Hey, I have discovered a little part that I thought was really cool . This handy little thing could be the answer to the long lived question...How do we adapt an old truck column to a rack and pinion with out spending a lot mony, and eliminate the worry of steering bind? There are u-joints that work well, but not great, and kits that work well, but are expensive. This part I found has a greater movement angle, and when I tested it, it could be moved around in all sorts of hard angles, with out binding up . I am going to be using it on my 53 F-800s steering column to adapt it to the newer power steering box and intermediate shaft. Do you want to know what it is? Anyhow, I am babbling (excited ) so here it is. The 73 Ford L-8000 I bought for the chassis and power train for the project has the part. The angle between the bottom of the column and the top of the intermediate shaft is greater than 45* (wow, that's a big angle for steering columns). At the bottom of the column is a CV joint that bolts to the column, and bolts to the intermediate shaft. Awesome, and has a huge range of motion, and no binding. It almost goes to a 90* angle and still moves. I'd say the sharpest angle I put it at was probably around 70*, or maybe a little more, and it still moved freely. Well, I think it's cool, and could be useful in a lot of custom applications. I'll try to take a picture of it, and get it posted in the very near future.

 

Joe,

I can't wait to see it. Is it readily available?
I recently read an article in a "Street Rodder" magazine (I think it was last months) that had a prototype enclosed chain drive steering adapter that offset the input and output shaft approx. 18".
For most of our old truck applications the "hootus" that you describe sounds perfect.

Bobby

 

Well, I just called Ford, and it is still in use on there bigger trucks. The parts guy at the Ford truck center in Portland says it runs around $50. When I was checking on how to get the high angle of the original 53 column to meet the almost level intermediate shaft of the chassis I am using, I noticed the CV, and started playing with it. It will fit perfectly, and the angle is not going to be any issue at all. I will probably have to weld it, but who cares. If I can get out to the mud pit my trucks are in, I'll try to get some photos, and post them. I really think this little part could solve or simplify a lot custom steering problems in the older rigs.

 

Just make sure to keep the dust boot intact, I run a LN8000 as a service truck that has this joint. Seems that when they get dirt in them, it does damage that causes it to bind and lock up and no amount of cleaning and lubricating seems to help. New one is over $200 . I now make sure to replce the boot when it gets worn.

 

Where do you get parts from? I just called Ford about 90 minutes ago, and was quoted $50 for the thing. You must have a different kind of joint on yours.

 

I'm sure hoping that $50 is correct and not $200.
From the way you describe it I'm sure it would be a lifesaver for most anyone who has slipped off to the darkside of things.

Bobby

 

Well, I spoke to a parts person at Northside Ford in Portland, OR, and he new exactly what part I was asking for, and he stated that it's still a normal stocking item, and that it was "around $50." When I asked him for the spring hangers, he surprised me with $200 ea, and $14 each for the bushings and pins. These are for my '73 Ford L-8000 with a CAT 1160 V-8, walking beam rear suspension with Eaton axles, and the Spicer 5 speed with 4 speed aux. There are probably a couple different types, but the one I asked for was $50. I asked him for the "CV joint steering connector at the bottom of the column that connects it to the steering intermediate shaft."

 

Cool,
That is fantastic information. When I was trying to find an alternative to the $65 Borgensen steering "U" joints for my truck briefly started looking at larger trucks (cabovers) figuring that they probably had some strange steering situations but we don't have to many big truck wrecking yards around here.

Thanks again for the info
Bobby

 

No prob, Bob ( )