Steering shaft and Mac Shorties

ricardoa1

Registered User
I am wondering if anyone has succesfuly eliminated the clearence problems with the mac shorties headers and the steering shaft I did a search and havent found a definete solution. I alredy did the banging and grinding.
I found some posibilities doing a search. Welding a skinny rod on it, Using a torque strap, moving the shaft completely. There is also Georges D rag joint elimination but I dont think that does anything to move the shaft. Also Rich Thomsoms offset rack bushings.
What works guys. I have to eliminate the rubbing issues I dont want to spend the money in relocating the shaft since its only a little space that is needed.

I found these in my search.
steering%20shaftmod.jpg

http://members.tccoa.com/392bird/birdworka1.htm
 
i dont remember what i did, go figure :D , but it was something along the lines of offset rack bushings, I think I used different bolts for some reason and enlarged the collars in the frame(if the offset bushings dont fit well then what i just said should make sense? :confused: ), I used the Energy Suspension bushings and placed a steering travel restrictor/s on one side and readjusted the toe so the turns lock to lock would be the same and not some hack job :eek: . You can also slot the frame where the engine mounts sit or redo the entire steering shaft :D , maybe even just ding the header if you really want. Im sure you can replicate the steering shaft thru flaming river,maybe?(uses a thinner tube/shaft and is not collapsible in the event of a head on collision etc)
 
If i didn't already have a bunch of projects going on I'd give you a hand in making a set of headers, or just completely redesigning the drivers side.
 
steering shaft offset

There is a very good article w/process for steering shaft clearance. An SC'er put a 351 in a supcp and has, to me, the only way to get clearance. Takes one or two Steering shaft U-joints, short piece of extra shaft, and a stand-off w/bearing, most of which came from Summit (flaming river). I have confirmed that Borgeson has the same joints etc. Also uses a sleeve joint at the firewall (like circle track cars use) I dont recall the name, but search the TCCoA 5.0 5.8 topics on swaps. I think he posts here, as well. Gives great clearance and is relative easy----certainly easier than fighting with headers etc!
YB
 
yardbird said:
There is a very good article w/process for steering shaft clearance. An SC'er put a 351 in a supcp and has, to me, the only way to get clearance. Takes one or two Steering shaft U-joints, short piece of extra shaft, and a stand-off w/bearing, most of which came from Summit (flaming river). I have confirmed that Borgeson has the same joints etc. Also uses a sleeve joint at the firewall (like circle track cars use) I dont recall the name, but search the TCCoA 5.0 5.8 topics on swaps. I think he posts here, as well. Gives great clearance and is relative easy----certainly easier than fighting with headers etc!
YB

I posted a link of a similar procedure at the bottom of the picture is that the same guy.
 
Yep , its been done. 393Bird and myself had to do the steering shaft mod so we could run long tubes. In the end he couldnt cause of the wider 4r70w. I went with a comp c4 so width at the collectors wasnt an issue. He did a nice article on it, so was was no reason for me to :)

A few pics of mine
Exhaust_015.jpg

Exhaust_014.jpg


Here's a link to his site.

http://members.tccoa.com/393bird/
 
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