steering column swap
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steering column swap
I have a 78 f150 4x4 with a bad 400. I'm about to put a 351M in it from a donor truck (79 F150 2x4), both are automatics. My truck has a tilt steering wheel, but it needs some work. It doesn't really hold its position very well. The donor truck has pretty much the same column, just not tilt. I also noticed that my steering box is located further forward than the donor truck. Since I am swapping the engine's, can I swap out the whole column and box, or is there some difference between the 2x4 and 4x4? Thanks!
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The key place to look is at the bottom of the steering column, the 4x4 os splined with the u-joint splined on it, every 2wd i have seen has a flange that the rag joint bolt directly to, so in short I do not think that you can just swap them over because of the difference in shafts,
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Ok, both trucks are supecabs with powersteering. Not sure if that matters, but I noticed there was a difference in Dennis's picture. The trucks aren't at the same place so I can't just compare them, but would it be possible to just use the shaft off the 4x4 and bolt the coupler onto the new steering column? I didn't see the flange on the supercab steering picture, just the standard cabs. And from what I remeber, the coupler where the column attaches looks to be about in the same spot on both trucks.
Dennis- do you have a pic of the 2x4 powersteering.
If I have to I'lljust pull it and look at it, but I would like to know if its a waste of time.
Dennis- do you have a pic of the 2x4 powersteering.
If I have to I'lljust pull it and look at it, but I would like to know if its a waste of time.
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On the 2x4 the steering box is mounted inside the frame & behind the front axle center line, correct?
& on the 4x4 the box is outside the frame & in front of the axle, correct?
take a look at the column on the 2wd, at the bottom there is a flange that bolts to the rag joint then the joint to the box, on all of them I have seen that flange is not removable, you will need splines at the bottom of the column to hook the 4x4 shaft to that comes from the box,
Also another thing to look at is how the column mounts to the fire wall, on your 78 4x4 it will have a plate with a rubber boot & 5 bolts from the inside that hold it to the firewall, the 2x4 may have a different set up, with 3 or 4 bolts from the outside & a different plate,
The key thing is weather or not the flange on the column is removable from the steering column shaft,
& on the 4x4 the box is outside the frame & in front of the axle, correct?
take a look at the column on the 2wd, at the bottom there is a flange that bolts to the rag joint then the joint to the box, on all of them I have seen that flange is not removable, you will need splines at the bottom of the column to hook the 4x4 shaft to that comes from the box,
Also another thing to look at is how the column mounts to the fire wall, on your 78 4x4 it will have a plate with a rubber boot & 5 bolts from the inside that hold it to the firewall, the 2x4 may have a different set up, with 3 or 4 bolts from the outside & a different plate,
The key thing is weather or not the flange on the column is removable from the steering column shaft,
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Here is a pic of the 4 x2 with non-tilt column.
You will notice that the coupler spoken of has a bolt (in the red rectangle) for removing it from the column shaft
Now unless the splines on this shaft won't allow the coupler from the tilt column to slide on ...the columns are the same as far as mounting steering shafts on.
I may be wrong
but,The coupler on this column has to come off to allow servicing the bottom bearing.
You will notice that the coupler spoken of has a bolt (in the red rectangle) for removing it from the column shaft
Now unless the splines on this shaft won't allow the coupler from the tilt column to slide on ...the columns are the same as far as mounting steering shafts on.
I may be wrong
but,The coupler on this column has to come off to allow servicing the bottom bearing.
Last edited by Mil1ion; Oct 20, 2006 at 03:48 PM.
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The flange I am refering to is on the other side of the rag joint ( just up from the bolt in the pic), it is the end of the steering column shaft itself, as you can see in the pic it does not appear to be removeable, (as are all I have seen), to service the lower column bearing you have to remove the sterring wheel & pull the entire shaft out the bottom, on the 4x4 models it is splined on the end of the shaft rather than a flange, these splines mate to the intermediate shaft that is present on a 4x4 but not on a 2wd,
The difference is not between tilt & non tilt columns, but between 2wd & 4wd models,
The difference is not between tilt & non tilt columns, but between 2wd & 4wd models,
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hmm, doesn't look too promising, but then again there is a chance that it may work. But I am going to pull the engine today, so I will check it out and let you know what I find. It will be interesting to know for sure one way or the other.
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