DIY PS upgrade along with moving the factory column and SW forward

[Lugnutz65]

This thread may only help a select few. There are many ways to improve comfort and add safety. This upgrade saved me a lot of money and I'm very happy with the results. I saved the cost of a new column (I have searched for a decent used manual tilt column for a long time and they are scarce in my area).

Read on if . . . .
. . . . . you want to keep the factory column and don't need or want a tilt column - at least for now.
. . . . . you plan to convert to PS and want a safer telescoping lower steering shaft.

This info will not help folks who want a tilt column.
If you plan to keep the column shifter then most of the steps I used will need to be modified so the column shifter will work properly. So if you KEEP the column shifter, you will only want to change the length of the column INSIDE the cab. That way the shifter linkage position inside the engine bay won't change.

I have a floor shifter and I deleted my column shifter. Thus I measured accordingly.

This modification was all done at the same time. I installed a 1974 PS box to the frame using a Captainfab bracket (very nice item). I used a 1974 rag joint, lower sleeve and DD lower steering shaft too. Yes, all of this has been documented elsewhere before.

I wanted to keep my 1965 steering column and SW, so I decided to move the whole column closer to the dash. So I slid the whole column 3" closer to the dash and then relocated the mounts. That meant more of the column was inside the engine bay, so I then cut 4.5" out of the center of the column sleeve as well as the inner shifter tube. That worked well because I needed some room to join the original 1965 round steering shaft to the 1974 DD shaft with a new U-joint.

So, now I was happy with the new SW position and the new column length.
The last step was to join the 1974 DD shaft to the 1965 round shaft with a new DD (female both ends) U-joint. That meant measuring and then cutting each shaft to the proper length and then taking the shafts to a machine shop. The machine shop milled the end of the round shaft to a DD shape so it would mate with the U-joint. Both steering rods also needed a hole drilled so the U-joint "though bolt" would fit.

The end result is having the SW at a more comfortable distance from my chest and shoulders. I've also upgraded to PS and a safer lower steering shaft that will collapse on impact if needed.

[Lugnutz65]

More

[Lugnutz65]

The column stuff.

[Lugnutz65]

More column stuff

[Lugnutz65]

More

[Lugnutz65]

few more

[PGSigns]

Good write up. I have been looking at adding the collapsible lower to my 66 for safety. Never thought about moving the column.
Jimmy

[urmyboyblue]

As big as I am, I will do this on my 66 C30 I am building. Thanks!

[MusicMan70]

Fantastic detail and easy-to-follow-steps! Thanks so much

[mehoff400]

lugnuts you do great work!! only reason i have a T5 in my truck is because of your write up. keep it up man! been thinking about adding power steering to my 65

[Lugnutz65]

I accidently left out these 3 pics.
Here is a link for a new lower sleeve. Most speed shop vendors sell the DD rod in different lengths. Try Speedway or another vendor. I bought the U-joint on eBay.

[Larry64]

Great write up. Impressive that you take the time to document the whole process & with pictures.

[duallyjams]

Great Job

[Captmatt]

Nice job ! Do you reinstall the shear pins on the lower shaft ??

[Sik5chevy]

Nice write up thx

[Larry64]

Lugnuts, how did you get the inner tube retainer out (the part that has a spring & one of the shift levers on it. Also what rivet & how you installed it.
Thanks

[Lugnutz65]

Originally Posted by Larry64

Lugnuts, how did you get the inner tube retainer out (the part that has a spring & one of the shift levers on it. Also what rivet & how you installed it.
Thanks

The inner tube can be pushed out (from above) if you put the lower edges up on blocks. See pic. Or you can push down on the shifter linkage while the outer tube edges are up on blocks. (I actually let inertia help me by tapping the outer tube down onto the wood block).

I have a selection of aluminum rivets from Harbor Freight. I selected a rivet long enough to fit through both the outer tube and the inner plate and drilled a hole to match the rivet. The rivet merely keeps the inner plate lined up with the holes in the tube. It's not key to the strength of the mount.

[Larry64]

Thanks. Those pictures are perfect. I remember talking to you on the phone when you were looking for your first T5. Now you are the guru of T5s. I have a V8 Camaro T5 with the S10 tail behind my 230.

[Lugnutz65]

Originally Posted by Larry64

Thanks. Those pictures are perfect. I remember talking to you on the phone when you were looking for your first T5. Now you are the guru of T5s. I have a V8 Camaro T5 with the S10 tail behind my 230.

Really? OK, that's cool that you remembered. I have a nice T5 shipping out to Texas. Full rebuild and cable speedo connection and the JEEP shaft swap so it bolts right up without any adapter plate. He will like it. They are hard to find with a cable speedo connection.

If you also have a V8 Camaro T5 with the S10 tail, then we are BROTHERS.