Thanks for the comments Mark.
I'm 6'5" (in the morning, probably down to 6'3" late in the day -
getting old) but when I redid my '57 GMC 8 years ago I pulled the gas
tank out of the cab and used the extra space to move different seats
further back in the cab. Space between my large gut and the stock
steering wheel isn't a problem.
I have a spare column that I already cut off at the flange of the
steering box. My brother is making me a Delrin "bushing" to use as the
lower column bearing. Apparently there are multiple types of Delrin and
he is using that hardest type.
My problem is that my truck still has its original Hydra-Matic. The
Hydra-Matic linkage attaches to the steering column under the hood about
3" from the firewall. I need to leave at least that much of the column
there. The longer the column, the larger the angle that the Flaming
River U-joints I bought will have to make. I'm probably worrying where
I have nothing to worry about, but I'd just like to know who else has
done this kind of an installation and how far from the firewall their
upper u-joint is installed. I guess it wouldn't make any difference
what kind of column they used as long as they connected to an 800 series
power steering box mounted outboard of the frame and forward of the
front axle so I wouldn't be comparing apples to cumquats.
-----Original Message-----
From: mark [mailto:ccpanel@yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2006 7:27 PM
To: Hanlon, Bill (ISS Houston); oletrucks@autox.team.net
Subject: original column with power steering
bey bill-i did that on my 51 panel. i did for looks so unless you lifted
the hood you wouldnt know what i was driving..
what i did was sawzall the column as low as i could go. just the tube.
then i pulled the steering shaft out and figure out where i wanted the
length. im a very tall guy so my seat was moved a LONG WAY BACK(when i
lean back into the bench seat-you cant see me in the side window. =) so
i pulled my comlumn 2" farther out. then ifgiured where i wanted it.
bolted it in, then had my (camaro subframe) where it was gonna be-figure
out where to cut teh colum,
cut the tubing about 2-4" short of the firewall with 2-4" steering shaft
sticking out. i went to BEARING/BELT/CHAIN gave them ID tube, OD shaft
and got a bushing to fit the end of the tube.
for mounting tube to firewall-i made the mistake of makign a plate and
welding it inside the cab. it looks better and is hidden BUT.... if
youre in a wreck-steering wheel in teh face. i would want it on the
firewall side-at least the firewall would slow it down a little.
for the shaft-shaft i welded up the shaft and then ground to DD shape. i
wouldnt do that. i would goto; http://www.borgeson.com/ and get the
right adapter and unijoint.. etc... i used teh stock ragjoint off a
camaro... but its okay. if youre concerned with noise coming up through
shaft they have a new vib damp unit with rubber captured in teh unit.
if you want pics i can post. but i would do things differently namely;
tube plate on firewall side http://www.borgeson.com/ ujoint with vib
damp and correct adapters
mark
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