Notices
1948 - 1956 F1, F100 & Larger F-Series Trucks Discuss the Fat Fendered and Classic Ford Trucks

Steering Column Lenth

Old May 31, 2010 | 06:20 PM
  #1  
3golfjack's Avatar
3golfjack
Thread Starter
|
Laughing Gas
15 Year Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,125
Likes: 4
From: Olive Branch,Ms
Club FTE Silver Member

Steering Column Lenth

Been seeing a lot of diffent lenths in steering columns 28" 30" 32" At this time my truck does not have a steering column and I was wondering what is the standard lenth and what is the best method of deciding the lenth I need.
 
Reply
Old May 31, 2010 | 07:07 PM
  #2  
jniolon's Avatar
jniolon
old and in the way
25 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Jul 1997
Posts: 5,923
Likes: 1,052
From: Lovely Hueytown Alabama
Club FTE Gold Member
Jack,

lots of guys use 32"... best method of determining length is... have the seat in the truck where it will stay... using a broom handle (and a helper if you have one) and either a pie pan or a cross bar for the steering wheel. Put it in the floor board hole and use tie wire or coat hanger to make a temporary column drop, try different positions. Make sure it coincides with your arm on the window sill also... when you find the magic spot, mark it measure it.

Make sure you have enough sticking down thru the firewall to make the connections for the shift linkage (if any) and the steering linkage. I bought a 32" but wished I had bought a 36". I had to do some funky extension stuff to clear headers and such to get to the MII steering box.

It's all a matter of what feels right for you and everyone is built different. If you're using a tilt or tilt-slide consider that also...

I went thru two on mine (just like everything else on my truck... first was a junkyard caddy column then finally popped for a nice shiny Ididit tilt column... I like shiny...

hope it helps
John ( <-shades for the shiney)


http://www.clubfte.com/users/jniolon...columnin_a.htm
 
Reply
Old May 31, 2010 | 08:26 PM
  #3  
carnut122's Avatar
carnut122
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,352
Likes: 1
From: Waleska, GA
John,
Thanks for the link. I'll be heading down this road soon on my 53. So, may I ask why a longer column would have solved your linkage issues?


Tom
 
Reply
Old May 31, 2010 | 08:28 PM
  #4  
3golfjack's Avatar
3golfjack
Thread Starter
|
Laughing Gas
15 Year Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,125
Likes: 4
From: Olive Branch,Ms
Club FTE Silver Member

Thanks John,
Very nice article.
 
Reply
Old May 31, 2010 | 09:24 PM
  #5  
jniolon's Avatar
jniolon
old and in the way
25 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Jul 1997
Posts: 5,923
Likes: 1,052
From: Lovely Hueytown Alabama
Club FTE Gold Member
Tom

clearance with the header tubes... the intermediate shaft was within 1/8" of the header tube... by dropping the tube down (by extension) I gained the clearance I needed to get to the steering box...

john
 
Reply


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:21 PM.

story-0
Top 10 Fords at 2026 Carlisle Ford Nationals

Slideshow: Top 10 Fords at 2026 Ford Nationals

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-09 11:10:08


VIEW MORE
story-1
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership

Based on years of owning multiple modern Ford products.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-09 10:53:36


VIEW MORE
story-2
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches

SPONSORED: From muddy boots to rain-soaked cargo, these upgrades address some of the most common frustrations Ford truck owners face every day.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-06-08 18:50:34


VIEW MORE
story-3
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained

Here's everything you need to know about every Ford engine available for the 2026 model year.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-05 12:58:01


VIEW MORE
story-4
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love

Slideshow: 10 ugly Ford trucks that we still kinda love.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-03 09:51:16


VIEW MORE
story-5
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)

Slideshow: the best gifts for dads & grads

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-06-03 15:43:58


VIEW MORE
story-6
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath

Slideshow: Called the Fortress, the 850-horsepower pickup combines Raptor underpinnings with military-inspired features, survival equipment, and a starting price of $285,000.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-03 11:38:36


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer

Slideshow: 10 most expensive Ford trucks ever sold on Bring a Trailer.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:24:34


VIEW MORE
story-8
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)

Here's everything that has changed for the latest model year.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-27 16:17:28


VIEW MORE
story-9
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies

Slideshow: Top 10 Ford truck tragedies.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-18 19:34:33


VIEW MORE