Classic R #27 Build - Steering Shaft

I'm waiting on parts to complete the brake pedal installation so I decided to use the time to work on the steering system. I decided to go the route that other builders have taken and that's to install a telescoping steering shaft rather than the rigid one. I have some misgivings about the fixed shaft so I opted for a Borgeson telescoping shaft.

First off, the shaft won't align directly between the steering heim joint at the dash and and the firewall steering bearing. The steering shaft interferes with the chassis tube that runs across the top of the drivers side footwell, so it has to be notched to provide room. I had a lot of concerns about cutting up the chassis but it has to be done. So...


... here is the cut out I made in the frame tube. I lined up the steering shaft so it comes out perpendicular to the dash, marked the left and right perimeter and added a quarter inch clearance each side. Then I made this cut half way through the tube (so a half inch deep). Before I made the cut though, I made the patch piece that fills in the sides and bottom of the notch, then I cut the frame tube to match the patch, not the other way around.


I installed the patch and welded all the way around it, then cleaned up with a flap wheel and hand file to get the welds down.


The notch provides plenty of clearance all around for a 3/4" diameter steering shaft.


I had to shorten the telescoping column a bit by trimming a few inches off the 1" DD end. Basically I fully extended it, marked where the U-joint would intersect it (with the UJ right up against the firewall bearing), then trimmed and squared off the end.


I got this nice nickel-plated Flaming River steering UJ from Summit. The Borgeson 1" DD is a perfect fit inside the 1" end; for the 3/4" side I used an Allstar 36" DD rod. I'll modify the last mile so that it is the hollow 3/4" tube supplied with the kit and that will accept the welded-on quick release adapter.


The rack end uses the BRG-114937 UJ from the shopping list.


One thing I may change on the telescoping shaft is the gaiter - it only covers 3 or 4 inches of the shaft, yet the inner part has a slot milled into it that's heavily greased. That's going to attact a lot of dirt if I don't seal it up. It needs something around a foot long to cover the at-risk area.

-Dave

I completed my upper steering shaft assembly. This short section of 3/4" dia tube connects to the 3/4DD shaft that comes through the firewall bearing, runs through the upper steering heim joint and connects with the steering wheel via a splined quick release.


At the lower end I used a 3/4DD to 3/4" dia plain Borgeson coupler. The plain end is drilled and tapped to support two 5/16-24 x 5/8" grub screws and locknuts at 90 degrees to one another. The 3/4" tubing is also tapped so the grub screws go right though the tube wall.


At the other end I pinned the splined part of the quick release using a 3/16 x 1" tension pin. The part is a tight fit but I will add welds as a backup to the pin assuming I stick with this approach.


Here's the assembly installed in the car. I was finally able to test the complete steering system. I'm not altogether happy with the JEGS quick release I'm using. It has quite a bit of slop in it so I may have to look for an alternative that's a bit tighter.

-Dave