47-55.1 Steering column - I don't know what I'm doing...

[dsraven]

or
bolt it back up and find a used box that you can mod while still driving the truck
possibly joedoh may have one, he does S10 swaps on those trucks

[Livemeyer]

Originally Posted by dsraven

or
bolt it back up and find a used box that you can mod while still driving the truck
possibly joedoh may have one, he does S10 swaps on those trucks

I think I'll pass on this option. The big question I had going into this build was how much can I improve before I bite the bullet and spend $$$$ for IFS, to include power steering, rack and pinion, etc. I didn't want to spend money twice, but did want to make improvements while not putting the truck down for weeks or months. The burning question I was battling a few weeks ago was "can I improve the truck with a new steering column without having to buy things again for IFS build." I am finding the answer to be, "yes, sort of." I had been asking if improving to power steering was something that had to wait for the IFS upgrade, and generally the answer was yes.

[dsraven]

not adding p/s would def contribute a bunch of cash to the ifs swap budget.
don't disassemble the box, work with what you have
let me get this right, you have a new column. it has bearings at both ends like normal finished column would. you just need a wheel to install on it. the issue you want answers for is how to connect it to the steering box, correct?

if you have 3 on the tree shifter remove the linkages, wiring etc so the column is simply sitting in the truck held with the mount to the dash.
recip or zip disc the column several inches higher than you actually need above the box. cut it right off but be careful because there is a shaft inside a tube. the column tube is pressed into the box and the shaft is one long part integral to the gear inside the box so simply cut it off and remove the upper part of the column trough the cab, like normal steering columns would be pulled out.
now you can slip your new column into position and see where you need to cut off the old remaining column stub for best fitment to the new column. mostly the ones I have seen leave a couple of inches above the old box so there is room to work. there is a kit out there somewhere that has a DD u joint and a piece of tape or paper that you would put on the column shaft of the old box and it shows exactly where to grind off the shaft so the new DD u joint will fit perfectly. long story short, get rid of the outer tube as close to the box as possible so it is out of the way, then fix the shaft so a DD ujoint will fit. make sure to line up the new column steering wheel so it is straight ahead and then make sure the steering box is also centered and then do the grind on the old steering box input shaft so the steering wheel lines up centered at the end of the project. then all you need is a ujoint for the bottom of the column, some DD shaft with a slip joint in it and some time to bolt it all up. then the wiring and shifter job. do a google search for a steering shaft kit with slip joint maybe you will luck out. the new column should have a support at the floor and be mounted to the dash at the upper end so there would be no need for a support bearing in the middle of the new column shaft.
again, pics say a thousand words. post up what you are working with a get some better answers that way once we can see the project. lots of these trucks get the same treatment what you are proposing so you are re-inventing the wheel or anything.

[Livemeyer]

Originally Posted by dsraven

not adding p/s would def contribute a bunch of cash to the ifs swap budget.
don't disassemble the box, work with what you have
let me get this right, you have a new column. it has bearings at both ends like normal finished column would. you just need a wheel to install on it. the issue you want answers for is how to connect it to the steering box, correct?

if you have 3 on the tree shifter remove the linkages, wiring etc so the column is simply sitting in the truck held with the mount to the dash.
recip or zip disc the column several inches higher than you actually need above the box. cut it right off but be careful because there is a shaft inside a tube. the column tube is pressed into the box and the shaft is one long part integral to the gear inside the box so simply cut it off and remove the upper part of the column trough the cab, like normal steering columns would be pulled out.
now you can slip your new column into position and see where you need to cut off the old remaining column stub for best fitment to the new column. mostly the ones I have seen leave a couple of inches above the old box so there is room to work. there is a kit out there somewhere that has a DD u joint and a piece of tape or paper that you would put on the column shaft of the old box and it shows exactly where to grind off the shaft so the new DD u joint will fit perfectly. long story short, get rid of the outer tube as close to the box as possible so it is out of the way, then fix the shaft so a DD ujoint will fit. make sure to line up the new column steering wheel so it is straight ahead and then make sure the steering box is also centered and then do the grind on the old steering box input shaft so the steering wheel lines up centered at the end of the project. then all you need is a ujoint for the bottom of the column, some DD shaft with a slip joint in it and some time to bolt it all up. then the wiring and shifter job. do a google search for a steering shaft kit with slip joint maybe you will luck out. the new column should have a support at the floor and be mounted to the dash at the upper end so there would be no need for a support bearing in the middle of the new column shaft.
again, pics say a thousand words. post up what you are working with a get some better answers that way once we can see the project. lots of these trucks get the same treatment what you are proposing so you are re-inventing the wheel or anything.

Some good ideas here and I will definitely share some pics when I get time. I don't have to worry about any shift linkage stuff I have a powerglide with a Lokar floor shifter, and from all the excellent responses I now have a clear idea of what I need to do. I will need to buy a column support that mounts at the firewall, I was looking at this one: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Flaming-Riv...t/401788927593, but that was a quick search I'm not certain if they make one specific to the AD trucks but they probably do.

[dsraven]

yeah, a swivel mount like that should work and you can blend it into the IFS install budget later. if, when the IFS is installed, the angles don't line up you can simply move the floor support up or down to where it needs to go but be aware the steering wheel angle will also change with that and if your column is not a tilt it may be at the wrong angle. cross that bridge when you get there.
so, I assume your new column has a bearing in the end of it at the lower end to support the shaft. you simply install a u joint on the end of that.
-get a steering wheel installed on the column, one the size you like at least for mock up, with the dish or flat style you intend to use in the end.
-do the steering box mod so you have the tube cut off and the shaft sticking out a couple inches. in my mind there are 2 schools of thought on this:
1)- the steering box input shaft is supported on both ends with bearings inside the box so no need to cut the column tube off long enough to install a support bearing because it has those inside the box already. if the column is simply getting cut off for a new style upper half, for aesthetics or better signal switch or tilt mechanism or whatever, then the angle from the new column to the old box really shouldn't change so there would be no more stress on the input shaft bearings than there would be normally. if the bearing is not installed then the stub shaft could be shorter so there would be less stress on the input shaft. possibly that is why newer style steering boxes have a very short input stub shaft, basically they are cut off right next to the steering box casting with just enough shaft protruding to allow a rag joint or u joint to be installed. less stress on the bearings that way plus possibly easier to get the shaft aligned with the upper parts.
2)-it is easy enough to install the extra bearing in the column tube above the steering box and that way there is better support for the shaft in case the angle of the new column is different than the angle of the old column and it is not a straight shot like before as a stock column had. there is a cost associated with the bearing purchase, though, as well as the labor involved. most would do that job themselves so it is simply a time thing plus the bearing cost.
if unsure on what you want to do then simply leave enough old column tube above the box so you have room to install a bearing should you decide to do that. later, when you have driven it for a bit and have found out if you need the bearing (or your old box is found to be worn out), you can decide if you wanna do the column tube shaft support bearing or you could then simply cut the tube off flush with the box casting if you don't want to do the bearing or fell it is not needed.
-slip the floor mount over the column but don't drill any holes in the floor yet until you have everything assembled and then you can line things up and secure the new lower column swivel mount.
-slip the column through the floor, connect the intermediate column shaft (with the slip shaft capability so it can get longer or shorter as required. you will save money here in the future when the IFS is installed because the shaft will be able to change length some, plus it is better for safety from a front end collision) and hang the column from the dash at the top end. some research into the different column mounts and their amount of drop would be an asset here so you can prefab some wooden spacers of the sizes you found for column drop mounts. even a few blocks of wood cut to the different dimensions of the available spacers would work for mocking up the angle. nothing fancy needed for this step. use some wire or a cable tie or whatever to keep the upper end of the column tight against the wooden spacer until you get the column angle right. if unsure which upper mount you will need at first just stick something in there or use the wire/cable tie as a hanger until you get things connected. this will also allow some in and out movement of the column so you can get the steering wheel where you like it, depth wise, and it doesn't rub a hole through your belly when driving.
-line up the column angle with the steering box input so you can keep the angles to a minimum. change out your wooden column mount spacers until you get the right one. I know, u joints are made to run at an angle, so they don't brinell the needle rollers on the cross trunions, but this is a slow moving shaft so I wouldn't worry about that too much since you will be doing an IFS at some point anyway and you want to reduce the stress in the old steering box input shaft right now.
-when you get the angles figured out grab the correct upper column mount (or fab something to work til the new part comes in) and get that end secured. then secure the lower swivel mount.
seems easy enough, eh?

[dsraven]

ogre has a valid point. unless the thing is bent or worn out completely past the point of quick and cheap repair, why not just keep it intact until you do the IFS someday. who knows, you might even like it the old way, lol.

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by dsraven

or
bolt it back up and find a used box that you can mod while still driving the truck
possibly joedoh may have one, he does S10 swaps on those trucks

fat chance

these are the trucks I start with.






I think you would have better steering parts come out of lake michigan