Hey fellas - question about potential collapsible steering columns for these trucks.

The column in mine is a mix match that the PO did and it is worn out and has 6" of play (confirmed not in the box or rag joint, all play is in the column). Thus, I plan to replace it. Since I am replacing it anyway, I figured I might as well add a safety feature and get a collapsible column.

Is anyone aware of any columns from either later Ford trucks/vans that would fit, or from a GM if that would work, or is my only option going to be an aftermarket column from ididit? They have one that will work, but when you add up all of the necessary mounts, it's about $650. Wondering if there is a less expensive way to go about this.

Maybe I am just being paranoid, but have read back through some historical posts on here and other places talking about these old columns. I guess in a '66 with a rag joint it is less of an issue than a 61-64 with the rod going on the box...but I have been in an accident in a modern car where I wonder if it could have pushed the column into the cab at a not so friendly speed...

 

The steering wheel is spline connected to the shaft. Very likely no movement there. This shaft continues from the wheel, down the column out into the engine bay to the rag joint, so every wiggle on the wheel will be seen at the rag joint. It picks up by the rag joint and continues to the gear.

You can have all kinds of slop at bearings & cuffs but when that wheel turns the shaft turns.

No idea how you have (confirmed not in the box or rag joint, all play is in the column).

I'm helping my bud at the gun store in Creedmoor tomorrow morning while he goes to a funeral, but tomorrow afternoon and Sunday are open. I should be available to take a look at it if you want to catch up.


John

 

I was wondering how you get 6" of play in a solid metal shaft - you'll have to let us know how that turns out.


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Maybe I am misspeaking/typing. The wheel turns but you can see looking in the engine bay that the shaft/rag joint is not turning. If the wheel is to the left far enough for the shaft and joint to turn, it has come back about 6" to the right before the joint turns to the right.

I ha e had two shops look at it and my father in law last week and all agreed the problem appears to be pre- rag joint.

What would you guys call that?

And on any event, no comments on the collapsible shaft option?

John - if you are available that would be great. I will shoot you and email as I am free Sunday afternoon.

 

Almost sounds like your solid metal steering shaft is broken/sheared in half and making partial contact, but I sort of discount that being the case. I guess it could be, but those shafts are pretty stout generally.


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is it a tilt column and maybe all the slack in the tilt joint ?

 

Is this a stock steering wheel? Have you pulled it to make sure the splines are the same on the shaft and wheel? They may have been depending on friction of the nut to hold it tight. If this is a stock shaft the upper connection to the rag joint I think is welded, but they may have changed all that too and you may have mis-sized spline shaft combo depending only on a bolt that holds it together in the perpendicular clamp bolt.

Otherwise it's time to pull it and see what you have. Like brakes, steering should something you know what is.

Also, 6" of movement on a 17" steering wheel relates to about 1/4" of shaft movement (roughly guessing - didn't consult the 'pi' chart), so it may be hard to see what's loose down below. You may have to lay hands on it to feel the movement.

 

007 - hardly anything is stock on this truck. The body and frame are about it I think. Engine is 289 from a mustang and everytbing else came along with it C4 etc.

The steering box is Saginaw from a 70s truck. The pump is from the Mustang.

The column is an unknown. It is definitely not stock and I posted a pic once and ND thought it was a 78 tilt but I think upon further comparison with online pics it is a 70s GM column.

The shops probably don't have enough familiarity with these trucks and what this might be to fix so they all suggest a new column. I've been emailing with John and with luck he may be able to come check it out on Sunday and see what the heck is happening in there.

edit to add that the mismatched splines on the wheel you mentioned, which is obviously not original and is some cheap aftermarket item, has me wondering...

 

My ex '56 had a '79 LTD frame and I adopted a GM column (got for nothing) because they both allowed for a Double-D interface - that crash-proofing you mentioned earlier and I didn't like the LTD column. That's what you want to do if you can to make it safer, but with the box so far back and a heavy frame, I think it's the you hitting the steering wheel that is a greater concern. As in, three-point belts.

If you can find the earlier pics of what you have, I might have more words I can type...

 

Matt, Steering wheel/shaft add ins have been going on for a while, nothing new there. Sounds like someone has rigged something that is half azz big time. Rigging when done correctly is not a bad thing, it could be something as simple as a bolt has backed out, but for every degree of wheel turn, you should see the same at the rag joint. If not park it until you can.

Go out there today and take a photo directly at the wheel from the drivers position, and a couple from the side. Upload them to a hosting site and link them here.

One more thing, sit in the seat grab the wheel and see if you can get any movement while pushing and pulling on it.



John

 

ask and you shall receive. Sorry the last one is blurry. Go out for two minutes to do this and my oldest about breaks her leg doing something crazy so had to run back inside.














John I will run back out and pull on the wheel in a bit. I agree nothing wrong with putting things together if done correctly, but this appears not to be....

 

That appears to be a Ford column with an aftermarket wheel. No idea why the turn signal is so wallowed out.

How many tools do you have? Email me your address again, I will try to get over there early afternoon and I'll drive my Taurus truck.

John

 

Email sent.

I popped the horn cover off and can see that when the wheel turns the shaft is turning with it...at least up top. It is not turning that I can see in the engine bay.

 

See if you can ****** it out. Have the truck parked where you can leave it for a few days before doing so.


I'll see you tomorrow.


John

 

Looks like you're in good hands. I'm sure two good sets of eyes will figure out the mystery.

I have a swapped out column too, from what I don't know for sure. May be truck, but paperwork from some BM (before me) previous shop says the power steering came out of a 66 t-bird. Could have meant only the column, or the pump (which had a fitting I found on T-bird applications). I don't know. Box I think is truck. But I am going to know everything on this truck before I trust it to keep me alive.

It's good you are giving it a close look.