LocostUSA.com

After a bit of thought, decided to move my steering wheel a bit. Always seemed too low and a bit too far away. Decided this when the crappy (new) u-joint has a little play. Replacing that and decided to lengthen the shaft going down to the rack since it is little short. Wanted a bit more in the splined section. If I'm going to do that, just move the whole column closer by an inch. Pretty sure there is about 6" of shaft in the steering tube. I should be able to cut the weld, slide the shaft out and reweld. That gets the wheel an inch closer after I move the the column. To do that, I need to make some new brackets. Need to make some special spacers or do some welding. Making a new bracket and bushing for the front attachment and haven't decided for the rear mounting point. I like the idea of welding a new plate on there but it seems like a spacer made out of 3/8 aluminum would be fine.

After doing a couple of calculations, lowering the front mounting point about 1/4" and raising the rear mounting point 3/8" will get the wheel sitting about 3/4" higher. That should be much better.

One of the great things about these cars. You get to have the steering wheel in the perfect spot. And if it isn't, you move it.

Bremms, I also wanted a little flexibility in being able to adjust my steering column when I wanted, so I made this bracket that bolts up around my steering column out of 3/8ths steel, then cut a slot in it.
If I want to adjust my wheel I just loosen the bolt and move it up or down in the raceway that is in the steel plate.
The column under the hood is also on a pivot bracket so it moves as well.

It was a really simple solution.

Al

The up/down can be accomodated fairly easily if the donor had tilt capability. I know this is hindsight for Bremms. But getting the wheel "just right" is a builder's dilemma as Bremms has found out. I stripped a lot of the donor tilt stuff and simplified the mechanism. I have it currently set with my bolts just snug+. This way I can be persuasive and raise or lower the wheel according to my desire or if I change drivers, otherwise it stays in place. This photo may be of some help to the beginning builder. Some of today's cars have both tilt and extension capabilities. That might be worth looking for.

Mounting the column with 2 pairs of heim joints allows for a lot of both height and tilt adjustment.

Here's a good tip, mount a manufacturers tilt column in such a way that you can use the tilt to get in and out easy rather than a quick release wheel (flip the wheel up).

i am in the process of looking for a tilt column for my car, it needs to be a ford ranger 2003.

I'm using The original column not just a rod to the wheel. So rod ends are not going to work. Still nice to have one that will collapse, just in case.. Have to make a few pieces for the steering.

Spacer ring for the lower mount. Sliding the column back 1.25 inches will put the bracket on a different area on the housing so it needs a spacer.

I already cut the steering shaft to slide the joint shaft out farther. I'm lengthening it 1.75 inches.

Making extension/ spacers for the rear mount. Starting with 3/8" thick, that will raise the wheel about 3/4".

The wheel has a 1/2" spacer so if I want the wheel a little farther away. Removing it is simple.

Steering wheel is now in the perfect location. Happy with all the brackets and mods.
Tried it with and without the 1/2 inch spacer. Hard to decide. If it was a track car, the spacer would stay for sure, as the extra 1/2 inch closer gives better control.

Total movement- 1.25 inches toward the driver and about ~0.85 inch higher with the 1/2" spacer

Without the spacer 0.75" closer to the driver and 0.75" higher