mr_velocity

I need to shorten the 69 steering column in my 66. I want to keep the full length of the collapsible shaft (the length it will collapse), so instead of cutting the shaft at the rag joint I wanted to pull the shaft apart and cut the solid part to shorten it. Has anyone pulled the shaft apart and reassembled it? If so, what did you use for the nylon pins that hold the assembly together? I figure I need to drill them out to take everything apart.

On another note, what the general opinion. Should I leave the head assembly 69 or should I put the 66 assembly on the top of the column. The 69 give me the hazard switch on the column but I'm more interested in steering wheel options between the two.

Randys66gt

I had a friend bring me a steering shaft years ago, don't remember for what car though. I put it on the lathe and machined the shaft down .030 in the middle, about 4" inches before cutting it. Cut the shaft and pressed a tube over the ends I machined ends and tig welded it together. No probs with it!

Jonk67

Not really sure what it is that your trying to accomplish but I wanted to do away with the spear-o-matic in my '67 but didn't like the quality and non stock appearance of the FR unit.

I bought a '68 column off fleabay and cleaned it up/painted it. I was going to have my '67 gearbox rebuilt anyway so I had a '68/'69 short shaft installed in place of the spear during the rebuild. I didn't drill out the plastic plugs so can't say what to replace them with but they're desinged to snap easily in a crash.

Here's a disassembled pic if it helps:

Jon

If I find an affordable 68/68 tilt column it'll be an easy swap in. The '68/'68 column is larger, I needed a larger upper adapter to match my Motolita wheel and I swapped my brake pedal for a 68/69 to clear the column but needed one anyway for my nonpwr>pb switch.
Jon

rtintwo

How much are you wanting to shorten the column? A few inches can be done with a different steering wheel. If you need more than that i would start considering new seats, look at columns from other cars to see if there are any shorter ones that will fit, maybe a cougar, torino or maveric coloumn will fit. I would be worried that any mods to the 69 column will turn it into a spear-o-matic.

2+2GT

I need to shorten the 69 steering column in my 66.
Why?

On another note, what the general opinion. Should I leave the head assembly 69 or should I put the 66 assembly on the top of the column.
It would add a lot of delicate work to swap the heads. Just use a Moto-Lita wheel, which is the same for both years, only the mounting boss changes, so who would know?

mr_velocity

I'm converting my steering to R&P, with the kit I bought I need to cut the tube end of the steering shaft (rag joint end) 1 1/2" shorter than the length of the column (outer big tube).

Looking at your pic, the piece at the bottom, cut approx 6" off the right side of it.

Then a D bar goes into that end of the shaft, it slides 2" into the tube you just cut. Then it gets welded in place.

In case of an accident, the solid part of the shaft (bottom item of your pic but the left side of it) needs to be able to slide down the tube towards the rag joint. Due to the modification there isn't much tube left for it to slide down and with the D bar in place we basically created another spear.

My thought was to drill out the plastic pins that hold the shaft together (just the bottom item in your pic) and pull it apart. I could then take the solid part of the shaft and cut it shorter. This way if we get into an accident the shorter solid part would still have a rather long tube to slide into when collapsing.

The overall length of the steering shaft has to be 1 1/2" shorter than the length of the column since I need to weld a bearing into the end of the column which carried the new D bar that is welded into the shaft.

Hope I explained that ok, wish I had a pic of the instructions I could post.

My question is, can I drill out the plastic pins and replace them? The don't provide any strength for turning since the shaft/tube are D shaped. It just holds things together until the shaft needs to collapse.

With the R&P steering instead of the rag joint to the steering box its now column, D bar, universal joint, D bar, universal joint, rack.

rtintwo

Ok i am tracking now. I was thinking you were wanting to get some clearance for a belly. A R&P mod makes much more sense.

NoReins

2+2GT, I have noticed a lot of your pics are from Mustang Barn or Glazier/Nolan and you are from PA. Any affiliation?

mainiac1

Hi, saw your post and am getting ready to do the same mod to my 66 using a 68 column. Did you finish this mod or go another route? if so, what did you replace the plastic pins with? Looks like I need to shorten the column tube 3" or so to give me enough room to cut the shaft and weld in either a rag joint or universal or fit and weld the 68 shaft to the cut-off stub of the 66.
Thanks,
Jamie

mr_velocity

For the plastic pins I drilled the tube and threaded them for nylon screws. Screwed them in tight then cut of the tops. I had to drill into the rod part of the column a bit to they had a recess to go into.