I need some pointers on chopping the steering column in my '54. I've got a 59' wheel that I want to use, but the offset is about 5" and the stock '54 wheel is flat. This is something that probably seems very simple, but I want to be safe about it, and do it right. What I've thought about doing is cut the outer column about 8" down, then slide it off so I can get to the actual steering shaft. Remove 5" from the outer column about mid way. Then cut the steering shaft somewhere past the splines, and remove a 5" section from it. The problem that I see with this is, how should I put the steering shaft back together? If I make a steel sleeve to slide over the shaft and use rosette welds to attach the two halves together, will that be strong enough? Or am I thinking about this all wrong? Help, suggestions?
Good question. Thats something i have to do on my 53 as well.. I'm running a 59 chevy wheel to, and when i drive it i'm looking directly at the top part of the wheel! I have to crouch down or look to the side to drive it!! Haha.. sixinarowjow on here cut his column down on his stovebolt..and he said it was pretty easy to do, but i can't remember where the hell he cut the shaft and if he did any 'special' welding to it when he put it back together..
i'm not famialiar with a `54 chevy column , but if i was doing it i'd take the 5" out of the middle of the shaft. then i would see if the center shaft was hollow(old fords are)..and if it was , turn a piece on the lathe to slip inside . this will help keep the two halves of the shaft in alignment .then drill holes in the ends of the shaft you want to join....slip the piece in the two sides , rosette weld through the holes and weld the joint. then make a piece of tubing on the lathe to slide over the joint and weld you could also drill this outer tube on a few places and rosette wled it to the shaft done this many times..make sure you or someone else is a good welder
Different problem same solution. I sectioned My 54 GMC 5 1/2 inches. the stock column would come out thru the speedometer hole and I am running a 60 desoto square metalflecked wheel with a deep inset I didn't feel good about welding the shaft (not that it can't be done) I shortened the shaft 5 inches about 2 inches from the steering gear ground down two flat sides and used a double D u-joint and all is well
36-3 window, the steering shaft is solid on 54 Chevy. I found that out when I shortened my 54 column, but it's O/T, as I was converting to MII.
that's fine...cut the shaft , face it off in the lathe , and drill a hole up the center maybe 1/2" diameter a couple inches deep...mark the other shaft where you want the joint to be, leave it a couple iches longer. turn this extra down in a lathe to the 1/2"...slide the two together and do the rest as i said before
I had planned on doing this in the car, but squirrel's comment got me thinking. What does it take to blow that box apart? It's got a couple small leaks, so I might as well kill two birds with one stone.
I sectioned the column on my 50chevy. Here is how I did it First I cut the column off at the steering box. (inner shaft + outer shaft) http://50chevy.com/photos/steering/DSCN0012 Where the outer shaft of the column meets the steering box it tapers down. First I cut off the end of the outer column. http://50chevy.com/photos/steering/DSCN0007 I got a bearing with a 1 3/8" O.D. and kept cutting down the end until the bearing fit snug in the end. (FYI the bearing is a caster bearing it was cheap) http://50chevy.com/photos/steering/DSCN0009 Then I sectioned the column down to 30" total diameter http://50chevy.com/photos/steering/DSCN0018 Then welded together http://50chevy.com/photos/steering/DSCN0022 Then cleaned up w grinder http://50chevy.com/photos/steering/DSCN0023 I then added a set screw to hold the bearing in place. I also welded on a piece of bar stock that was drilled and tapped, that way the bottom of the column is bolted in place to the firewall. Then steering shaft itself was tig welded to a borgenson joint 3/4" x 3/4" double d. The steering wheel then holds the assembly together. Close up of end of column before paint: http://50chevy.com/photos/steering/DSCN0575 http://50chevy.com/photos/steering/DSCN0574 Now the steering wheel isn't so close to me and I have a clean column. Lemme know if you have any questions
Didn't realize you are using the stock steering box, so my post may not help I guess you can hook up another borgenson joint and hook the stock box to the new column. That way your ready to go if you convert to a different IFS.
Take the thing out of the car, which requires removing the steering wheel and the pittman arm (you'll need pullers for both of these). Then pull the 3 bolts on that hold the pittman shaft cover, and pull the cover off, the shaft will come out with it. Then pull off the end cover, and take the long shaft out. You can still get the bushings new from GM, I think you can still get the seal for the pittman shaft from an auto parts store (may be an overnight order). You can make the gaskets from paper or thin gasket material. For lube you might want to mix some oil and plain grease, so it's kind of runny but not too runny. When you put it back together you'll need to adjust the end play so there is no end play an dthere is a little bit of drag on the bearings for the long steering shaft. Then adjust the nut/setscrew so there is some drag when you steer it past the center of travel.
I also cut down the column on my 50 chevy delivery but I took a different route. I wanted a modern turn signal for my car so I used a non-tilt 80 chevy van column. With a little filing and grinding [it's almost the same diameter as the stock 50 column] I was able to reuse the 50 chevy column drop. I cut the column off on the bottom end and sectioned the shaft. I simply used a piece of tubing with a 3/4" inside diameter. I welded the shafts together adn ground them...slid the sleeve down over the welds and welded it to the shaft on each end of it. I then drilled holes through both ends of the sleeve, all the way through the sleeve and shaft and drove in spring pins....just in case a weld should ever break inside the column. Went to my bearing supply place and bought a new lower bearing and used set screws in a collar to keep it in place....welded a rag joint receiver to the bottom of the shaft while wrapping wet rags around the lower column and lower shaft. I cut the stock 50 [actually, I used a 54 box] column and shaft off about 8 inches from the box, tapped the little stub of column back and forth until it came out of the steer box and welded a rag joint receiver to the end of that shaft, using wet rags to keep the new seal and steering box cool. Yeah, I slid a new seal down the shaft into the steerbox before welding... It all worked perfectly and while the car still had a skinny, traditional column, it had modern turn signals, a vibration absorbing rag joint and I didn't have to adapt any new steering box to my frame... Best part is that damn 50 chevy column is right in your face, even with a stock, flat wheel. I got it down where it belongs and the cost was minimal.
squirrel, Am I right in assuming that I have to first unbolt the box from the frame and take the entire assembly out of the car? If so, how much of a pain in the ass is that going to be? Does the column seperate from the housing? Does it come out easier to pull the whole works out the bottom, or top (engine compartment)? I had originally thought about doing it in the car, to avoid this. But now I'm thinking that taking it out will work the best. Thoughts?
In my truck I have a cut down steering column connected to a Borgeson U-Joint via a double D. It was pretty simple. I cut the shaft to length and then Chopolds TIG welded a double D stub to the end. He's a stud with a welder though. You might want to find someone like that. Hope this helps, Ed (PS- I know this doesn't directly apply to your situation... I just wanted to point out that a good welder could stitch your steering shaft back together without a whole lot of fuss)
You have to take the whole thing out of the car, I'm not sure on that car if it fits out the bottom or the top, since it sits on top of the frame. The tube is pressed into the box housing, and the shaft is one piece from top to bottom. The factory shop manual is a handy thing to have when doing this type of work....I don't have one for those year cars, unfortunately. I have a 39 and a 55 manuals, but they're both different from yours.
There's a section on this steering box in the back of my "Chitlins" manual. Looks pretty simple, now that I've read through it. Thanks for the info.
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