Steering column not straight?

[Sharkdance]

Greetings all.

I replaced the cab on my 70 F250 and measured from the frame rails to the bottom edges of the cab to center it before tightening it down. (Side to side & front to back) With Wideguages help we got it as centered as we possibly could using a tape measure. (Within a 16th of an inch)

After installing my steering column the top of it it seems to lean to the left. (twards the drivers side window) Its not extreme. And you realy dont even notice it till you sit directly behind it but its bugging me. I dont remember it being that way before.
Everything works fine and there is no adjustment side to side on the column. (Only up and down)

Should I loosen the cab mount bolts and bump it over till the column is straight or just get over it?

[FORDification]

Don't worry, that's normal....all our trucks are like that by design. As you said, most people don't even notice. Because the left frame rail is directly under the driver and the steering box is bolted to the inside of that, if the column were to come straight out from the box and into the cab, you'd be sitting a foot away from the door.

[dotcentral]

I had heard it was to make it a little more comfortable with 3 people in the cab. Also makes it easier to rest your arm on the door sill.

[Sharkdance]

Thanks Keith. I feel better now.
Just didnt remember it leaning before and wasnt sure if it was supposed to be that way.
Ill stop worrying about it and just get used to it again.

[jzjames]

Heres a plan view of the steering column offset - thanks to Kieths downloads.

[capeclassics]

I used that same diagram to re-wire my rig............

[Mooosman]

It seems to me that Ford could have eliminated that offset by going to a front-steer setup and mounting the steering box in front of the axle and to the outside of the frame rail, like Chrysler did with thier 72-up trucks.

Nick

[68F250]

Hey I just thought of this, are the steering columns crooked in the 4x4's too?

[FORDification]

Hmmm.....good question. I'd imagine they would, since they have the same cab and same underdash steering column bracket. I'll have to look tomorrow when I'm at the shop.

[Mooosman]

Can you actually see the offset just by looking at the wheel and the dash?

Could someone get a picture through the rear window from the left side of the bed, as if you were sitting directly behind the driver? I'd like to see if the offset is visible.

Nick

[rjewkes]

I don't think it was obviously vissable. Just slightly.

[wildcard]

After finally getting the pic resized, I hope this is what ya'll are talking about or I've got problems too. This is from the drivers position.

[dotcentral]

It looks like the metal trim piece isn't centered well on the column. The column looks like it's relatively straight to me. I think my column is angled so it's about 1/4'-1/2" off center. Yours looks about the same to me.

[wildcard]

I thought about seeing if the trim could be adjusted. Just been too dang hot to fool with it. When I let go of the wheel it will run at least half a mile before it needs correcting, so I'm sure the alignment isn't affected or the steering.But like you, it bugs me.

[FORDification]

OK, here are a couple pictures I got today to illustrate the amount of column tilt. In the first picture of my '67 F100 2WD, you can see that the steering column and firewall plate are gone, so that you can see the end of the stering box. The little round thing in the middle of the steering box is the splined shaft that the column is attached to, via the rag joint. The centerline of the steering box is aimed directly at you....and you can also see how far over towards the left the column gets tilted as it comes into the cab:



...and yes, the 4WD columns are also tilted the same degree. Here's a shot I took of my '69 F100 4x4. I added two yellow lines to show you the centerlines of the steering column and steering shaft between the column and box. That steering shaft runs parallel along the top of the left frame rail up to the box.