Anyone here Shorten a Steering Column?

Hello.... whats involed? is it safe? what kind of Column would you recommend ? the Shifter will be on the Floor as well... Pictures, Info, would be most appreciated..

Thanks ..

 

If you can weld, any column can be shortened. A column without a shifter is just a thin wall pipe with a inner shaft. Some older inner shafts are hollow for a horn wire, most later ones are solid. Either can be shortened.

When butt welding round shaft, clamp the two bevel ground parts in a piece of angle iron. Use 4 clamps total. Leave a slight gap beteen the two pieces because if they are touching during the first tacks, it will go crooked when you unclamp it to do the bottom tack.

I clamp, then do 2 tacks 120 degrees apart. Let cool, then unclamp to roll it 120 degees, reclamp, then do the final tack. Grind the tacks flush and roll it on a flat surface to see if it's straight, then finish weld.

Outer tube must be shortened the exact same amount, due to how the steering wheel and the lower column bearing are what presets the lack of up-and-down freeplay in the column. If the outer tube is too long, the bearings will be too tight. Too short, and the wheel will move in and out.

 

I had to shorten/modify a steering column on a '48 F4 to use a power steering box. I cut the factory 7/8 column shaft and then drilled a 3/4 inch hole about two inches into the 7/8 column. Next I inserted a double D 3/4 inch shaft into the 7/8 column and welded it.






To support the column shaft inside the column outter tube I used a column bearing (The piece at the bottom of the shaft in the pic). The brass piece is to allow me to use the factory horn since the horn wire ran through the column tube.




Here's everything all connected to the steering box.

 

I don't have any pics. I shortened a 1978 Camaro steering column. This type of column has a safety feature in that it collapses when in an accident (basically the main shaft of the steering column is made up of an inner bar and an outer tube). All I did was shorten the outer housing (by removing a section and then welding the end back on) then I "collapsed" the column (slid the one bar shaft into the outer tube) just the right amount for my project. Some will argue that I have removed the safety feature (and that is correct) but many of the older cars never even had that feature so I did not make my car any more dangerous than it already was. ('38 Olds).

My column does not have a shifter on it, but it does have the ignition key, turn signals, and steering lock.

 

did ya do a search... i remember reading an article on shortening a column but can't remember what site... may be "chevy talk"

 

I did a search , Not much info except for what replies Ive just had.. and those have been helpful..

Thanks guys for your Info..

 

If you need to cut splines, drop me a PM. I work fairly cheap
Pat

 

EZ to do...I even did one for my 55 Olds, that retained the stock column shift! That was a bit more thought to do that one!