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Technical BUDGET COLUMN DROPS

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by topher5150, Mar 24, 2022.

  1. topher5150
    Joined: Feb 10, 2017
    Posts: 3,456

    topher5150
    Member

    Looks like I'm going to be changing my steering column again. Looking through speedway, and summit and saw some that would fit the bill, but I really don't want to pay $90+ for one. Saw some on ebay for about half as much. Has anybody had good luck with anything like this on ebay, or anyone know of a place that I can get one for a reasonable price?
     
  2. DDDenny
    Joined: Feb 6, 2015
    Posts: 19,916

    DDDenny
    Member
    from oregon

    Five bucks at CHRR swap meet.
    20180331_122738.jpg
     
    williebill, mgtstumpy and topher5150 like this.
  3. LOL that was my idea too. I got a top fuel rod that I gave 3 bucks and change for. Generally they got for 5 or 10 bucks.
     
    dana barlow and topher5150 like this.
  4. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,617

    goldmountain

    If you want cheap, use a muffler clamp
     
  5. TCTND
    Joined: Dec 27, 2019
    Posts: 623

    TCTND
    Member

    I made one out of an ebay Kohler con rod
     
    firstinsteele likes this.
  6. 31Apickup
    Joined: Nov 8, 2005
    Posts: 3,464

    31Apickup
    Member

    Just look for a stock one, usually can find them cheap and it’s a direct bolt on. You can cut the bottom, add a bearing and mill/file flats on the shaft for DD joint.
     
  7. CyaNide
    Joined: Mar 2, 2006
    Posts: 295

    CyaNide
    Member
    from Texas

    I used a leftover ford 302 connecting rod with a piece of rubber sandwiched inside. Seems to work just fine. Cost $0 since it was in my scrap pile. Might have another laying around.

    CN
     
    56don likes this.
  8. topher5150
    Joined: Feb 10, 2017
    Posts: 3,456

    topher5150
    Member

    This is the one that I saw on ebay

    DROP.JPG
     
  9. 41rodderz
    Joined: Sep 27, 2010
    Posts: 6,540

    41rodderz
    Member
    from Oregon

    I just bought one of the above two weeks ago. Fits nicely on my 2” Flaming River column. Stainless steel studs where you mount to bottom of dash. Quality is spot on.
     
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  10. Flathead Dave
    Joined: Mar 21, 2014
    Posts: 3,989

    Flathead Dave
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from So. Cal.

    Nothing at all wrong with a good priced column drop. I like cheap.
     
    topher5150 likes this.
  11. dana barlow
    Joined: May 30, 2006
    Posts: 5,202

    dana barlow
    Member
    from Miami Fla.
    1. Y-blocks

    Never payed for one,mostly just made something. One was this. 009.JPG
     
  12. Thats pretty street roddy, the 90s are calling and want it back
     
  13. 41rodderz
    Joined: Sep 27, 2010
    Posts: 6,540

    41rodderz
    Member
    from Oregon

    Lol. I suppose my polished stainless Flaming River column is a bit “ street roddy” as well , but polished stainless and polished aluminum look good together. I have a nice smooth turning 1956 F100 steering column from box to wheel that I thought of using the wheel column and shaft but I think the tilt I will enjoy.
     
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  14. AVater
    Joined: Dec 9, 2008
    Posts: 3,258

    AVater
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    1. Connecticut HAMB'ers

    Like what Dana said, I made my own out of some steel scraps. You’ll also want to consider that all dash bottoms are not flat but have a curve to them (Model A) and you may need to fit something to that shape.
     
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  15. I used a small journal SBC rod, without the bearing and layer of rubber instead, fit around the 2-inch steering tube real nice.
     
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  16. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 34,644

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I guess you could paint or sandblast that universal drop in post 8 so it doesn't look so street roddy.
    Oe dig out a piece of scrap aluminum, chuck the right size hole saw in the drill press and spend a whole Saturday making your own.

    Somewhere in my Junk boxes I have an old aluminum rod out of one of Billy Meyer's funny cars that a buddy gave me back in the early 80's. It hung on a peg in my office for years and I always figured that some day it might evolve into a column drop.

    I'm really cheap though, I think my truck still has a muffler clamp for a column hanger.
     
  17. Bandit Billy
    Joined: Sep 16, 2014
    Posts: 13,619

    Bandit Billy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I have a 2" column in the PU so I used a BBC aluminium rod that I had lying about and trimmed it, welded and polished to fit. Total cost? Not a damn thing.
    upload_2022-3-24_19-41-0.png
     
  18. David Gersic
    Joined: Feb 15, 2015
    Posts: 2,757

    David Gersic
    Member
    from DeKalb, IL

    I have that one, or one that looks just like it. It works. It’s kinda boring, just raw aluminum. I haven’t gotten to making it more interesting yet,
     
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  19. bchctybob
    Joined: Sep 18, 2011
    Posts: 5,443

    bchctybob
    Member

    This is the one I used in the Morris Woody, simple and straightforward. I don't remember where I got it, but it had to be Speedway, SoCal or eBay and I know it wasn't expensive, I'm a world class cheapskate.
    IMG_2570 (2).JPG
     
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  20. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
    Posts: 7,346

    stanlow69
    Member Emeritus

    Read my tagline below.
     
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  21. A $12 2" split shaft collar with a steel plate leg welded to it that matches your dash makes an easy cheap column drop.
     
    jaw22w, charleyw, ClarkH and 3 others like this.
  22. I found out an old 239 Ford Y-block connecting rod was the right diameter for my steering column so I made it out of that.
     
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  23. ClarkH
    Joined: Jul 21, 2010
    Posts: 1,454

    ClarkH
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Split collar is a clean and simple solution. You could also drill and tap the upper half of the split collar if you don't want to weld.

    Another option: '31-'31 Model A column drops are 2" and look period (because they are). Lop the top off and fabricate/attach a mount that works for your dash. They're reproduced, and I've found several cheap at swap meets.
    IMG_3504.JPG
     
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  24. 037F7A35-AD5A-4E5E-9A16-0B1125A2E150.jpeg
     
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  25. ClarkH
    Joined: Jul 21, 2010
    Posts: 1,454

    ClarkH
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    ^^^^
    Nice! Similar to what I did on my speedster. I love fabricating with old parts.
     
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  26. Hotrodderman
    Joined: Jun 18, 2006
    Posts: 184

    Hotrodderman
    Member

    When I was looking around the shop when building my roadster, I found a NOS GM connecting rod with no use so I worked it to fit and added a thin layer of rubber glued in it, has worked for 20 plus years. I call it fitting the budget.
     
  27. topher5150
    Joined: Feb 10, 2017
    Posts: 3,456

    topher5150
    Member

    That's what I had originally, but the new column is a 1/4" smaller in dia.
    IMG_20200830_092830607.jpg
     
  28. Damon777
    Joined: Jan 7, 2022
    Posts: 72

    Damon777
    Member

    You could just get some really thick rod bearings, no? Or make fat bearings from brass tubing.
     
  29. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,619

    Atwater Mike
    Member

    Jungle Jim's widow ('Jungle Pam') sent me one of Jim's con rods out of his Funny Car just after his untimely death. It was hung in my shop office, awaiting THIS type installation in my steel '27 Highboy.
    Some bottom feeder swiped it, I noticed it was gone sometime later...
    Loss was felt, I had mentored Jungle on blues harmonica... Pam wanted to kill me for that. (Practice, practice, practice)
     
  30. 41rodderz
    Joined: Sep 27, 2010
    Posts: 6,540

    41rodderz
    Member
    from Oregon

    I agree . Boring , but I was kicking around the idea of drilling some small lightening holes to spice it up or milling in fins.
     
    Just Gary likes this.

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