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As many know I am getting real close to finishing my truck. One of the last things I needed to paint was the steering column that I had shortened to make it fit with a power steering gearbox. I noticed that I had a binding in the shifter when going up or down between the 1st/Rev and 2nd/3rd. After messing with it I figured out the 2nd and 3rd linkage rod needed to be adjusted. Well the linkage sleeve hasn't been moved in 65 years. and even being real careful I ended up twisting the rod apart. I tried several things to remove what was left of the rod, but had no luck.
I took a while but I was finally able to come up with the original part number for this sleeve. 2J-7353-A Found some on ebay for a good price so I bought them.
In the meantime I went ahead and made up my own sleeve so I can at least move the truck around while I wait for the part to arrive sometime next week. Here is my sleeve. Not real pretty to look at and I need to finish the grinding, but it is only temporary. I still need to make the rod, but that will be no problem. Already have the rod stock available. Will post more once I have it completed
I had to put heat on mine to get it to come loose, they were tight! Might put some jam nuts on there because it seems kind of loose now. I am curious to see how yours turn out, good luck!
I soaked mine in Mouse Milk after heating it up with a torch and was able to free it up. But when I attempted to actually remove it that is when the rod broke. Wasn't able to get it past where the threads were damaged.
That looks like an original! How much did you have to remove off of the column to make that work? Do you have any pictures of conversion process? Thanks!
I used the same steering box. Had to cut, straighten, and re-weld the column shift arms because they hit the firewall after shortening the column. It's interesting that apparently you didn't need to do that.
Made new linkage rods to the transmission
I eliminated the clamp at the bottom of the shaft this was used to attach the column to the gearbox. I then cut off the main tube flush with the linkage. In the pic below you can see the only thing the main steering tube has is a hole where the shift bracket is mounted to keep it in place.
To figure out how much to remove, I set the tube in place and figured where I wanted the steering wheel to be. Once i had it marked i moved the hole in the tube to its new location keeping the orientation with the shift lever post.
For the actual shifter tube i removed the same amount from it. However i had to take it out of the center of the shaft since both ends were critical.
I inserted a steel rod in the shaft since it is hollow in the middle, and welded it bach together. Again keeping the orientation of the hole and lever pocket
I then reassembled everything. The linkage arms clear the floor so no modifications needed to them. I also inserted a spacer in the bottom of the tube to keep the steering shaft centered in the tube.
So where do you think the steering wheel ended up in relation to the original placement? Do you have a picture how you coupled the steering shaft to the box?
For the coupler I used a Borgeson Coupler like the pic below. Spline on one end that attached to gearbox and 3/4" smoothbore on other then welded it to the steering shaft. Only thing I had to slightly change was I removed the nut off the screw and installed a shorter screw so it was flush with coupler once installed since this is up inside the column shaft tube. The spacer I have in the end of the tube fits around this coupler to keep the shaft centered and to eliminate movement.
I don't have a good pic of the before and after of the column but you can see in these what it looked like originally and now. I removed approx 2" from the column and I had to rotate the gearbox up slightly to keep the correct alignment with the shaft mounting plate.
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