Replacing a non 1933 steering wheel - what else fits?

[steve hackel]

I have a 33 pick up with a something ? Chevy steering wheel currently mounted to the column. Other than a stock 33 wheel, what years will
fit up to the steering shaft without any modifications? In searching the
for sale adds it appears that a 33 wheel is difficult to locate, but I don't
need an original, just something that can take its place. Any suggestions
are welcome. Thanks, Steve

[TJ]

Originally Posted by steve hackel

I have a 33 pick up with a something ? Chevy steering wheel currently mounted to the column. Other than a stock 33 wheel, what years will
fit up to the steering shaft without any modifications? In searching the
for sale adds it appears that a 33 wheel is difficult to locate, but I don't
need an original, just something that can take its place. Any suggestions
are welcome. Thanks, Steve

Is the steering wheel on a stock column, or does your pickup have another type of column? A Chevy steering wheel does not fit a stock '33 steering column. More info is needed here before anyone can give an answer.

[cas3]

The tapered end on the Ford shaft is the same for many years, 32 thru late 40's or so. Not sure when they went to splines , I do not know much about newer stuff. So lots of wheels will fit, the trick will be if you want to use the 33 light switch and horn button, then you need to get creative. I used a 30 31 A wheel on my 34 coupe because I like the 4 spoke wheel. The A shaft is larger so a shim was made, and the A light switch modified to the 34 length.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by cas3

The tapered end on the Ford shaft is the same for many years, 32 thru late 40's or so. Not sure when they went to splines , I do not know much about newer stuff. So lots of wheels will fit, the trick will be if you want to use the 33 light switch and horn button, then you need to get creative. I used a 30 31 A wheel on my 34 coupe because I like the 4 spoke wheel. The A shaft is larger so a shim was made, and the A light switch modified to the 34 length.

[TJ]

Originally Posted by cas3

The tapered end on the Ford shaft is the same for many years, 32 thru late 40's or so. Not sure when they went to splines , I do not know much about newer stuff. So lots of wheels will fit, the trick will be if you want to use the 33 light switch and horn button, then you need to get creative. I used a 30 31 A wheel on my 34 coupe because I like the 4 spoke wheel. The A shaft is larger so a shim was made, and the A light switch modified to the 34 length.

They went to the splined shaft in 1949. Not sure but it may have started with the '48 F-1 pickup. The '48 passenger cars still had the taper and key.

[steve hackel]

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Stock column ? Now that's a good question. Did the 33 pick ups use a passenger
car stock type column drop with the lever and lock? This truck does not have one,
but I have no experience with the trucks I'm flying blind. Can someone post a picture
of the stock column at the dash and a picture of a stock steering box? It's just

going to be one question at a time till I solve these issues. Thanks

[deuce lover]

Post a pic or 2 of what you have. Pickup column drops are slightly different than pass car.Sorry I don't have any pics.

[TJ]

Originally Posted by steve hackel

Stock column ? Now that's a good question. Did the 33 pick ups use a passenger
car stock type column drop with the lever and lock? This truck does not have one,
but I have no experience with the trucks I'm flying blind. Can someone post a picture
of the stock column at the dash and a picture of a stock steering box? It's just

going to be one question at a time till I solve these issues. Thanks

Your pickup should have a steering column and lock that looks like the passenger car with a few slight differences to the lock and column mount itself. A photo would be helpful, but it sounds like you have a non stock column if you have no lock and a Chevrolet steering wheel. Is the rest of the pickup stock?

[steve hackel]

Yes - stock, 1933 truck, B' 4 cylinder motor and trans, mechanical brakes, modern style tube shocks, front bumper but no rear bumper, I will try for a picture or three this

afternoon - the sun might be out. Thanks

[steve hackel]

I managed to get photos of the steering box ,
the pitman arm, and the column jacket with
a non original bell just below the Chevy wheel.
The pitman arm appears correct, and the bottom of the box is open for a light harness - light switch body and its attachment bail ? If the box and steering shaft are original / correct, then a column jacket and steering wheel are probably all that I will need. I'm not too concerned with having the lights operate through the column, but if I can solve some of these issues then
a stock light harness might work too. Thoughts,?

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by steve hackel

I managed to get photos of the steering box ,
the pitman arm, and the column jacket with
a non original bell just below the Chevy wheel.
The pitman arm appears correct, and the bottom of the box is open for a light harness - light switch body and its attachment bail ? If the box and steering shaft are original / correct, then a column jacket and steering wheel are probably all that I will need. I'm not too concerned with having the lights operate through the column, but if I can solve some of these issues then
a stock light harness might work too. Thoughts,?

[TJ]

Looking at the photos it's difficult to tell what modifications have been done. It appears the column tube is not stock and hard to say what has been done to the upper part to fit the Chevrolet steering wheel. Have you removed the wheel to see if someone cut a keyway in it to fit the stock shaft? or has someone added another piece (sleeve) to the stock shaft to fit the Chevrolet wheel? In order to tell what has been done all the pieces need to be removed. Somebody wasted a lot of time fitting a Chevrolet wheel to a Ford.

[Seth Swoboda]

I agree with TJ. Why did someone go to this effort to put that steering wheel on? That I suppose is not the point here though.

If it were my truck, I would locate a stock 33 steering column, column drop and steering wheel and make the truck right. That should not be a difficult task.

[FlatheadTed]

Its likey a welded spline piece ,I modified a spline that was on a 32 he wanted a 39 wheel ,I key way d it and turned a taper on it worked good . there was still a trace of the spline but it didn't matter , Maybe you can do the same ,Ted

[Steve in Denver]

Will a '37 mounting plate and steering column fit in a '33?
I drilled the rivets out of my '36 and bolted a '37 mounting plate in and '37 box and column. I used steel lock nuts.

[steve hackel]

So far it appears rhat the upper portion of the shaft has been replaced and us solid with no horn/ light rod hole through it. The jacket is home made from something late.model and has remnants of a column shifter hole . Ugh...
I didn't build it, I just bought it and will make do.
I will need to advertise for a good shaft., tube and column drop, but I've dealt with worse things this over my 65 years of playing with model A's. What years will interchange for the parts I'll be needing here? Thanks again !

[Seth Swoboda]

I would put an ad on the Barn for a '33 steering wheel, column tube, column drop and steering gear box. It would be a really simple install. An added bonus is you can use the Ford light wiring harness and horn button. I think you'll find the V8 Fords more comfortable to drive than the Model A's. I have both and I prefer a V8 Ford.

[glennpm]

I did some seaarching for you and found a 2016 listing for a '33 switch housing on the HAMB. The listing didn't say passenger or truck.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...-only.1012992/



Below is a portion of the lock housing for the Green Book but note that the B 3676 indicates that it is good through '34 as shown below. This is not correct for passenger cars. It may be that the pickup trucks 32 to 34, used the 32 passenger part B 3676. Also note that the 40 3676 is for passenger and then 46 3676 for all commercials. This may not be correct either. For some years the pickup and commercials are mounted at a steeper angle with less distance for the lock assembly between the bottom of the dash and the hole for the column, part 3509. From the picture above there is already little distance between the hole and the bottom of dash mounting. Need some help from truck owners here to clarify.

[john in illinois]

Might contact Neal Ca. He has helped me in the past. Expert on early steering.

[email protected]

John

[steve hackel]

My research and others answers indicate that the 1932 column drop will work on the 33-34 pick up truck dash due to the angle on the bottom side. The passenger style would work if I make a tapered shim to compensate for the truck dash angle versus the nearly straight passenger dash. The information is coming together nicely with the aid of everyone's collective knowledge. Looking like I'll need a steering shaft or an entire box. I will probably run a want add later tonight for the box and column.
Where is everyone buying the upper and lower cones and races for their boxes? I looked at several major dealers catalogs and they are discontinued?

[glennpm]

Originally Posted by steve hackel

My research and others answers indicate that the 1932 column drop will work on the 33-34 pick up truck dash due to the angle on the bottom side.

Hi Steve,

What other sources confimed that the '32 steering lock assembly was used on the trucks please? Based on the Green book, I thought that was the case but could find nothing to confirm this.

Glenn

[GB SISSON]

As far as what fits, I recently pulled a nice dodge 3 spoke wheel off a '47 ford shaft. It looked like a direct swap and took a tremendous effort to free it.

[T Scott]

Steve, It has been awhile since I rebuilt one of these boxes, but it is possible that the bearings are standard as opposed to custom made for this application. Others here on the Barn can chime in on that. I would contact Bearings Specialty, apparently now BSI, and give them the numbers on the races and bearings. Worth a try.

[Seth Swoboda]

I got new bearings from 3rd Gen Auto for my '40 steering box rebuild. For whats it's worth.

[34fordy]

Originally Posted by steve hackel

My research and others answers indicate that the 1932 column drop will work on the 33-34 pick up truck dash due to the angle on the bottom side. The passenger style would work if I make a tapered shim to compensate for the truck dash angle versus the nearly straight passenger dash. The information is coming together nicely with the aid of everyone's collective knowledge. Looking like I'll need a steering shaft or an entire box. I will probably run a want add later tonight for the box and column.
Where is everyone buying the upper and lower cones and races for their boxes? I looked at several major dealers catalogs and they are discontinued?

I am posting a picture of a 1934 pickup column drop. It is significantly different than the passenger 33/34 drop. It is also different than the 32 pickup drop. Note how the left side of the drop is taller to accommodate the curvature of the dash on the pickup. The 32 pickup has a 6 inch shorter wheelbase and possibly the geometry is different. I would think that the passenger drop could be adapted using a little ingenuity. I believe the 33/34 pickup drops would be hard to find.

[glennpm]

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Thanks 34fordy for your input.

Glenn

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by 34fordy

I am posting a picture of a 1934 pickup column drop. It is significantly different than the passenger 33/34 drop. It is also different than the 32 pickup drop. Note how the left side of the drop is taller to accommodate the curvature of the dash on the pickup. The 32 pickup has a 6 inch shorter wheelbase and possibly the geometry is different. I would think that the passenger drop could be adapted using a little ingenuity. I believe the 33/34 pickup drops would be hard to find.

[steve hackel]

1933 - 34 truck column drops seem to be far & few between available, and searching
through all of the old posts in any of the 4 sale sections there doesn't seem to be any
for sale. The 32 drop is the closest in terms of the actual fit, since the 33-34 truck
dash and the 32 passenger dash are similar. The 32 passenger drop seems to be just a little longer, placing the column down farther in my lap. The 33-34 passenger drop

seems to be adaptable if a large wedge or shim were to be fabricated to compensate
for the differences in the drop to dash angles, so again there are many choices here.
The last of the issues seems to be the column / cover and I haven't located one yet.
What might be the closest replacement, even with modifications to make it fit? Thanks

[34fordy]

[QUOTE=steve hackel The 32 passenger drop seems to be just a little longer, placing the column down farther in my lap.

You might need to open up the steering box mounting holes a tad to drop the column down into your lap? Geometry?

[34fordy]

After studying this I believe that the setback of the bolt holes is quite different making a passenger drop to work would be iffy!

[jimTN]

If your steering gear is good then knock the shaft out of the worm. Any ford column up to 48 can be used by by cutting to the right length and relocating the hole for a lock pin. The switch mount or column drop would need to be correct for the truck.

[34fordy]

Just made an example of what you could make for a shim assembly if you ended up using a passenger 33/34 drop. The very top piece in black is to correspond with the shim angle below. It would fit inside of the dash. This allows the bolts to be aligned with the drop. I used aluminum but could be done with any material.
This is the approximate angle I used for a friends universal drop in his 34 pickup.
He was not interested in the "real deal".

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by 34fordy

Just made an example of what you could make for a shim assembly if you ended up using a passenger 33/34 drop. The very top piece in black is to correspond with the shim angle below. It would fit inside of the dash. This allows the bolts to be aligned with the drop. I used aluminum but could be done with any material.
This is the approximate angle I used for a friends universal drop in his 34 pickup.
He was not interested in the "real deal".

[steve hackel]

YES ! That was my thoughts exactly, and it's probably what I will end up doing
with what am currently faced with. My thanks and your help is greatly appreciated
and it always impresses the amount of knowledge we collectively share.

best wishes, Steve Hackel

[Tim Brown]

I have 34 pickup column drops. I can rebuild you one with a working key. I probably have the column tube as well. I’d have to look. Tim