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Steering column interference with race headers #2426505
12/31/17 05:41 PM
12/31/17 05:41 PM
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 660
Virginia
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varunner Offline OP
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Virginia
Trial fitting some race headers. The steering column shaft is hitting the top of cylinder 7. At the coupler, the shaft is about 1/2" too high. I'm thinking about lowering the engine, raising the steering box, and/or dimpling the header pipe. any thoughts ?

20171231_133221_resized.jpg
Re: Steering column interference with race headers [Re: varunner] #2426614
12/31/17 07:30 PM
12/31/17 07:30 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,436
Oklahoma City OK
Cudajon Offline
pro stock
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Oklahoma City OK
Car Craft (I Believe) did a test and dimpling a header had no effect until they got really radical. Lots easier than lowering the engine or raising the steering box which could cause steering geometry problems.

Re: Steering column interference with race headers [Re: varunner] #2426675
12/31/17 08:53 PM
12/31/17 08:53 PM
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Virginia
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varunner Offline OP
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Virginia
It's just hard to beat on headers, but I put a pretty healthy dip in them and opened up the mounting holes. Now it's about 1/4" off center. I'm going to keep working it, but even if I get it closer, there will still be an angle between the coupler CL and the steering shaft CL.......

Re: Steering column interference with race headers [Re: varunner] #2426690
12/31/17 09:20 PM
12/31/17 09:20 PM
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Omaha Ne
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TJP Offline
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Omaha Ne
I would buy a piece of mandrel bent tubing then cut and move the tube. twocents

Re: Steering column interference with race headers [Re: varunner] #2426715
12/31/17 09:55 PM
12/31/17 09:55 PM
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 9,791
MI, usa
dvw Offline
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I agree move the tube. Pretty easy to do. Couple bends trim and weld.
Doug

Re: Steering column interference with race headers [Re: varunner] #2426719
12/31/17 10:00 PM
12/31/17 10:00 PM
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Posts: 660
Virginia
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varunner Offline OP
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If I had a tig welder, I think I'd do that. I'm going to bend the pipe down, and bend it back up out at the collector. I only need to move it an 1/8" at the interference.

Re: Steering column interference with race headers [Re: varunner] #2426781
12/31/17 10:46 PM
12/31/17 10:46 PM
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Posts: 9,791
MI, usa
dvw Offline
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Cut it , fit it, tack it. Then have some one Tig it. I've even Migged them with good results.
Doug

Re: Steering column interference with race headers [Re: varunner] #2427001
01/01/18 12:22 PM
01/01/18 12:22 PM
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Ohio
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jlatessa Offline
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Ohio
There is a good bit of adjustability where the steering column attaches to the firewall, have you used all of it up??

Joe

Re: Steering column interference with race headers [Re: dvw] #2427004
01/01/18 12:32 PM
01/01/18 12:32 PM
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Lincoln Nebraska
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RapidRobert Offline
Circle Track
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Lincoln Nebraska
X3, a new piece of header pipe


live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
Re: Steering column interference with race headers [Re: RapidRobert] #2427037
01/01/18 01:42 PM
01/01/18 01:42 PM
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CrazyD Offline
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X4 cut and replace. Additional consideration - engine movement under acceleration will raise that #7 horizontal pipe even more, Fix it right, compromised steering not worth it.

Re: Steering column interference with race headers [Re: varunner] #2427177
01/01/18 03:59 PM
01/01/18 03:59 PM
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Posts: 3,496
Tulsa, Oklahoma
340Cuda Offline
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There is an episode of Engine Masters where they beat crap out of a set of header with no real loss of power so just wacking would probably be okay. However the other solutions offered would certainly be more elligant.

Is it just an optical illusion or is the steering shaft tapered? I thought most were straight. Does it have a power steering to manual adapter.

Good luck with it all.

Re: Steering column interference with race headers [Re: varunner] #2427273
01/01/18 06:00 PM
01/01/18 06:00 PM
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Virginia
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varunner Offline OP
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The adjustment at the firewall won't help the shaft position at the coupler. So the steering box had some slop in the mounting holes, so I pushed it up. Also bent the pipe around some. This allowed me to connect it all up. The shaft slightly touches, but no pressure. That being said, I agree the right way is to re-route the pipe. But I'm not going to mess with it, so I'm going to call who built them and see if I can just send the one pipe back to him. They are used headers and I was going to re-coat them anyway. After working on this car for 10 yrs I'm running out of gas, but I'm close though. Thanks for the feedback. and happy new yr. to all

Brian

Re: Steering column interference with race headers [Re: 340Cuda] #2427276
01/01/18 06:05 PM
01/01/18 06:05 PM
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Posts: 660
Virginia
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varunner Offline OP
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Virginia
No, it's straight. It was a power steering shaft and I modified it for a manual box. No adapter, just a different coupler.

Re: Steering column interference with race headers [Re: varunner] #2428259
01/03/18 01:25 PM
01/03/18 01:25 PM
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Posts: 313
nj
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MoJoe Offline
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nj
I'm thinking of a combo move...a little dent in the tube, a shim or 2 under the steering box and perhaps a universal joint of some kind.

Re: Steering column interference with race headers [Re: varunner] #2428360
01/03/18 04:25 PM
01/03/18 04:25 PM
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 660
Virginia
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varunner Offline OP
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Virginia
I've already put a sizable dent in it and moved the box up. It's already on it's way back to the guy who built them. They were originally built for a car with a motor plate in super stock, motor is moved around in that class. I'm using regular motor mounts, with a torque strap.







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