Thread: Steering U-Joint Questions

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Hey Guys, I'm building my first rod, a 55 Ford Fairlane Tudor. I've got a 429 in the chassis and am currently looking at setting up the mid 70's Granada steering column with the gear from the same. I've got the power steering cylinder and all other linkage set in yet not firmly attached yet. I'm using Granada spindles with disc brakes which are also in place. I wanted to use the steering column and mount bracket so the master cylinder will "bolt up" as well. The 429 will require that I relocate the bracket toward the outside of the engine compartment about 1 1/2 inches to allow enough clearance for the brake booster and valve cover. That will move my steering column off center the same. Additionally the column sits about 2 - 3 inches above the box. It currently has the "rag joint" type of connection but that is obviously not going to work. I've tried to get help from Borgeson and Flaming River about the type of joint to use (the column is a tube) to no avail.

Here's a picture of my box with the column test fit showing the offset. All help will be appreciated as I'm learning as I go!

Thanks!

If you are going to keep the steering box in the location that you have shown, you are going to have to shorten the steering column and shaft, and do some minor relocation of the column. You can probably use the existing steering column supports, but you will have to heat them and bend them a little. Try and get the shaft centerlines to line up when viewed from above, and as close as possible to being in the same 'plane" when viewed from the side---not one above the other as you have shown. The maximum shaft misalignment that you can have without binding is 35 degrees for a single u-joint. If your shaft alignment exceeds that angle, Borgeson sells a "double" u-joint. Cut the rag joint coupler off the end of the steering shaft with a hacksaw. If the shaft is solid, measure it with a Vernier---you should be able to purchase a Borgeson joint that has a plain bore of the same diameter on one end, and is splined to fit the input shaft/spline on the steering box. If it was my car, I would get everthing set up so that it steers good, lock to lock, then weld the Borgeson u-joint to the steering output shaft---(they come with set-screws, which are fine on a splined shaft, but on a plain shaft I don't really trust the set screws alone.)

Thanks so much for the reply! It may be pretty hard to get a different angle on the column and I've got the box shaft up as high as it can go and still connect the pitman arm to the ps cylinder.

The column is "hollow / tube" so cutting it off shorter shouldn't be much trouble. From what I've read on line, the 30 - 35 degree angle is the key so I'll have to figure it out. I hadn't thought of heating and bending the column supports and that shouldn't be that difficult and will enable me to move the master cylinder mount over to the side a bit to relocate it on my firewall.

Thanks again "Old Guy"! Us younger boys (I'm 55) need your valuable experience so we can teach the younger yet as they come up in the hobby!

I'd consider shortening the tube as Brian suggested, then use either a piece of heavy wall or solid tube inside of it, welded to it with at least 4 holes through the hollow tube and welds there and around the outside joint at the end, preferably with a tig. A bit of machining and you would end up with a .750" od on the shaft, perfect size for the Borgeson double joint....

Thanks Dave!