NickPick'sCrew Posted November 4, 2018 Report Share Posted November 4, 2018 Hi all, I'm NickPickToo's safety advisor? and financier ?. Im looking at this spear that is also called a steering shaft and wondering if anyone has thought through a modification (short of replacing the shaft and column altogether) that would allow the shaft to either fold or collapse on heavy impact. I don't work about the shaft penetrating the steering wheel and impaling the driver at normal speeds, but it certainly would stay stiff and pummel the driver if the seatbelt were to fail or if the front end were to collapse in. The frame is fairly strong and stiff and we are not modifying the drivetrain to go any faster than originally designed so this may just be a father worrying too much, but we do intend this to be a daily driver so if anyone has run into any such modification we are very curious. Thanks, Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted November 4, 2018 Report Share Posted November 4, 2018 you will have to do some serious altering to your original box or do some steering upgrade and use of modern steering column which has these features built in....for the most part, it is pretty much up to you and what you prefer and the source for the parts to do the job...each here if they do modify will choose based on taste, availability or what step by steps another may take the time to try to spell out...but remember, alterations are not engineering approved for the most part by folks here or for that matter, any forum. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted November 4, 2018 Report Share Posted November 4, 2018 also...keep in mind that the steering shaft and the shifter are interlocked on these older cars and you have very little room for a collapsible tube and again, this will be only effective in absorbing the movement of a crumpled forward frame ears and cross member and not be able to compensate for the mass of a body pitching forward inside the cab against the steering wheel and inner fixed portion of the column. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ194950 Posted November 4, 2018 Report Share Posted November 4, 2018 Have a machine do some work with the stock shaft to add something like this in? https://www.ebay.com/itm/Borgeson-450024-Steering-Shaft-Telescopic-Steel-24-Extended-Length/291813769558?_trkparms=aid%3D555017%26algo%3DPL.CASSINI%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D54339%26meid%3Dcb4b9f46349746d48aabbed0a50e2f4d%26pid%3D100505%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26%26itm%3D291813769558&_trksid=p2045573.c100505.m3226 DJ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted November 4, 2018 Report Share Posted November 4, 2018 while this is a very good product, you are still limited in available distance between the original sector and the column cut below the shifter area to make acceptable collapse joint as the very u-joints require space. If one were to remove the shaft tube to make internal corrections of this style shaft to work properly...then you are faced with wobble/play in the shaft and if any end is a bit out of tolerance you will have binding and runout that may have adverse effect and accelerate wear on either end. As I said earlier, this in a very invasive modification to utilize all stock features/components Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ194950 Posted November 4, 2018 Report Share Posted November 4, 2018 Some more companies that make these collapsible shafts and connectors to install. ididit.com flamingriver.com speedwaymotors.com Shop Steering Coupling Assemblies - Free Shipping @ Speedway Motors.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kencombs Posted November 4, 2018 Report Share Posted November 4, 2018 That's one of the reasons why my '56 truck is getting a Toyota power steering gear and a GM tilt/collapsible column. The early Toy PU gear mounts on the LH frame rail similar to the Dodge. So, custom pitman arm and ujoints should do it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickPick'sCrew Posted November 4, 2018 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2018 Thanks all! Got what I needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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