Collapsible steering column help

[A ron]

I'm wanting to install a collapsible steering column. My car however has two helms/mounts on the steering shaft. All the ones I can find only have one. Is there such a thing as a split helm that I can bolt together? Any other suggestions? Wanting to make the car as safe as possible.

[hammond motorsports]

You have a GRT?? If so Sweet has a column for that .

[A ron]

Yes sir it's older though (98). I will check it out man thanks!

[A ron]

I found it man! Thanks a ton!

[cheaterleaddog]

safety

I'm wanting to install a collapsible steering column. My car however has two helms/mounts on the steering shaft. All the ones I can find only have one. Is there such a thing as a split helm that I can bolt together? Any other suggestions? Wanting to make the car as safe as possible.

I remove the shaft out g body stock steering columns since the column is inside car they are in great condition unlike the ones located under hood the small end is 3/4" and the other end is double d. A regular u joint welds on small end and the double d can be found in most street rod catalogs.

[A ron]

I will look into this as well!

[merc123]

We used this in our GRT. The end of the shaft came out to about the firewall and we put a solid shaft with a knuckle from the rack to the collapsible one. The solid shaft had a 2nd heim on it and we welded a mount (plate with hole in it) to the frame right near the firewall.

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speedway-Collapsible-Steering-Column-32-42-Inch,33036.html

You may also be able to use this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D951Z1G/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00D951Z1G&linkCode=as2&tag=lawsraci-20&linkId=T5SOQPDSDQJMWSGX

[A ron]

I went on and dropped $350 or whatever it was on the one from sweet. Outrageous price but a lot cheaper than a collapsed chest. Thanks for all the help guys.

[Matt49]

^^^ I wish everybody thought this way

[72Dubya]

I went on and dropped $350 or whatever it was on the one from sweet. Outrageous price but a lot cheaper than a collapsed chest. Thanks for all the help guys.

You picked a good one! Put the Sweet shaft in my Street Stock and I LOVE it. The install was easy and it is nice and tight, no slop at all. I may have lost a little money that I could have put into other little things, but safety should always be at the top of everyone's off-season upgrade list.

[A ron]

Thanks Matt. Yeah I could probably have gotten a nice set of Ohlins for what I've spent on Safety stuff so far, and still have more to do to be as safe as possible but can't afford to not show up to work on Monday.

[72Dubya]

Safety before speed. Always. You definitely have your priorities straight. Some guys that have been at it for years seem to think the opposite.

I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors, always glad to see someone new step into the dirt racing world!

[billetbirdcage]

BiG SAFETY NOTE, when running a collapsible steering column:

Since the column can collapse, if the set screw that attaches the u-joint to the rack (which never seems to stay in and often overlooked that it's missing) comes out or loosens there is nothing that keeps the column from shortening and pulling off the rack. This can happen in other places depending on how your column is set up in the car.

You need to attach a hose clamp to the column so it can't shorten on it's own without some added pressure like a wreck. Simply install the hose clamp next to the sliding part of the column (most of these are typically square or a splined shaft) where it hits the larger diameter tube it slides in and out off. This will stop it from shortening and pulling off the rack and thus NO STEERING. The hose clamp will not hold it in a wreck and allow it to collapse yet will keep it where it belongs should the set screw come out.

You can also put the clamp next to a firewall bearing if your using that, just anything to add resistance to the columns ability to shorten with little to no force.

I've seen my share of destroyed cars due to this.

[billetbirdcage]

Ron, the easiest way to install in a older GRT car is to just use a firewall bearing instead of a 2nd rodend on the column. Install the one on the column like normal to the column support and run the sliding end of the column out the foot box/firewall.

Something like this: http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Firewa...haft,2044.html
Obviously your firewall should be made of something a little thicker then plain .040 colored sheet metal for best results but it does work fine with .040 but I prefer thicker .050 on that piece. You can always add a stiffener bracket if you so desire.

Too keep the column more straight so it isn't at an extreme angle and gives more foot/gas pedal room and makes the steering wheel more square to the driver, I prefer to run it out the firewall and to the left of the mid plate vertical bar that has the mid plate tabs. So the column isn't running between the vertical bar and the C shaped cut out in the mid plate, it will be on the left side of the vertical bar. Then use a u-joint just outside the fire wall and directly too the rack with another U-joint and you're done.

Then install the hose clamp on the end of the sliding column where it goes thru the firewall bearing just in front of the u-joint to stop the problem I listed above.

Also when making the lower half of the rest of the column, be sure to phase the u-joints so they are clocked correctly as this is often overlooked and can cause binding or a non smooth steering action if they have some angle to the u-joints

[A ron]

Billet I scratched my head for an hour thinking how to prevent what you were talking about haha I ended up with a hose clamp where you were talking about and one around the joint at the rack to keep that screw from backing out. Also I agree the sweet column truly is "sweet" compared the sloppy thing that was in it before. Wheel feels very solid. Thanks everybody for your help.