55' Ford steering shaft

[55RAT]

Can you shorten a steering shaft. I am building a 55 ford truck rat. and going to channel the cab 6" and want to use the stock steering equipment but steering wheel will be close to the roof is there a way to shorten the shaft? Oh I am building on the stock frame also low budget and first build so trying to minimize mods. Trying not to mess with the steering setup.

 

[26Troadster]

the best way that i know of is to go to a machine shop. being a machinist i know i can but that is a trade that alot of people don't know much about, and have found short cuts to do the same thing. another thought is to change the steering colum (spelling) to a safer newer callapsable (spelling it's to earily) style.

 

[21willys]

I used a similar ford box. I just used a racing style steering set up. No column. I have about $150 in the whole set up with a quick release wheel.

 

[Ricks Garage]

I cut mine ('50 Chevy truck shaft), shortened it and added a joint in the middle.


weld on.......[

 

[RustyNCA]

Can you shorten a steering shaft. I am building a 55 ford truck rat. and going to channel the cab 6" and want to use the stock steering equipment but steering wheel will be close to the roof is there a way to shorten the shaft? Oh I am building on the stock frame also low budget and first build so trying to minimize mods. Trying not to mess with the steering setup.

Just finished doing that basic thing with the F100 steering that is in our coupe. Our reason was a bit different, but same basic result. We wanted a GM end on a Ford shaft...

I didn't take any photos, but what you need is a 3/4 inch coupler. We used a Borgeson universal steering shaft coupler from Summit Racing to do the job.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/BRG-314900/.

Just pull the outer shaft off the box, figure out how much you want to shorten the shaft. Cut the inner shaft, weld on the coupler on the bottom portion of the shaft. We used the coupler without splines on one end and DD on the other because we felt a dd shaft would provide for more safety, and then discovered the GM shaft is a DD shaft anyway. But we used set screws with safety wire to hold it together (so I could go back to the Ford end if wanted), but you could weld it on the top also.

Then cut and reweld the outer shaft, and you have a shorter col....

Worked great for us.

email me if I didn't make sense.

Cheers
RustyNCA

 

[55RAT]

Thanks Rusty Makes perfect sense what a big help will work on this soon.[cl