fyi steering columns

[fordman]

this is something i didnt know. but the center steering shaft on the 4x4 bump columns are different than the 2wd columns. the 4x4 colum has a ujoint thing on the end of it. and the 2wd column has a flange. the ujoint on a 4x4 hooks to another ujoint and a rod that goes into or bolts to the steering box. the 2wd flange bolts to a rag joint which bolt straight to th steering box adapter and the adpter sits on splines of the steering box. this is something i dint know i thought i would share it for those who also didnt know.

[l1k2gadd]

When I was getting my '68 F100's steering column shift linkage fixed to allow me to shift into 1st and reverse I went to a 4x4 Bump cab ('67 I think) that was sitting in the wrecking yard I go to all the time. I was stripping the column out of the 4x4 and I was taking one out of a '72 so I knew I'd have all of the parts I needed to fix mine. I went to remove the column from the 4x4 and realized it had at least one u-joint in it, and the shaft went into a front-of-frame mounted steering gearbox. I also noticed that it didn't look like the '72 column I had pulled. I just slid the outer shaft with the tranny linkage rods and plastic shims sticking out of it out from the truck and left the column shaft in the truck.

[fordman]

yeah the outer shells are the same.

[basketcase0302]

the 4x4 colum has a ujoint thing on the end of it.

This made for an easy custom 4 1/2" body lift on my 76' Bronco.
With some 40K PSI tubing used for crane rigging, I extended the steering shaft.
That U-joint will easily correct the angle of a 4 1/2" or smaller body lift.

Basketcase

[Mugwump]

I'm lookin at my 4x4 column right now, wondering how hard it'll be to take off the u-joint fitting, and replace it with a rag-joint.... is it worth the hassle?



Anybody have a spare raggie lyin around that they don't need?

[fordman]

a rag joinnt or a rag joint column? and for whihc trans and steering box?

[Mugwump]

Well, either I suppose... I don't know if it's feasible to replace the u-joint on my 4wd column with a rag joint, or whether I should just find a 2wd column already equipped.

I'm in the process of converting from Bendix to a Saginaw, and trying to accumulate the necessary parts. It's a C6/auto tranny.

I'm still looking for a P/S pump and the Sag gearbox, along with pitman and linkage out to the balljoints. Heck, a whole disc brake frontend would be swell too!

I had a '79 donor truck all lined up over xmas, and my son-in-law got this column out it. He didn't have enough time to salvage the rest of the linkage before he headed down here for the holidays. Only once he got here did I realize that it was from a 4x4 truck...

If anybody need a '79 4wd column, and happens to have a Saginaw-style 2wd column, I'd be happy to swap.

[l1k2gadd]

When I looked at the 60s 4x4 column it didn't look like it would take the ragjoint end on it that was on the 2WD column. That is why I took just the housing with the 3 speed linkage arms hanging off of it.