Thread: mounting the column to the floor

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This seems like it would be very simple, but I am having trouble figuring out exactly how to go about it. I have my hole drilled and I was thinking about using Bob's exhaust flange idea welded to the column. Do I just run bolts through the floor or is there another way? I have seen many cars that have no evidence of how it is mounted from the engine side and I am not sure how it is done like that other than that "sleeve" from Bob drake that welds to the floor? How do the Billet Specialties type mounts attach to the floor (I am avoiding those due to cost).

Before I just run bolts through I wanted better ideas. Post up pictures of your column from the engine side it you have them. Thanks!

i have used a muffler clamp welded to the side of 1/8 flate plate then drilled and tap the plate for 8 32 screws and bolted thru the fire wall and used some flat heads thru the floor or weld . the other way i don it was find a tube 4inch long that the O.D column will silde thru and weld a plate to that so that can be bolted or welded to the floor and fire wall then i just use a self tapping bolt to keep down any thing moving

Originally Posted by pat mccarthy

the other way i don it was find a tube 4inch long that the O.D column will silde thru and weld a plate to that so that can be bolted or welded to the floor and fire wall then i just use a self tapping bolt to keep down any thing moving

I used this method that Pat suggested but instead of the self tapping screws I tacked a 5/16" nut on each side and used a couple of socket head set screws. The bracket that Ididit and others sell leave a lot to be desired - they are fine, but clunky plus hard to upholster around.

I'm having a hard time picturing what you two are suggesting. Do you have pictures that might help me see it?

This is a piece of 4" X 2.25 OD exhaust tubing projecting through the toeboards and welded in place. It's fitted to a standard IDIDIT 2" OD column. The nuts welded on each side have set screws to hold the column in place. The only caution - if you use this, weld slowly as you can distort that piece of tubing ( speking from experience.

The first photo is in-progress, the second is from when I did the next to final assembly (the final asssembly was 2 days later AFTER I repainted the column to fix the scratches)

i weld an Lbracket to the floor and use a hose clamp. the column drop holds the column. the lower mount just steadies it ( unless you have a huge hole ) but through exhaust tube is really the neatest way . but if it's a column shift it gets interesting

I think I understand the process of doing the mount with tubing now and that would work out geat because I cut the locking lever thing off and the tubing would cover that nicely. The only problem is that the hole I drilled in the floor ended up being about 2 5/8" (I used a drill bit that different size hole saws fit into...it was supposed to be 2.5, but ended up as more like 2 5/8. I'm not sure that idea works when going from 2 5/8 to the 2 1/4 column . So i'm not sure that will work for me. Just so I have this right...a simple hose clamp or set screw with be fine to hold the column in place? Seems like you would want it more permanently secure than that?? edit: I guess Shine answered that...it just steadies it, but in my case I do have a huge hole

Bob Parmenter- do you have a picture of your exhaust flange from the engine side??

there more to it then steadies ... if you have U joints you want it mounted good if it come loose hang on

Originally Posted by pat mccarthy

there more to it then steadies ... if you have U joints you want it mounted good if it come loose hang on

That's what I was thinking...

Originally Posted by 35fordcoupe

Bob Parmenter- do you have a picture of your exhaust flange from the engine side??

No I don't because you can't see anything. The two threaded studs were spot welded to the floor pan because I had access to that kind of welder at the time. An alternative would be to cut the head off a bolt or use some short lengths of allthread, drill a hole through the floor, weld from the outside and grind smooth. A little tricky because the floor is probably only 16 ga, but doable if you're careful. Otherwise you could weld two nuts to the exhaust flange to keep them captive and use button head bolts that would have a smooth, low profile appearance and since it's on the toe kick (if you're going through the same spot as the stocker) it's not going to be very visible.

Two other alternatives I've done just for discussion sake. One is similar to the tube thing Alan and you were talking about. In my case I was using a 1 3/4" column (though that's not particularly limiting) so I got an exhaust tip, often known as a "pencil" tip because it has that rolled end to finish it off. The 1 3/4" on the column is the OD, and the tip is made with a 1 3/4" ID to fit standard 1 3/4" exhaust pipe (though it works the same for all standard exhaust pipe dimensions). The exhaust tip is trimmed for length depending on application and welded to the floor pan (welding through the chrome plating isn't much of an issue). The nice thing about the end in the engine compartment is the rolled end acts as both a bottom stop for the column, and give a nice finished look. If you want to paint it later, bead blast it before installation to give it some "tooth". Then a set screw inside tapped through both the tip and the column to prevent rotation in addition to the upper mount. I looked through my files but don't have a clear picture of this.

The other method I used on a glass car (but would work on any sound inner structure) that I put an interior tubing support structure against the firewall. There, the column I was using was a mid '60s GM intermediate tilt unit that would slide right inside some exhaust tubing that became the exterior mast. I welded a plate near the bottom, sunk two nutserts into the tubing member and bolted it right up. That I do have a picture of. In all of these examples the carpeting hides the fasteners when finished.

As for your hole, it may be best to patch it back up and do over. What works for me is to use an undersize hole saw which gives you some leeway for drift. Then I use a carbide burr and ease the shape out to what I need for a relatively tight fit. Often, because of angle differences, the hole needs to be an ovoid shape anyway.

I've posted up the exhaust flange setup again too for those who don't recall that thread. This is also the column within exhaust tubing combo.

I think what I am going to do is just try and cut the stock mount off the column and save it (it sits at the wrong angle now) or do the flange idea with button head screws as long as the mount covers my hole well enough. It will be very difficult to see because it will be low on the toe board like you mentioned, Bob. as far as the hole...the column is 2.25 and the hole is a hair bigger than 2.5 so that shouldn't really be a problem as long as the mount covers it and its sealed up good with a pad. Part of the reason I want to leave the hole alone is because the bottom of the floor was coated with bed liner before mounting to the frame for the final time.

if it comes loose where is it going to go ? it passes through a hole . is secured at the top. has a shaft on bottom. cant slide down , cant move sideways . i think i trust a good clamp over a set screw . i found that the set screws need tightening pretty regular since the column tube will collapse some. either way works. spot welding ujoints is a must for me.

if it could or did come loose or move just a wee bit .it could lever the ujoints making hit or bind .as for welding the u joints i use a spad drill and spot face the shaft for the set screws. but this is the way i do them

I spot face as well but I also use medium strength Loc-Tite too. The set screws and lock nuts provided by Borgeson, and probably the others - the screw is way too long and one hit the header and that skinny nut - less then a great way to fasten the screw. I can assure you with bloody and scarred knuckles that this arrangement is tight after having to disassemble my upper u-joint to remove the column for repaint.

Since these threads are often used as reference without commentary it pays for us to try to cover, whenever possible, unexpected situations/experiences/etc. Here's Borgesons commentary on welding of U-joints; http://www.borgeson.com/DESIGN/STEERING%20DESIGN8.html