Here is the scoop... I am wanting your input on a safe set up. I am going to use the factory shaft in my 48 chevy 2-dr sedan and mate it to a Mustang II Manual rack. I would like to know what you have done in the past to mate the two.. I.E. what steering joint you used. What if any machine work was done to the stock shaft. I would like to get it done with the least amount of connections and MAKE IT SAFE!! I have a few ideas but the more brains working on this the better right.. -COS
Grinding two flats on it to make it into a Double-D end that will fit into a u joint is probalby the safest method, and you should be able to do it yourself.
The last time I did this, I used one of those flaming River knuckle joint deals, and also did what squirrl said. That car has never had any steering issues... -GothY-
You are using the stock column tube and shaft? Simple enough, after sawing the box off we shorten the outer tube back enough to put in a flanged bearing with a set screw into it. Sometimes it is necessary to flare the end of the tube to fit the bearing, that can be done at just about any muffler/exhaust shop. Then we will fabricate a clamp to keep the bearing in the tube but a standard exhaust U-clamp could work just fine. On the shaft itself, drill a dimple into the shaft slightly for the set screw to engage in. For the rest of the system, filing or milling the end of the steering shaft into a DD profile is by far the safest.
Oh, don't forget to fasten the column tube to the toe board. Don't rely on the stock rubber gromet to hold things steady.
all good advice. i like to use a mill to put the flats on the shaft do they are parallel and the correct size for a tight fit and also so it's centered do it doesn't wobble. you can also splice a 3/4 16 spline to the inner shaft and use the proper u-joint..that has been covered on here before i like to keep the angles on the u-joints to 30 degrees or less...depending on where your motor is and what you have for exhaust manifolds you may need only two u-joints , but if you need to use three you will need another support after it's all figured out , i like to drill a dimples in the connecting shafts for the set screw on the u-joint to set in..i think Borgeson recogmends this too
I did a "double D" on the end of my steering shaft with a grinder. grind, then fit it to your double D u-joint... grind a hair more... fit...grind some more. do it until it fits snug. no need for fancy equipment or mills if you take your time and have a good eye. I used U-joints from borgeson (sp?) remember that the original column was supported from the steering box being bolted to the frame. the support at the dash is minimal and there is no support at the firewall/floorboard at all. I built a pretty stout mount and bolted it securely to the firewall.. you could do chin ups on my steering wheel without knocking anything out of wack. you need to have your motor in and you exhaust manifolds or headers on before you start so you know how much column you need to have sticking out of the firewall so when you mount your steering shaft from the column to your rack you get a good angle and clear everything. so cut the column long and adjust the length when everything is set up.
Not to the point of taking pics just yet... Just tring to get all my ducks in a row...Just thought some one might have had first hand experience at this... I am not sure that the factory shaft is large enough to work in a 3/4 DD Shaft... I sent you a pm for some more questions... Thanks for all the quick response.. -COS
Personally, I'd look at getting a later column from a floor shift car, say '55-'68, just for the turn signal switch and so on, plus they come with a rag joint coupler on the end which you can change as needed. '73-up Chevy Vans have a couple u-joints in the column, factory, too. With GM columns not much changed a lot over time, you can adapt a lot of parts back and forth to get the combo you want.
ELpolacko the sealed bearing i found wont fit perfectly in the column and it doesn't have a set screw. where do you get the one your speaking of
GM had the same sized shaft and the same spline count on the steering wheel end for who knows how many years.. from the 30's well into the late 70's at least
He will also find it has a hole in it nearly as big as a 3/4"DD. I usuall splice in a solid shaft on the end with a 3/4" 36 spline. you can use a 54 Chevy shaft, it is solid and has the same type of horn, with a slip ring to operate it on the side of the column.
Oh, I forgot about the hollow shaft on the early ones. Lots of steering shafts could be used, pretty much anything from a 50s-60s Chevy. The shaft was not part of the box on cars starting in 58, and on trucks starting in 60.
Flaming River, Borgleson, etc, all have various diameter shafts and splines that should mate up to your stock steering column on one side and the 3/4 DD shafting on the other. Same with the steering boxes. They even make a double ujoint for steep angles. Speedway Motors has some DD joints too but I don't think they have the adapters. You'll want a support bearing between every pair of ujoints. Not cheap but one thing I don't want to fail is steering.
COS, I'm doing the same thing only on a 37 chevy. I'm having a hell of a time removing the steering wheel from the shaft. Did you have any problems? I'm assuming they are similar setups, a 3/4" nut holding the wheel to the shaft.
I am lucky as hell because less than two miles from me is one of the biggest old chevy parts dealers in the country... Jerry Rivers and he is one hell of a guy... He has a steering wheel puller that he had made just for these wheels.. It is real simple set up.. Once you take off the center 3/4 nut there are two 5/16 (I think) threaded holes on each side. His puller is a thick piece of bar stock with a center bolt that screws through it and pushes down on the steering shaft. Then there are the other two outer bolts that go through the bar stock in slits ( I assume the adjustment is for different years) that screw in to the two 5/16?? holes in the wheel.. Once those are snug in the wheel turn the center one until the wheel just pops off!! I.E. a wheel puller It seems like a tool that would be easy to make I am just lucky to know someone who just happens to already have one.. lol Hope this helped some what... -COS
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