Steering Shaft Offset Macgyverism

Ok,

I've been stalled out for far too long on my saginaw upgrade.

I mocked it 3x, measured it 10, and after clamping, re-clamping, measuring again, welding, mounting the gear and cutting a hole thru the motor mount for the shaft, I'm almost rubbing the shaft into my driver side header... I think I have some 'shrinkage' from welding that moved things slightly on me (that's what I'm telling myself anyway). I don't have room to move the steering column more than a 1/4 or so one way or another, and it's just not enough at the floor board end.

I've been pondering for months. I haven't wanted to cut the frame horn loose to re-do the gear mount (probably the fastest solution had I been inclined to do some un-welding).

I think I have come up with a fix... given that I don't have a lathe or the lathe op skilz to turn a few items - hope this makes sense.

I originally thought about making an offset with a 1 inch diameter heim joint as the pivot/offset with the borgeson shaft thru it, but the outer diameter of the heim is huge for a 1 inch inner dia shaft...

Please pardon my lack of precision or 'thousands' below and my backyard fabricator vocabulary ...

A piece of galvanized fence pipe or black pipe is 2.0 inside diameter and thick enough wall (>1/8") for what I need I think... I'm thinking somewhere around a 6 inch length or so to brace both sides of it across the hole in my motor mount, then I'll fill in the gap-osis or add some plating on the motor mount accordingly to re-strengthen that part of the mount.

I found Timken Set 4 bearings that have a 2.0 outside diameter on the race and the inner diameter of the bearing is 1.0... so I bought two sets of set-4 bearings.

Imagine if you will, the pipe with the set-4 races fixed in each end...

I think I found a grease seal that may work (for later), or I will just fab a flat plate and hole (aka big-a-washer with 1 inch hole) with a couple zerks and an o-ring...

Setting the set-4 race into each end of the pipe shaft will likely require a depth stop of some sort to keep the race from falling / moving deeper into the pipe than I want, I'm thinking up something there (may be turn down a washer with a big enough inner hole to make it work).

the 24 inch section of Borgeson shaft I have is 1.0" in diameter... and nothing says back yard engineering like a few short sections to accomplish a goal...

I have several of the borgeson shaft universals.

SO - use the pipe, set-4 bearings, etc. to make a short offset section of the borgeson shaft that will mount in the hole I cut in the motor mount, just away from the header, but inside of the master cylinder / frame mess in that area. Connect from steering gear with section of borgeson and universals to the offset section. From the offset section another universal mated section to the bottom of the new steering shaft...

Mind you, this is to gain less than about 3/8 to 1/2 of an inch of clearance at the header so the shaft isn't banging when the motor is torquing or possible frame flexing, etc.

Looks like it will clear my headers well enough and not impact the frame mounted junk in the same area...

Anyone been down this painful road as well? Any thoughts like "Noooooo, don't be that PO" ...

Nope - no photos yet... coming when I jump out of the hole and start attacking.

 

Skip ALL of that and clearance the header with a BFH.

 

Pictures?

Biggest issue I see is with the bearings you will need a way to deal with flex above and below the bearing set.

 

That all sounds like more work than re-mounting the steering gear...

 

or the hammer was a serious suggestion. 30 seconds with a hammer to get 1/4”. Easy!!

 

Yep, this is standard practice putting headers into all sorts of hotrods.

 

I started out with not much room and it has settled to less room. It even dented the header itself at some point, probably being flexed on the Rubicon. Not sure what kind of clearance you’re dealing with, just wanted to show you what mine looked like.

 

I think your overthinking it.
Your using Novak headers and a stock or postal column?

Here is a picture of mine from the top.
The steering shaft starts off with about a 4" extension protruding from the column, double U joint, support heim, and then to the joint at the box.



Here it is looking from the bottom up.
You can see the extension coming from the steering column output, then the double joint. The support heim is just out of the picture.

 

Novak headers, summit tilt column….
This is very close what i had in mind originally.

 

I'm using Novak headers and a Summit column.
Are you headed up to Redding/Red Bluff anytime soon? Your welcome to see mine in person to get a better idea of how it works.

 

Not sure - daughter may play some vball at Foothill up there.

 

im doing the saginaw power steering upgrade in my 69 cj5 right now....i used 3/4" shaft and ujoints...just wondering why you are using 1"? ive only seen 3/4" in vehicles

 

Don't use galvanized pipe if your plan involves welding. Difficult to weld and emits nasty fumes.

 

Yes, use 3/4" shafting not 1", no galvanized pipe, get some 1/8” wall tubing or there abouts in whatever OD you need.

 

3/4" 4130------- Used that with Flaming River u-joints for decades before swapping it out for a Borgeson collapsible shaft. As a side benefit, that collapsible shaft makes it real easy to hook up the u-joints and in the case of my 3B, allows me to remove the grill it passes through without totally removing the shaft.