Guys.
I need some extra room in the cab of my '63 and because the steering box and shaft are one piece, I can't just swap it out with a shorter one. I'm horizontally challenged you see.
I plan to cut about 3 inches out of the middle of the shaft itself and have it "Professionally" welded back together.
Has anyone done this modification and what are your own professional opinions about this idea.
A hack saw on the bottom of the column tube itself is a no-brainer, but I need to convince myself that my idea will work. Any recomendations? Tell me what you think?

Thanks for your opinions,
Skip4274
4everFord

 

Skip, it may be easier to lay off the briskit and BBQ for a while

Nathan

 

Don't be too hard on him Nathan. Maybe we could cut a section out of the back of the seat for relief instead.

John
jowilker
Club FTE since 01 01

NC Chapter


66 F100s
In the still cool hours of the night,
you can hear chevys rusting away.

 

Just what I needed. Comments from the peanut gallery. Seems to me that I remember some guy from North Carolina whining about being a little bit crowded in his '65 too
Dan gave me another thing to consider. The clearance between the wheel and seat if I shorten it to much.
Skip

 

Sorry Skip, the skinny guy just couldnt resist

Nathan

 

Skip, don't let these guys get to you. Although you may be horizontally challenged, you are right on with the column reduction.
1. Select a section in the middle.
2. Measure the amount of space to remove and mark it with tape wrapped around to make it straight.
3. Before cutting, lay out a straight edge on the column and scribe a line the lenght of the column making sure to go past both marks. This will be your reference marks when welding them together. Use a band saw or sawzall with a metal blade to make your cuts and keep it as straight as possible. If your cuts are not square, it's OK, the next step fixes this.
4. Find a section of pipe (about 6" long) with the same inside diameter as the outside diameter of the shaft, drill a 1/4" to 3/8" hole approx. 2" from each end. Drill all the way thru both sides. This will be a place to reinforce the welds.
5. Slide the pipe over the shaft, let it fall to the bottom, line up the scribe marks and clamp the shaft (use a straight edge to make sure all sides of the shaft are straight) tack weld the shaft in two places and let cool (if your shaft is not straight, cut apart and redo it).
6. Grind the welds and recheck for sraightness. Finish the welding and grind smooth.
7. Slide the pipe up and center over the weld. Tack the pipe at all 4 holes and grind it smooth.

This will hold your shaft very securly. All of this can be done at home with a general purpose welder. A friend and I did this to a column for our go-cart (a Chebby LUV frame with a Dodge 318......... Hey, what else are these parts good for except jumping dirt and rolling them over?)

Good luck, let us know how it turns out..
Krosati

 

Good post from a Freshman Non Member (yet)

John
jowilker
Club FTE since 01 01

NC Chapter


66 F100s
In the still cool hours of the night,
you can hear chevys rusting away.

 

Krosati.
Thanks for the information. That is pretty much the way I had planned it except I was going to cut a section of the tubing out on one side to use as a jig to keep the column straight while I had it tack welded in place. I'm still going to have someone who welds better than me do the actual welding. My welds always look like a dirt dobber had done the job.
Now, after I shorten the column, does anyone have an opinion as to whether or not I can raise the column up about an inch or so without putting everything is a bind? REmember, this is a one piece unit.
I appreciate all the input from EVERYBODY.
Skip
BTW, even though I do need to lay off the brisket for awhile, I think I'd rather cut my throat first.

 

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 29-Jan-01 AT 02:52 PM (EST)[/font][p]Here are a couple of options.

1. Use a smaller diameter steering wheel. Althought this will make your armstrong steering harder to operate in the parking lot, it is the easiest way.
2. Remember, you cannot change the angle of the steering box due to the rigid mount on the frame. You can, however, change the angle of the column if you install a u-joint (check out a couple of the classic truck magazines, you will find one in the ads). This will require some modification to the dash thought not the easiest way to go.
3. Since you are willing to cut your shaft to modify, why not find a tilt column and section the tilt to your gearbox shaft? You will have to make your own dash mount but that will be easier than trying to raise the old cloumn into the dash.

By the way... You must do all of this with a brisket sandwich in one hand and a cold brew in the other. Otherwise you'll never get it to work. LOL

Krosati

 

Skip, the idea of cutting the shaft and installing a u-joint to mate to a tilt steering sounds like a do-able alternative. In my 66 I needed more legroom. So, I installed a 83 seat on my original tracks. The seat back is thinner than the stock 66 seat and allowed me to sit a little farther away from the wheel. But that puts you farther from the drink holder though.

 

Skip! I also installed a seat from a 85 F100 and gained a couple of inches. I was surprised at how much difference that one change made. I also installed a 14 1/2 inch steering wheel with a 2 inch dish. More space.
William in Atlanta

 

Skip, I’ve been thinking about this steering column issue and have an idea that may help. How about moving the bearing (shaft support) from the top of the column and installing it near the gear box. You would need to machine threads on the shortened steering shaft to take a retaining nut and splines to take a rag joint. This arrangement would be like the column you have now except it would only be a couple of inches long. Install a rag joint and a column from a newer truck with whatever shifting system you need. This will get you a replacement column and retain the original gear. 78 Mustang and some early broncos have a tilt column that is a bolt in swap for a 66 column. Lots of GM tilt columns are also available. Any of these should fit in your cab. You may have to make a collar to retain the bearing in the column shell but that should not be difficult. Cutting splines on the shaft is also uncomplicated for a good machinist. I envision a collar that looks like a seal driver. It will have a narrow lip 1/8 inch wide matching the outside diameter of the column shell and an inside diameter about 1 inch wide that matches the inside shell diameter. A bowl to support the bearing. Or use a transmission input shaft bushing instead of a bearing. The steering shaft would pass through this collar, a steering wheel nut would hold the bearing against the collar but allow the shaft to rotate. Use an external clamp to hold the collar in the column shell. A leather boot would keep out dirt and water. I know, I drink to much coffee.
William in Atlanta

 

Guys.
Thanks for the ideas. I'm never disapointed here. Since you were all kind enough to offer your suggestions, here are the first steps I'm going to take to "get some more room". I'll let you know how it comes out.
1. The bracket that mounts the column to the bottom of the dash has two slotted holes in it for that mount. I am going to increase the length of the slots in this bracket to allow me to move the entire column up about a 1/2 inch. I tried this and it will work without binding the steering shaft.
2. If this isn't enough, I am going to slot the steering box holes in the frame about 3/8" to allow me to rotate the box up and move the shaft up about an extra 3/4". This will require cutting down the length of the column/ dash mount that I talked about earlier.
3. One of my other club members pointed out that if I shorten the shaft, the steering wheel will be closer to the seat bottom and cause a problem with leg clearance. If the first two options don't cure my problem, I have another steering box assembly that I am going to cut up and put a rag joint on so I can mount a late model tilt column on. I can cut the shaft close to the box and I have a machine shop here with a mig welder that can put the joint on. He says can do the job without screwing up anything like seals. Then its just a matter of re-mounting the new column. This project is for when I get the truck up and running and if I still have a problem.
Thanks again.
Skip

 

 

>Guys.
>Thanks for the ideas. I'm
>never disapointed here. Since
>you were all kind enough
>to offer your suggestions, here
>are the first steps I'm
>going to take to "get
>some more room". I'll
>let you know how it
>comes out.
>1. The bracket that mounts
>the column to the bottom
>of the dash has two
>slotted holes in it for
>that mount. I am
>going to increase the length
>of the slots in this
>bracket to allow me to
>move the entire column up
>about a 1/2 inch.
>I tried this and it
>will work without binding the
>steering shaft.
>2. If this isn't enough,
>I am going to slot
>the steering box holes in
>the frame about 3/8" to
>allow me to rotate the
>box up and move the
>shaft up about an extra
>3/4". This will require
>cutting down the length of
>the column/ dash mount that
>I talked about earlier.
>3. One of my other
>club members pointed out that
>if I shorten the shaft,
>the steering wheel will be
>closer to the seat bottom
>and cause a problem with
>leg clearance. If the
>first two options don't cure
>my problem, I have another
>steering box assembly that I
>am going to cut up
>and put a rag joint
>on so I can mount
>a late model tilt column
>on. I can cut
>the shaft close to the
>box and I have a
>machine shop here with a
>mig welder that can put
>the joint on. He
>says can do the job
>without screwing up anything like
>seals. Then its just a
>matter of re-mounting the new
>column. This project is
>for when I get the
>truck up and running and
>if I still have a
>problem.
>Thanks again.
>Skip

Skip...Guess we both have the same problem. I need to cut the shaft 2 inches, and move the column up about 2 inches. To move the column up 2 inches, you should not need to enlarge the holes more than 3/16 of a inch in the frame. Nice to know someone else has the same idea as me.

packrat_1954