Steering Shaft vs. Header Clearance

Daggar · Oct 16, 2006

Heya,

I've got a new motor combo in the car. Part of that combo is a set of Bassani 1 3/4 inch shorties.

My Problem:

When turning the wheel, the knuckle of the steering shaft baaaaaaaaaaarely makes contact with one of the primary tubes on the headers.

My Question is:
Can I loosen the bolt in the engine compartment and lengthen that shaft to get more of an angle on the steering shaft and gain more clearance for the header?

What I mean is:
Will lengthening that shaft and increasing the angle (if possible) push that knuckle closer to the outside of the car and give me the clearance I need?

Thanks,
Daggs

Roland69 · Oct 16, 2006

you could maby file or grind a very small amount of the knuckle so you have a little more room. But I think with the torque movement of the engine while giving a little gas going around a corner might still rub. Your idea might work too..... or maby you might have to dent the header tube a little as well (sux I know)

Daggar · Oct 16, 2006

Header denting is not an option. hehe

They're Ceramic coated. I've taken a look at some of the aftermarket steering shafts out there too. the toruble is that none of them really say "how" thay provide additional header clearance but only that "they do". They also don't indicate what type of headers they're supposedly providing aditional clearance for.

All I'm looking for is a way to increase the shaft angle a bit so that they're further away.

Anyone out there got some personal "how to" on this sort of thing?

DMAN302 · Oct 16, 2006

You could pull the shaft and have it turned down to allow you the clearance you need if you can't attain the lenght you need with your above idea.

Daggar · Oct 16, 2006

That raises the question of whether or not turning it down would give me the clearance I need with regard to torquing the motor under acceleration like Roland suggested.

I just don't know if lnegthening will move it away from the center of the car or not. I mean... that bracket's that hold the steering column may not allow for that kind adjustment.

I've never taken that apart so I don't know one way or the other whether the bottom portion of the column would move out or not.

cardudeusa · Oct 16, 2006

I have the Flaming River shaft kit, its a lot skinnier so it does provide more room. It was a bitch to get lined up correctly though.

nasty93 · Oct 16, 2006

Have put new motor mount in the car? If not that would be the first tang to do. Old mounts tend to sag and you have clearance problums.Next make sure your steering shaft is not in at an angle. I had this prblum.

retro50 · Oct 16, 2006

I had the same problem with my old style Mac 1 3/4" Long tubes. I slid two 1/8" thick flatwashers in between the engine block and the motor mounts. (one for each bolt). I did this on both sides. This raised the engine up an 1/8" and cleared the rag joint on the steering shaft. The washer trick should work good.

Roland69 · Oct 16, 2006

I was just going to mention shimming the motor mounts or replacing with some polly or solid mounts.

Daggar · Oct 17, 2006

Yeah... I'm using aftermarket motor mounts that sit a little higher that the sotckers. I also have 1/2 inch shims on top of that. At first it was all good. I had about 1/4 to 1/8 inch clearance for the headers but once everything settled in a bit, my gap disappeared. I'm not looking forward to the prospect of having to jack the motor again and slide even larger spacers in there. I'd probably also have to go to a longer motor mount bolt than the ones that are already in there.

I may give that flaming river steering shaft a shot. Did you have to remove the header or jack the motor to get the thing in there?

thehueypilot · Oct 17, 2006

Doesn't the stock steering shaft have a "rag" type u-joint at the bottom end and the top end has a smaller diameter, solid, u-joint? The aftermarket has the smaller, solid u-joints on both ends so it would give you more clearance. The only down side is the vibration you will feel through the steering wheel because you eliminated the rubber insolator that was the "rag" joint in the OEM piece.

Daggar · Oct 17, 2006

thehueypilot said:
Doesn't the stock steering shaft have a "rag" type u-joint at the bottom end and the top end has a smaller diameter, solid, u-joint? The aftermarket has the smaller, solid u-joints on both ends so it would give you more clearance. The only down side is the vibration you will feel through the steering wheel because you eliminated the rubber insolator that was the "rag" joint in the OEM piece.

Hmmm... that's kinda what's driving me nuts now. lol When the upper (smaller) joint rubs against the header, it vibrates the whole assembly. Well that and the fact that it wear through my shiney ceramic coating before too long (if it hasn't already).

$uperstang · Oct 17, 2006

Under your dash near the steering wheel there are a couple bolts that you can loosen and move the steering wheel ever so slightly toward the side you would need clearance on, it may help out.

RsStanG1987 · Oct 17, 2006

This may be a long shot but i seen on muscle car a couple months ago they had the same prob on the camaro I belive so they added another joint to the shaft to get the clearance needed. I also seen the same method used on that american hotrod show on discovery. Kinda looked like they cut the shaft and stuck the new joint in the middle so instead of the shaft being like the shape of an I it looked more like this ). It worked out fine on both shows . I will see if i can find the pictures online. Also my car had the same prob as you so i suck shims under my motor mounts but eventually they would break off and it would rub again so i dented my header.

jrichker · Oct 17, 2006

Sound Sound like it is time to make a pilgrimage to the metal shop, with a suitable bribe. You need to fab up some aluminum 1/4" or thicker aluminum plates that fit between the motor mounts and the engine block. That will raise the engine without changing the mount geometry.

RsStanG1987 · Oct 17, 2006

jrichker said:
Sound Sound like it is time to make a pilgrimage to the metal shop, with a suitable bribe. You need to fab up some aluminum 1/4" or thicker aluminum plates that fit between the motor mounts and the engine block. That will raise the engine without changing the mount geometry.

Thats actually ingenious i wish i thought of that with mine..

Daggar · Oct 17, 2006

That'll probably be the ticket. I'll need to shake in there and verify the size of the spacers that are in there now then go maybe 1/4 inch additional on the plates. I'll also likely need ot order some longer bolts.

srothfuss · Oct 17, 2006

Has anyone increased the angle of the intermediate shaft in relation to the rag-joint? I ask this because too much of an angle could cause binding while you turn the wheel...

JR's idea is the best. Unless you want to throw down some $$ for the flaming river shaft?

Dean85GT · Oct 17, 2006

But by raising your engine up with this not affect the driveshaft angle?

bt15 · Oct 17, 2006

$uperstang said:
Under your dash near the steering wheel there are a couple bolts that you can loosen and move the steering wheel ever so slightly toward the side you would need clearance on, it may help out.

I did this and it completely fixed my clearance issues, with tons of room to spare. It's quick & easy. Just loosen the bolts and then move the shaft wherever you need to.

Steering Shaft vs. Header Clearance

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