This afternoon's delight

kb426 · November 25, 2007, 07:59:02 PM

Not much. Wish I had a better story to amuse everybody. Clearance on the steering shaft and the column drop. Not happy with the bracket but haven't had a better idea yet.

wayne petty · November 26, 2007, 01:50:41 AM

i cannot tell. is the lower part of the shaft into the steering box already?

is that a real forged connecting rod..

? if so it could be bent.. the small end chopped off and a bent piece of aluminum scrap welded to the underside to allow you to bolt it to the support under the dash..

just a thought....

C9 · November 26, 2007, 08:13:58 AM

Here's a couple of brackets along with a way to mount them.

The multi-hole mounting plate has holes spaced 1" apart so you can move the column transversely if needed.
It came in handy when I moved the column 1".

The drilled flat plate gets a triangular gusset at each end which is not shown in the pics.
The cross bar is 1" square tubing.
Good ergonomics.

1/2" aluminum plate on the flat bracket - which can be made larger for instuments, switches, but I would not put the ignition switch there, too accessible.
The aluminum con-rod is one of the very rare double wrist pin models.

I used the GM 37" long steering shaft to build the ball-bearing column.
Less than $30. invested in this column and less than $25. invested in the almost identical one I made some time back.
No shaft cutting required and the lower U-joint has a good angle.

Got pics if you wish.

kb426 · November 26, 2007, 01:17:43 PM

Wayne, yes the shaft is connected. I used the s10 ujoint assy. with adapters. C9, I made my column out of 1.75" tubing and a pair of bearings such as rolling conveyor units. I think I will build a plate to fasten to the pedal assy bracket and attach the rod to it. Then, I can thread the rod and run 12 point bolts into it. Just for the record, the rod is one out of my blown alky hemi's. I don't like anything being attached to the dash. It's pretty flimsy.

Dave · November 26, 2007, 01:38:05 PM

Quote from: "kb426"Wayne, yes the shaft is connected. I used the s10 ujoint assy. with adapters. C9, I made my column out of 1.75" tubing and a pair of bearings such as rolling conveyor units. I think I will build a plate to fasten to the pedal assy bracket and attach the rod to it. Then, I can thread the rod and run 12 point bolts into it. Just for the record, the rod is one out of my blown alky hemi's. I don't like anything being attached to the dash. It's pretty flimsy.

You shoulda took some 1 inch square stock and bent it the shape of the lower dash and tied the cowl together with it just above the lower edge of the dash then it would be a lot stronger..
Dave

kb426 · November 26, 2007, 05:28:26 PM

Dave, I tried to do that but the 4 in 1 gauge is so large that it wouldn't clear. Then I made a flat strap out of 3/16" by 1.75 strap, and it wouldn't clear the ac unit. Now I'm at plan C and hating the ac unit. Back to work. I have to change some stuff on the tailpipes and then go back to work on the steering column and the floor.

Dave · November 26, 2007, 06:42:27 PM

Quote from: "kb426"Dave, I tried to do that but the 4 in 1 gauge is so large that it wouldn't clear. Then I made a flat strap out of 3/16" by 1.75 strap, and it wouldn't clear the ac unit. Now I'm at plan C and hating the ac unit. Back to work. I have to change some stuff on the tailpipes and then go back to work on the steering column and the floor.

Well Bill dont give up.. You dont know how many things ive done and redone on my cars.. It seems on a lot of things the real thought process doesnt kick in till after the job is done

Easy enuff to fix.. Just do it over..
Dave

oiler · November 26, 2007, 09:46:15 PM

Quote from: "kb426"Not much. Wish I had a better story to amuse everybody. Clearance on the steering shaft and the column drop. Not happy with the bracket but haven't had a better idea yet.

Just wondering what diameter your column is and what did you use for a spacer in the con-rod big end
I've got a rod out of John Forces funny car but it's the 2.5 inch big end and the column is 2 so I need a 1/4 inch spacer which looks to be about the size you have
looks good what you've done
Jeff

kb426 · November 26, 2007, 10:38:06 PM

Oiler, the spacer is a part I ordered from Mcmaster Carr. It was about a .1" too large on od and .010" too small on id. My column is 1.75" diameter. This was a locking collar. My rod is 2.5 on the rod end also.

oiler · November 26, 2007, 11:30:29 PM

Quote from: "kb426"Oiler, the spacer is a part I ordered from Mcmaster Carr. It was about a .1" too large on od and .010" too small on id. My column is 1.75" diameter. This was a locking collar. My rod is 2.5 on the rod end also.

Thanks for the tip I never would have come up with that.I checked the website and found one that'll work perfectly
Thanks again
Jeff

papastoyss · November 27, 2007, 11:56:41 AM

I used an aluminum rod from a BB chevy in my 47 w/a 2" od column. I dug around & found a piece of a serpentine (flat) belt that was just the right thickness to take up the space between the rod & column.