Here we go
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Elder User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 835
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From: Fort Rucker, AL
Here we go
Well, I'm backing out of my parking space at Wal-Mart last night and my steering wheel goes from turning my front wheels to just spinning. I got pulled home by a Jeep. I held my head up with pride anyway. I've got manual steering so I'm going to go ahead and do the conversion. I've got the parts from a '76 F-100, gear box, brackets, pump, and steering column. Just gotta get some bearings and a sleeve.
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Elder User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 835
Likes: 0
From: Fort Rucker, AL
I just replaced the rag joint and it's still in good shape. No, the collar on the column to the gear box just spins on the gearbox input shaft. Funny thing is, I'm having a hard time finding the bearing and sleeve for the steering column. I want to replace everything as I do this conversion. Ford has them but they come in packages of 4, I only need 1.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,893
Likes: 12
From: Ohio
Time to buy the 4 and sell the rest here!
'Bout 6 yrs ago a buddy just unloaded his race car for a day at the drags. Now, this car is the only surviving Boss 429 pro stocker build by Ford(of 3 cars). He match raced it for 30+ yrs. As he was turning the wheel to move it to a parking spot...the wheel broke lose and just spun!! The gearbox broke, which I guess is typical of these? Now, this would have been a real bummer if he had made it to the track surface and going 140 mph!
'Bout 6 yrs ago a buddy just unloaded his race car for a day at the drags. Now, this car is the only surviving Boss 429 pro stocker build by Ford(of 3 cars). He match raced it for 30+ yrs. As he was turning the wheel to move it to a parking spot...the wheel broke lose and just spun!! The gearbox broke, which I guess is typical of these? Now, this would have been a real bummer if he had made it to the track surface and going 140 mph!
Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,691
Likes: 6
When I bought my 72 the steering wheel stuck out a little longer than it should have. That coupled with collapsed cab mounts and a PO installing hockey pucks between the frame and collapsed/rotted out floor pans made for a steering wheel that rested on your thighs. First thing I did was take the column out and apart. I was able to determine that the colapsed mounts put enough pressure on the column that the bottom bearing disintegrated and the steering shaft rubbed right through the shift column and through itself. The PO took it to a friend who welded the shaft and shift tube back together. The entire thing was a mess. The neutral safety switch didn't mount in the right place so it just dangled under the dash and you had to grab it with one hand, hold the switch in the correct position and turn the key with the other. So I spent an entire Saturday in salvage yards figuring out how to fix it. I had to buy the shift tube and bearings from the dealer and how have a very smooth operating column. I thought I'd share that with you in case it is what happened in your case.
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