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'72 K5 - Greg's @MightAsWellK5 Build

This is the build description. I will improve this later. (GB)
Overview Gallery Discussion
Lol, just made me think of when we had a major earthquake and everyone was freaking out. I looked at my Dad and he was just leaning to one side with a huge smile on his face.

I asked "WTF?" He just nodded and said "when it's your time to go, ya just gotta go"

I do agree with the steering shaft... MAW.
 
I think you might be confused about the steering column thing. Spearing the driver in the chest was a byproduct of when the steering column used to literally run down solid to the steering box.

Besides with forward bars on the frame tied to the cage you'll never get the front end frame peel up like a stock vehicle.

I still condone the collapsible shaft though because let's be honest, no on likes having to drop their steering box to remove the shaft to remove the header...
 
With an XJ shaft conversion on the newer square bodies you get collapsible shaft and two U joints.

There is not reason for you to be even considering using the stock shaft or anything that even resembles it.

Build one that has some U joints in it and run it anyway you want so that it is not in the way of the header. you could have it run down and parallel the frame or some other totally off the wall routing.

On ORD's Wally the steering box is in the middle the truck with a steering shaft running to it, so anything is possible for a shaft.

The need for a collapsible shaft is only when the shaft is in a direct line with your chest, aka the early VW bugs. I think after the bug's issue they made it mandatory for all cars/ trucks. Don't think that a truck has that kind of issues but they did get them put them in.
 
Stomis said:
I think you might be confused about the steering column thing. Spearing the driver in the chest was a byproduct of when the steering column used to literally run down solid to the steering box.

Besides with forward bars on the frame tied to the cage you'll never get the front end frame peel up like a stock vehicle.

I still condone the collapsible shaft though because let's be honest, no on likes having to drop their steering box to remove the shaft to remove the header...
Click to expand...
It is still a straight line from the box to the steering wheel. There are joints in between the two, but it is pretty much a straight line. I don't think we hear much about drivers getting speared the GM trucks that have steering boxed in the front is because there are collapsible shafts and joints in the setup.
 
Greg72 said:
It was a rainy day yesterday, so there was no chance to get the truck out of the garage to turn it around.

I did the next best thing, and moved the truck back a few feet toward the garage door to create more working space around the front of the truck.


To begin on the driver's side header the steering shaft needs to be installed to "block out" that space from the tube routing. I took a few measurements and photos so confirm what I think I need to order:

At the steering box: 3/4" diameter.... (Splines with a huge flat side machined in "D-shape" design)??

IMG_7083.jpg



And at the steering column: 3/4" diameter, 36-spline:

IMG_7086.jpg



I'd really like to get those parts ordered, so if anyone can confirm that I've named these correctly I'd appreciate it. :waytogo:




-G
Click to expand...
I guess nobody answered your question. The steering box would be still 3/4" 30 spline. That is how the aftermarket steering joints classify it. If the shaft was full round, with splines, it would count to 30. The flat ended up a convenient place to put the set screw. The steering shaft, make sure your count is correct and you should be fine.
Here is something from summit. http://static.summitracing.com/global/images/chartsguides/a/afc-30303.pdf
 
kgblazerfive said:
With an XJ shaft conversion on the newer square bodies you get collapsible shaft and two U joints.

There is not reason for you to be even considering using the stock shaft or anything that even resembles it.
Click to expand...

Don't forget, the "stock" setup was much more of a straight shot with the steering box bolted to the outside of the framerail.... Now with my steering box on the INSIDE of the framerail, none of the stock parts are going to work anyway. :)


JDNobodi said:
I guess nobody answered your question. The steering box would be still 3/4" 30 spline. That is how the aftermarket steering joints classify it. If the shaft was full round, with splines, it would count to 30. The flat ended up a convenient place to put the set screw. The steering shaft, make sure your count is correct and you should be fine.
Here is something from summit. http://static.summitracing.com/global/images/chartsguides/a/afc-30303.pdf
Click to expand...

Thanks! I found that chart buried on the FlamingRiver website too. Looks like I'm at 3/4"-36 on one side and 3/4"-30 on the other. I didn't find a true collapsible stainless shaft anywhere....FR has a goofy-looking spring loaded version of the center shaft. I was hoping for just a simple "sleeved" one... It seems like on the old Borgeson unit they used a sleeve and some kind of hard plastic shear-pins pins to lock them together at a fixed length. :dunno:


-G
 
My Borgeson has a groove milled on one flat the 3/4 DD so a mini leaf spring would fit. The 1" DD has a slot milled for clearance for a sockets head cap screw that is screwed into the 3/4" DD.
The leaf spring takes up the slack while the screw in the slot prevent over extension.
Greased up, mine moves quite freely.
 
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If you ended up putting three joints in it for clearance, you would not need a collapsible shaft, as it would not push it straight.

Martin
 
Jester1 said:
Dont you need to keep the original shaft for concourse judging?

Because.........showcar
Click to expand...

True.

The missing rag joint will tip off the judges that the truck was not properly restored to a 100-point concours vehicle. :haha:

-G
 
With today's technology we don't need steering shafts.

Just hook up an optical sensor on the 3/4" input shaft and a steer by wire/ hydro ram.
It would be an epic addition to the current steering setup.


...and by 2018 it will be oldschool tech.
 
More photos of the Driver's Side effort so far......

Cylinder #1 ended up being a mirror image duplicate of the passenger side (Cyl #2).... But after that, I had to make some changes to fit the steering shaft.

IMG_7185.jpg



As you can see in this one (Cyl #1, 3 & 5) the routing had to get a bit more creative to clear the steering... and I had HOPED that there would be a way to do each exhaust port above the steering shaft so that the header could be removed without disassembling the steering shaft.... but it looks like #7 will end up on the underside of the shaft which will basically trap it there.

IMG_7189.jpg



Here's a shot from the front showing the tiny amount of room I've got to work with to make everything fit... :yikes:

IMG_7193.jpg



And a parting shot of the engine compartment from a little further back to show both headers in a single photo...

IMG_7197.jpg



I stopped at that point so that I could call Flaming River directly for help. They gave me the following part numbers for the final column design:

FR2546DD = 3/4" x 30-spline DD (Steering Box) in Stainless
FR2515DD = 3/4" x 36-spline DD (Steering Column) in Stainless
FR1856 - 3/4" DD to 1" DD Stainless collapsible steering shaft 42" long (universal)

UPS confirmed that these were all delivered today, so I will be able to get them installed and remove my "fake" steering parts. I didn't really want to start rendering the exhaust in final form until I knew EXACTLY where the interferences would be.

Looks like I'll be able to start removing the green tape welds, and replacing them with TIG-tacked stuff over the weekend! :saweet:


-G
 
I was going to say to make sure to leave enough space between header tubes to pull the joint ends of the steering shaft through, but sounds like you got that figured out
 
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bp71k5 said:
I was going to say to make sure to leave enough space between header tubes to pull the joint ends of the steering shaft through, but sounds like you got that figured out
Click to expand...

Yeah....we'll see!

Having the "real" steering parts is critical because I wasn't really sure exactly where each bend was going to be and the exact path that the steering shaft would take (within 1/4" accuracy) through the primary tubes. Everything clears with decent amounts of space currently, but if the new parts end up aligned slightly different I'm going to have to do some "tweaks" on my cuts and angles before I start tacking everything together.


-G
 
How well are the ORI's gonna cope with header heat? Looks like #1 and #2 both brush past the strut body pretty closely.
 
tRustyK5 said:
How well are the ORI's gonna cope with header heat? Looks like #1 and #2 both brush past the strut body pretty closely.
Click to expand...

Well... The headers get JetHot coated at the end of the build, so we will just have to see if that does the trick.... If not, I will have to come up with some kind of thermal wrap, or a small metal heat shield of some kind... :dunno:

-G
 
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