Steering Shaft Taper Sizes?

[gwhite]

Tonight I was messing around with my 30 steering shaft & decided it would be interesting to see if a '40 Ford steering wheel would fit (some aftermarket vendors sell 'adapters' for "29-48 Fords" - implying that all Ford taper shafts are the same for those years). My 1930 steering shaft is evidently a little larger than what Ford was cranking out in 1940, as the '40 wheel only comes down about halfway onto the '30 shaft.

I'm curious if Ford changed the taper shaft to the smaller (up to 1948) size during Model A production or if this change was made at a later point.

[Tom Wesenberg]

My 31 Town Sedan had a late 30's banjo wheel on it when I bought it. It fit with no adaptor.

[woodypecker]

I have a 1941 shaft and a shaft out of a 1931 and the model A wheel sets lower on the 41 shaft and the center hole is smaller on the 41.

[Rowdy]

As I Posted on the HAB for you earlier today.

I tried this afternoon to put the banjo wheel on the 2 tooth column shaft and it would not fo on far enough to fully engage the key or to start the wheel nut. Pic's below of the 2 tooth shaft next to the 37 shaft that the banjo wheel cam off of and the failed attempt to put the banko on the Model A steering shaft. I did not have the chance to put a mic on the shafts or to measure the length of the taper. They both use the same wheel nut, so that end is likely the same. Rod

[gwhite]

Thanks Rod! I cleaned up as much grease and corrosion off the shaft as I could and took in after it with the dial caliper - bottom of the A taper is .78" (approx 25/32); top of the taper is .71" (approx 21/32). Measured a '41 shaft and it came out to .75" at the bottom; .68" at the top; both the A and the '41 use a 5/8-18 jamb nut, Woodruff key is identical.

Always heard the taper was the same from 1929-48, clearly it wasn't - just in case anyone wanted to put a later wheel on an A.

[Russ B]

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I measure about 0.02" larger diameter for the Model A taper at top and bottom.

Does anyone sell a reamer to adjust the steering wheel hub a bit? As a kid in the sixties, I tediously filed the taper on my Model A so I could fit a Grant style column adaptor, but it never fit as good as I felt it should. I have the same problem again now, a Model A shaft and wanting to adapt a later Ford/Lincoln taper steering wheel to it.

[Tom Wesenberg]

My 31 slant T/S had a banjo steering wheel on it when I bought the car. I removed it and installed the correct wheel with no problem.

[Russ B]

Originally Posted by 1930 coupe

I bought a reproduction 30-31 steering wheel that would not go on the shaft all the way.
I chucked the shaft in the lathe and dialed in the taper on the compound. I then removed the shaft and put a grinding stone in the lathe, I used a diamond stone dresser and the compound to put the correct taper on the stone. I then put the stone in a high speed hand drill and ground out the taper in the steering wheel until it fit properly on the shaft.

That sounds like a good approach.

[J Franklin]

Go slow and check fit often- Or else!