind. You shouldn't be able to see the shaft in the open space in the center of the joint, it needs that room to articulate. Also make or buy a bracket to fasten the bottom of the column to the firewall.

 

Could be I haven't got around to getting that in it's final position. I did make a floor mount for it using the factory mount and modifying it now I just need to get all that patched in.

 

Your angles will be fine but like @BJR said, don't bottom out the shaft inside the joint.

 

Once you get the alignment of the column correct, fix the bottoming-out of the steering shaft, you'll be able to cut out that mess on the toe board, weld in new sheet metal, and make a good soli d bottom column mount.