Steering shaft interchange- Any dimensions available?

[73SwingerBuild]

I may be missing something plain and obvious, but I'm trying to determine if my B-body column is long enough to make up for the difference in length between the power-steering and manual-steering shafts available for our a-body cars. I currently have a power-steering setup I am trying to swap (see classifieds) for a manual steering set-up, but I realized that I have a power-steering shaft from a B-body laying on the floor of my shop. I know it is longer than the power-steering A-body shaft. But I'm not sure if it's enough to make up the difference between a manual and P/S box.

Do any of you guys have dimensions for your A-body power-steering or manual steering shafts? I wasn't able to find anything online. Here are some dimensions of my B-body, P/S shaft:
Collar (where steering wheel mounts) to far end of coupler: ~42"
Far end of coupler to input of steering shaft to column: 11"
(I would measure the far end of the collar to the firewall mount, but it's adjustable on the steering shafts, so there's room for a little error)

I can measure other dimensions if you think they will matter. Let me know what you guys think (or if you'd like to swap me a manual setup for a P/S setup lol)

-Mike

 

[Jim Lusk]

Seems to me I used a b-body power steering shaft in an a-body with manual steering, but that was many years ago. I can tell you that the housings, while not exactly the same, are the same dimensions between a 67 b-body and 67 a-body.

 

[BillGrissom]

Having taken my A-body steering apart (see my post), it seems that +/-1" shouldn't make much difference. The whole column assembly slides forward to meet the power steering gear and you clamp it to the dash at that point (also clamp slideable bottom plate when column is centered). The clamp has a notch that fits in a slot in the column tube, so unless you exceed the slot length, no problem. Indeed, you can flip the clamp over or bend back the tab to get more axial adjustment.

The only issue I can think of in sliding the column in and out is that your steering wheel will be in a different position, which is perhaps more of a preference issue. After-market steering wheels w/ adapters probably vary anyway.

Perhaps a bigger difference than A to B bodies is whether you have the older fixed or collapsible column and shaft. I think that started in '68 or '69. A collapsible column is smart so you don't risk impalement in a frontal collision, but I don't know about interchangeability.

 

[73SwingerBuild]

The extra column I have is from a 1972 roadrunner. I'm not sure if it is collapsible or not. I know that when I tried to slide the steering shaft in and out of the column, there was no play.

Does anybody known the length difference between a P/S and Manual column on an a-body (or in other words, the length of those ridiculously price adapters)? I know at one point I held the powersteering a-body column next to the b-body column I have and the b-body column was ~2-3 inches longer. I wonder if this would put it in a range close enough to bolt up... It may be time to rip the steering box and shaft out of the dart and start from scratch. If I find a manual box and/or column, it'll be coming out anyways.

 

[Jim Lusk]

1967 was the first year of the collapsible steering column.

 

[73SwingerBuild]

1967 was the first year of the collapsible steering column.

Is that to say all steering columns made after 1967 were collapsible?

 

[Jim Lusk]

Yes.

 

[xlexl]

Manual 40 3/8"
Power 36 3/8"

MS shaft came out of 67 Barracuda notch
PS shaft came out of a 68 barracuda notch

cant find pic on my camera have to go out and take another one

 

[xlexl]

 

[73SwingerBuild]

I think I can find 1-1/2" of adjustability in the B-body column... especially since I measured mine with the coupler on it, so it will probably be closer to 42" or 42.5" with the coupler off. I found a guy willing to trade his manual box for my rebuilt power-steering, so the experiment will begin soon! I'll post the results here for everybody's reference.

Thanks everybody for responding.

 

[xlexl]

I think I can find 1-1/2" of adjustability in the B-body column... especially since I measured mine with the coupler on it, so it will probably be closer to 42" or 42.5" with the coupler off. I found a guy willing to trade his manual box for my rebuilt power-steering, so the experiment will begin soon! I'll post the results here for everybody's reference.

Thanks everybody for responding.

If it ends up not working out, i'd be interested in trading my MS box and shaft for your PS box, saves me rebuilding mine....

 

[73SwingerBuild]

I'll keep that in mind xlexl. Thanks again. I'll get back to you soon.