The Ford Barn

Ball and Chain · 06-09-2017, 02:40 PM

Does anybody know where to buy the proper size (3/4 x ?) reamer for an early ford wheel 35-48? I know its kinda hot rod to put another wheel on an early for column. But im sure somebody fixes stock tapers on original wheels?

TomT/Williamsburg · 06-09-2017, 02:45 PM

Just buy the top portion or the entire 40 steering shaft, cut your column to match the 40 piece and weld it on. Been done many, many times ....

Ball and Chain · 06-09-2017, 03:23 PM

The wheel im using has already been tapered just not down far enough, id rather fix whats there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomT/Williamsburg

Just buy the top portion or the entire 40 steering shaft, cut your column to match the 40 piece and weld it on. Been done many, many times ....

FlatheadTed · 06-09-2017, 03:48 PM

Buy a short drill bit and grind it down to the shape you want use a drill press .you will need to reshape the cutting edge so some skill is required ,What about the key way ? Ted

Ball and Chain · 06-09-2017, 03:54 PM

good idea, it already has a key way broached into it and been tapered just would like to get a couple more threads out of the nut that holds it on

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlatheadTed

Buy a short drill bit and grind it down to the shape you want use a drill press .you will need to reshape the cutting edge so some skill is required ,What about the key way ? Ted

62pan · 06-09-2017, 04:20 PM

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If you take your time you could use a file. A friend had a reamer that was close and that is how I finished it. Put a 37 banjo wheel on a Model A shaft.

rotorwrench · 06-09-2017, 04:40 PM

I'm not sure what taper those shafts are. Morse and Brown & Sharpe are the most common but a person would have to measure the diameter on one end and the other then use the depth of bore to calculate what the angles to center are. If a person has different sets of reamers then they could just compare them by fit.

This link has different types & sizes of them but it also lists the angles of the taper from center. http://littlemachineshop.com/reference/tapers.php

I've heard Folks mention that the Fords use a 7 degree taper but that still doesn't say what taper it is. Ford or their vendors changed taper types a time or two over the years.

Yoyodyne · 06-09-2017, 06:26 PM

See if a Ford tie rod end matches the steering taper. If it does you can buy tie rod reamers from 4X4 fabrication shops. I had to make one long ago before you could buy them, it turned out to be 1.5" per foot, which is very close to 7°

38bill · 06-09-2017, 06:32 PM

Speedway states their modern steering wheel adapter to early Ford has a 7deg taper. Dont know about the length.

http://littlemachineshop.com/reference/tapers.php

woodiewagon46 · 06-09-2017, 07:44 PM

I have a steering wheel for my '46 in my stash and I'll pull it out and measure it. Taper reamers aren't cheap so why not take it to a machine shop and have them do it. Ford did some weird stuff so a stock taper reamer might not be available.

scrapiron · 06-09-2017, 08:16 PM

You will have real problem with a straight flute reamer, trying to work it over a keyway.

jake197000 · 06-09-2017, 08:25 PM

i think you could do it with a dremmel.its not a space shuttle part.oh wait they blew up.

rotorwrench · 06-10-2017, 09:08 AM

My old lathe has a taper turning attachment but it is limited to the amount of degrees it can bore or cut. If a part was fabricated this way then it may not have a standard taper. I'd figure that it would be a faster process to ream them so my money would be on a standard or a Ford specific standard. The key way was likely cut after the tapering was completed so it does complicate things as to changing an existing taper. The key way can be filled with Devcon to use a straight flute reamer then the Devcon can be removed. It would take a long time to lap it in there.

woodiewagon46 · 06-10-2017, 01:32 PM

I tried to mic. the '46 Ford steering wheel I have in my parts stash. The length of the taper is about a little over an inch long. The widest part is .750 and the smallest part of the taper is very hard for me to get a calipers in but looks somewhere like .690. Unless I am reading my taper gauge wrong I only get something like a 2 Degree taper. McMaster-Carr has part no. 8798A14 which is a 1/2" pipe reamer that is fairly close but not exact for $65.00.

Tony, NY · 06-10-2017, 04:02 PM

Is that the taper from side to side? I think it's 2x what you're measuring if you're doing degrees.

woodiewagon46 · 06-10-2017, 05:32 PM

Yes, Tony, degrees. I know there are taper sizes, but a machinist I'm not.

38bill · 06-10-2017, 07:42 PM

FWIW: Here's what I measure from a steering shaft. The taper is 3.5 deg a side for a total of 7 deg.

Yoyodyne · 06-10-2017, 08:48 PM

If you google tie rod reamers you'll find a big selection and price range. Here's a relatively inexpensive one from Speedway. The left hand spiral will cost more than a straight flute reamer but will help bridge the keyway, and will help prevent the reamer from wedging tight into the tapered hole.

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speedw...gree,2918.html

To use one in a hand tool operation you want a straight shank with a square end, not a tapered shank.

Machine tapers like morse and B&S are much shallower tapers than this. Repair reamers may on occasion be 7° or 1.5" per ft, but unless the angle is specified you can't count on that.

06-09-2017, 02:40 PM	#1
Ball and Chain Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Nor*Cal Posts: 720	Proper size reamer early ford steering wheel? Does anybody know where to buy the proper size (3/4 x ?) reamer for an early ford wheel 35-48? I know its kinda hot rod to put another wheel on an early for column. But im sure somebody fixes stock tapers on original wheels? __________________ Throttle Benders Est. 1949

06-09-2017, 02:45 PM	#2
TomT/Williamsburg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia Posts: 2,714	Re: Proper size reamer early ford steering wheel? Just buy the top portion or the entire 40 steering shaft, cut your column to match the 40 piece and weld it on. Been done many, many times .... __________________ Run to the LA Roadster Show - 2016 My Run to Bonneville - 2013 My 32 5-Window Build My Run to the LSRU

06-09-2017, 03:48 PM	#4
FlatheadTed Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Auckland Posts: 4,745	Re: Proper size reamer early ford steering wheel? Buy a short drill bit and grind it down to the shape you want use a drill press .you will need to reshape the cutting edge so some skill is required ,What about the key way ? Ted __________________ http://www.flatheadted.com Flathead Ted brake Floaters ,

06-09-2017, 04:20 PM	#6
62pan Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Middletown Pa Posts: 397	Re: Proper size reamer early ford steering wheel? Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) If you take your time you could use a file. A friend had a reamer that was close and that is how I finished it. Put a 37 banjo wheel on a Model A shaft.

06-09-2017, 04:40 PM	#7
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 17,410	Re: Proper size reamer early ford steering wheel? I'm not sure what taper those shafts are. Morse and Brown & Sharpe are the most common but a person would have to measure the diameter on one end and the other then use the depth of bore to calculate what the angles to center are. If a person has different sets of reamers then they could just compare them by fit. This link has different types & sizes of them but it also lists the angles of the taper from center. http://littlemachineshop.com/reference/tapers.php I've heard Folks mention that the Fords use a 7 degree taper but that still doesn't say what taper it is. Ford or their vendors changed taper types a time or two over the years.

06-09-2017, 06:26 PM	#8
Yoyodyne Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Lancaster PA Posts: 542	Re: Proper size reamer early ford steering wheel? See if a Ford tie rod end matches the steering taper. If it does you can buy tie rod reamers from 4X4 fabrication shops. I had to make one long ago before you could buy them, it turned out to be 1.5" per foot, which is very close to 7°

06-09-2017, 06:32 PM	#9
38bill Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,200	Re: Proper size reamer early ford steering wheel? Speedway states their modern steering wheel adapter to early Ford has a 7deg taper. Dont know about the length. http://littlemachineshop.com/reference/tapers.php

06-09-2017, 07:44 PM	#10
woodiewagon46 BANNED Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Long Island,NY Posts: 1,568	Re: Proper size reamer early ford steering wheel? I have a steering wheel for my '46 in my stash and I'll pull it out and measure it. Taper reamers aren't cheap so why not take it to a machine shop and have them do it. Ford did some weird stuff so a stock taper reamer might not be available.

06-09-2017, 08:16 PM	#11
scrapiron Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Independence, VA Posts: 423	Re: Proper size reamer early ford steering wheel? You will have real problem with a straight flute reamer, trying to work it over a keyway.

06-09-2017, 08:25 PM	#12
jake197000 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 356	Re: Proper size reamer early ford steering wheel? i think you could do it with a dremmel.its not a space shuttle part.oh wait they blew up.

06-10-2017, 09:08 AM	#13
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 17,410	Re: Proper size reamer early ford steering wheel? My old lathe has a taper turning attachment but it is limited to the amount of degrees it can bore or cut. If a part was fabricated this way then it may not have a standard taper. I'd figure that it would be a faster process to ream them so my money would be on a standard or a Ford specific standard. The key way was likely cut after the tapering was completed so it does complicate things as to changing an existing taper. The key way can be filled with Devcon to use a straight flute reamer then the Devcon can be removed. It would take a long time to lap it in there. Last edited by rotorwrench; 06-10-2017 at 09:14 AM.

06-10-2017, 01:32 PM	#14
woodiewagon46 BANNED Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Long Island,NY Posts: 1,568	Re: Proper size reamer early ford steering wheel? I tried to mic. the '46 Ford steering wheel I have in my parts stash. The length of the taper is about a little over an inch long. The widest part is .750 and the smallest part of the taper is very hard for me to get a calipers in but looks somewhere like .690. Unless I am reading my taper gauge wrong I only get something like a 2 Degree taper. McMaster-Carr has part no. 8798A14 which is a 1/2" pipe reamer that is fairly close but not exact for $65.00.

06-10-2017, 04:02 PM	#15
Tony, NY Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Capital of Corruption , NY Posts: 848	Re: Proper size reamer early ford steering wheel? Is that the taper from side to side? I think it's 2x what you're measuring if you're doing degrees.

06-10-2017, 05:32 PM	#16
woodiewagon46 BANNED Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Long Island,NY Posts: 1,568	Re: Proper size reamer early ford steering wheel? Yes, Tony, degrees. I know there are taper sizes, but a machinist I'm not.

06-10-2017, 08:48 PM	#18
Yoyodyne Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Lancaster PA Posts: 542	Re: Proper size reamer early ford steering wheel? If you google tie rod reamers you'll find a big selection and price range. Here's a relatively inexpensive one from Speedway. The left hand spiral will cost more than a straight flute reamer but will help bridge the keyway, and will help prevent the reamer from wedging tight into the tapered hole. http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speedw...gree,2918.html To use one in a hand tool operation you want a straight shank with a square end, not a tapered shank. Machine tapers like morse and B&S are much shallower tapers than this. Repair reamers may on occasion be 7° or 1.5" per ft, but unless the angle is specified you can't count on that.