36 to 37 steering column

[eric]

Swapping 37 column for 36. Question is why is 37 steering shaft about 3 inches longer than 36 ? Do I have a truck column ? Next question, why is 36 horn rod larger diameter than 37. Supposed to simple swap. Seems like big mess and endless fabrication. Any advice is appreciated Thanks, Eric

[flatheadfan]

Eric-

I am somewhat puzzled by your measurement differences. All Ford steering shafts between 1935 and 1940 are 46.50 inches in length (pg. 94 "green bible"). Even the longer '41-'47 steering shaft is only 1.25 inches longer than the '36.

I am just guessing but, I think where the apparent difference you see comes from is the mounting angle of the '36 column and '37 column. They enter inside of the car differently. This is due to the '37 gear box hanging lower on the frame than the '36 box does.

I believe you will also find the diameter and length of the horn rods ('35-'39), are also the same.

Hope this helps.

Tom

[Andy]

I had 5 boxes and all the shafts were different lengths. I just went thru shortening a shaft. I tried butt welding but got some weld globs inside and had to cut it apart. I made a sleeve and welded the sleeve to the two pieces of shaft. I straigtened/annealed the shaft by putting it in a lathe and centering the end with the live center. i just heated it good and hot and let it cool while held. it came out extreamly straight. The shafts have a larger ID in the middle and less on the ends. They necked the shaft down at the wheel and maybe at the worm. I did not check.

[eric]

Thanks, I just re-measured. The 37 shaft is definitely longer. How did you handle the light switch bracket at the end of the steering box. My 36 wont work and I cant locate a 37. Also, I think I have to cut the 36 horn rod insert tube off of the diamond shaped flange and weld it to the 37 square flange. what a mess thanks for your help

[Andy]

The right tubes are out there with the square end plate. I may have a spare. The diagonal light switch bracket is also stock. These parts were used thru 39 stock.

[Andy]

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I did a conversion of a F-100 box for my 32. I did a thread about it on here and the HAMB. It shows pic of the light switch conversion and the shortened shaft. i found that the bearing placements on the worms are the same 32 and 56. I was able measure from the end of the worm on the 32 shaft to determine the required length of the 56 shaft. i needed a small shim to move the switch housing back to get it in the right spot.

[JM 35 Sedan]

I'm not sure why you are having so much trouble and have a big mess with endless fabrication. Two years ago we swapped out the stock steering in a '36 Phaeton with a '37 passenger car steering box and shaft. The most difficult part was removing the original '36 steering box mounting bracket that was riveted to the frame in four places and one spot weld to the top frame rail. Everything else bolted back in place and looked like it was put together on the assembly line. The '36 light switch can fits back on the bottom of the steering box but you will need the formed sheet metal mounting bracket from a '37-'39 steering. I have also changed steering shafts as necessary by pressing the worm gears on and off to get the shaft I wanted. No need for welding these shafts if you know how to press worm gears off and on.
You might want to do a search for some previous posts here on this subject that will give you many of the details on how this swap can be done with minimal hassle.

[oldandtired]

The pickup and passenger car lock mechanisms are not the same distance from the steering wheel, with the pickup one being about twice the distance as the passenger car ones. As someone else pointed out, the mounting plates on the frame are not the same for 35/6 and 37.