PS columns - mix-N-match

[brian72]

Trying to get my powersteering going, but it is giving me a headache and all the parts are still on the garage floor. I have a '72 manual column, 1 piece long shaft. When I bought my PS setup it came with the lower shaft off a '76. Will the lower shaft off the '76 only mate up with '76-'77 columns or will it work on a '74 column?<br><br>What can I mix-N-match? Do I need to find '76 column? Or do I need to find a '74 column including the lower shaft?<br><br>My head hurts...

 

[BlackHorse]

You could use the 74 column as long as it is a 74 p/s column with the 76 lower shaft. Well it’s more like you could use the 74 p/s upper shaft with the 76 lower shaft. Here’s how you would do it.<br>1. Remove the steel flange off the 74 upper shaft. Once you do you will find splines 3/4-36.<br>2. Cut a groove about in the center of the splines. This groove will be for the rag joint retaining bolt. The rag joint which should be on the lower 76 shaft.<br>3. Then just bolt this all together. The only reason this works is because the 76-77 lower shaft is collapsible so it will work with the 74 column which is longer than the 76-77.<br>

 

[Explore74]

i have a 74', and the upper shaft on 74' and 75' have the rag joint mount welded to the upper. Makes a body lift a pain. I had to cut my lower shaft and add 3/4" to it.

 

[BlackHorse]

73-75 p/s upper shaft. If it's welded it's not stock. The rag joint flange is pressed onto the end of the upper shaft. It can be removed with a steering wheel puller or harmonic balancer puller.

 

[iwlbcnu]

I have an upper shaft in a column that came with some parts I just bought. email if interested.

 

[brian72]

can an automatic column be converted to run run with a 3spd floor shifter setup? I know on the manual column you can buy the sleeve but is it the same on an auto?

 

[thesnake]

My 73 just unbolted on the auto column.<br><br>snake

 

[Explore74]

[quote author=BlackHorse link=board=5;threadid=12469;start=0#92920 date=1040326023]<br>73-75 p/s upper shaft. If it's welded it's not stock. The rag joint flange is pressed onto the end of the upper shaft. It can be removed with a steering wheel puller or harmonic balancer puller.<br>[/quote]<br>I dont know where you are getting your info, but the upper shaft and joint were made as one piece, and the lower shaft with yoke are one piece. no slip joint, and the only splines are on the u-joint coupler at the steering box. there is a pinch clamp similar to that on a 76'-77' slip joint that acts as a keeper for the lower bearing on the column tube. To remove the upper column, it has to be pulled out the bottom of the tube. This is not the first 74' I have owned, and they were both the same way. I can't speak for 73' or 75' from personal experience, I just have been told by others that the 75' is the same way.

 

[BlackHorse]

[quote author=Explore74 link=board=5;threadid=12469;start=0#93022 date=1040338830]<br>

<br>I dont know where you are getting your info, but the upper shaft and joint were made as one piece, and the lower shaft with yoke are one piece. no slip joint, and the only splines are on the u-joint coupler at the steering box. there is a pinch clamp similar to that on a 76'-77' slip joint that acts as a keeper for the lower bearing on the column tube. To remove the upper column, it has to be pulled out the bottom of the tube. This is not the first 74' I have owned, and they were both the same way. I can't speak for 73' or 75' from personal experience, I just have been told by others that the 75' is the same way.<br>[/quote]<br>My information is correct and a close examination of a 73-75 upper steering shaft will show that. It is easy to mistake the flange and shaft for one piece because the flange will not come off easy and Ford never intended it to come off but it does and when you take it off you will find the splines. I can’t be the only one who has taken off this flange. Anyone else out there removed this flange?<br>Brian are you any farther along on this project?<br>

 

[Explore74]

I wonder if there was ever a service bulletin on the column. After I posted, I checked my truck. Sure enough the memory works. Mine has a weld bead around the inside of the cone created when they draw the flange down (very bottom of the upper shaft). Wasn't trying to argue, but this is the second one that was that way. I do agree that it has to be a splined connection though. But, I do think from what I have found in manuals, that 73' - 75' is correct on the production years.

 

[Trevor]

If you ever need the expensive solution to a problem just e-mail me :-[ . I'm going to learn to weld before too long then I may be able to transition away from being "bolt on man".<br>You can get a Borgeson shaft with a power steering coupler on one end and a manual coupler on the other. You'll have to shorten your manual shaft some depending on how much lift you have.