47-55.1 Prep for Ididit column

[TX3100Guy]

I placed an order today for an unpainted (steel) Ididit column with turn signals, tilt, and horn (something my current column doesn't have). I've already pulled the entire steering box and column from the truck, which was made simple by the fact that I have the inner fenders, radiator, and radiator support already out of the truck.

I now have the steering box on the shop floor and have been trying to persuade the column tube to come loose from the steering box, so that I can ultimately get to the actual column itself for the future step of cutting it and grinding in the double D's (which is not what one normally thinks of when one thinks of double D's).

All joking aside, my question is how much persuasion is necessary to get the tube out of the steering box to expose the column? Any helpful tricks will be greatly appreciated.

[joedoh]

the tube is pressed into the cast piece that bolts to the steering box so my advice is to cut it. you will have to cut it again anyway so just cut it somewhere north of the join and go go go

[mr48chev]

You just want to cut though the tube though. You have to leave the correct amount of steering shaft to hook the coupler and new steering column up.

A guy who took a sawzall to one and cut it off right above the box showed up at my buddy's place wanting to know how to hook the coupler up a few years ago. My buddy ended up giving him a box that he had pulled out of a truck he had subframed and cut it off and ground the flats on the shaft for him.

[TX3100Guy]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

You just want to cut though the tube though. You have to leave the correct amount of steering shaft to hook the coupler and new steering column up.

This is the $64,000 question. How much of the steering shaft should remain prior to cutting/grinding in the double D's? And how much of the actual column tube should remain from above the top edge of the piece it is pressed into?




On a related note, "In for a penny, in for a pound". While I was cleaning up the steering box on the shop floor, I thought the oil in the box smelled funny (old/musty) so I decided to open it up and remove all the components. I ended up ordering a new set of bearings, sleeves, gaskets, etc from one of the resellers and decided to drain, flush, rebuild, paint, and generally rehabilitate the steering box. Any pointers, gotcha's or suggestions are always welcome.

[joedoh]

you need a column saver bearing kit, it will tell you how much stickout you need. there is only a bearing at the top of the shaft (by the steering wheel) so if you cut it it will just flop around in the tube.

these are made to keep the stock column with a new steering box, but the opposite way works too, in reverse. dont just get a random bearing that fits the tube, the column saver kits are spec'd for THRUST (pulling in or out) and not just keeping the shaft aligned.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/clp-cp175bcs

[mr48chev]

That is a seriously good idea that I didn't think about. I think Jim just put a sealed bearing in the tube on that one I mentioned when he helped the guy with it. The fun part is figuring out what length you need to cut the shaft to have everything fit right.

[TX3100Guy]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

The fun part is figuring out what length you need to cut the shaft to have everything fit right.

I ordered the bearing and the shaft piece from Summit and was jsut thinking, I wonder what length is required to get the new column to fit properly.......

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by TX3100Guy

I ordered the bearing and the shaft piece from Summit and was jsut thinking, I wonder what length is required to get the new column to fit properly.......

it depends.

i think you are thinking you cut the inner shaft grind it into a DD and use a coupler to go right from the shaft DD to the column DD.


things rarely work out that way, in fact i would be amazed if you were able to do that. mostly because you need the shaft out of the way to fit the column. and if the column is slightly misalinged with the shaft you will need a misalignment device like a rag joint. i can see where it might be slightly misaligned because the new column will be larger diameter than the old one, the center of the new column would have to exactly match the center of the old column, thats... difficult. to do that may involve cutting and welding the dash. if the centers were off 1/2 inch that would be about 10 degrees, more than a rag joint would handle.

in that case, or if you decided to center the column on the gauges you will need a u joint for the joggle.

it wouldnt be impossible I guess to line up the new column with the old shaft but it would be a lot of work. if this were my truck I would probably


cut the old column about 4-5 inches from the box, shaft and all. then cut just the column back so that stickout from the bearing saver kit is about an inch and a half. then a 1DD to 3/4DD straight coupler at the bottom of the new steering column. then a length of new 3/4DD shaft to make up the distance the column and the stickout are apart, then a 3/4DD to 3/4DD rag joint to mate the shaft to the box stickout. if the misalignment was more than a degree or two, i would use a 3/4DD to 3/4DD u joint .

[mr48chev]

^^^^^^^^^

It can't be said any better than Joedoe did.