At some point in my cars life some idoit cross threaded the nut onto the steering shaft and hit it with an air wrench. Today when I went to put the steering wheel back on the threads finally let go. I knew it was going to happen sooner or later. The last time i took the wheel off it only had about 10% threads.


From the looks of it the shaft cant be replaced without replacing the steering box. Is that correct?


Its a 65...

 

If your steering box is 41 years old, it is probably time you replaced it anyway.
Look at the end of the shaft inside the car, and see if it is possible to make new threads. They will probably be smaller than the original threads, but you could just use a smaller nut. I'm thinking outside the box here, so bear with me.

 

That should not be correct. I had a '65 Ford with the three on a tree and I had to replace the shifter arms. I gutted another column from the junkyard because the tube was configured for an earlier dash. I took the guts out of it and put it in mine and went on down the road. The column will unbolt from the steering box at the rag joint, have two(?)bolts under the dash, and some bolts at the firewall gasket. If you don't feel comfortable doing the work a machine shop should be able to help you.

 

This is a 65 Mustang we are talking about. What rag joint are you referring to?

 

I agree with soaring I would try making new threads, But if want I have a 65 steering box from a 65 I took apart if interested give me an e-mail.

 

I dont think I will be able to just rethread it. The diameter on the shaft more then likley wont be the correct diameter for the major diameter of the new threads.I wont know for sure untill monday (I dont have a caliper at our city house) However I was thinking I could drill a hole into the center of the shaft and tap that. Then instead of using a nut I would use a bolt to hold the wheel on. That wont be as easy as it sounds though because it will have to be perfectly straight drilled so I will have to turn something in our lathe to hold the drill perfectly straight as I drill it.

 

http://www.stangerssite.com/steeringboxrebuilds.html

Talk to this guy. He is THE steering box expert. He has rebuilt and repaired for a huge amount of satisfied customers.

 

My apologies. I had a '63 Thunderbird, a '64 Galaxie 500, and a '65 Ford Truck and they all had rag joints. That column will still come out of the car to replace the steering shaft inside the housing.
http://www.mustangdepot.com/OnLineCa...ring_boxes.htm
but unfortunately I see now that the steering box has to be replaced as well.

 

drilling and taping it doesnt sound bad. take some hard wood and make yourself a jig that you canb just place over the shaft and drill it centerd. take your time taping it and use a lot of oil and you will be fine. you just might have to find a short head bolt if there are clearance problems or countersink it and use a alen head bolt.

 

We have alot of alum stock around (small machine shop) so I was thinking about making it out of alum, but wood might be easier. It will definatly cut faster. Thx for the input guys.