So the T is progressing slowly and I decided to start figuring the steering out. I have a Vega steering box and a a wheel with a GM spline. I need two steering shafts with a U-joint between them. I am trying to find the best way to run the steering, I would prefer not to have to weld on either shaft. What is the most efficent way to do this? I have read every catalog I can find. I am bulding a column from scratch, I want to use 3/4" shafts.
Lots of different ways to go about this. The easiest is to pick up a Speedway catalog and order some U-joints. You'll need one that is splined for the Vega box on one side, and then 3/4" "Double D" on the other. The other joint can be two "Double D" sides. Also order a shaft of 3/4" "double D" material long enough to go to the box. Longer is better than shorter. Take your column shaft to a machinist and have him mill a "DD" on the bottom end, and at the top, reduce the the diameter to fit into a section of salvaged G.M. spline. Have some one qualified weld the spline to to shaft, cut to length, and that part is done. For a column tube I generally use 1 1/2" exhaust tubing cut to length. For bearings, Ace hardware stores carry inexspensive flange bearings in their selections. From here it will be a pretty easy to figure out deal... Put it all together. Don't forget to mark and drill some dimples for the set screws to land in on the shafts so you can pull it apart later.
Thank you for the description. I like the 3/4 double D but I thought there was a shaft with GM steering wheel splines on one end. I will get the end of a GM steering shaft at a junk yard. Thank you again.
I actually "eyeballed" my double D on my shafts carefully with a grinder. I shortened a breadtruck column because it had a blinker unit in it. Depends on how you want the box mouted, but there are quite a few obstacles to doing a steering setup. Mine's reverse Corvair. I had to run a joint at the base of the column under the dash, and one at the box to make everything hit right - the way I wanted the column to mount. Unfortunately, I had to have a rod go through the firewall at an angle because everything is so munched together.
This is the best pi I have of the inside. I have a brace just behind the column drop that keeps the column in place. Directly at the end of the column, there's a steering u-joint. The rod goes through the firewall at an angle to another u-joint right at the box. This is the only way I could keep the column out of the pedals on my setup. Hope this helps.
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