1956 Ford steering wheel question

Hot Rod Reverend

Hot Rod Reverend

Well-known member


1956 Ford Fairlane Steering Column... replacing a 55 column and wheel, so all parts outsourced.

Look at the photo above. This column has a bearing on the ID of the tube. When the tube slides over the steering shaft, it does not even come close to contacting the OD of the shaft. The tube and the shaft are both 1956 Ford original parts. I have nothing but A. a turn signal switch and B. a steering wheel, that goes into the "cup area" of this steering column tube.

Question: what keeps the shaft from "wobbling" in the tube near that bearing after the wheel is tightened down? I see nothing in my parts diagrams that leads me to believe there are any more parts but I am thinking that I am missing some type of heavy duty spring or something that goes between the steering wheel and rests on that bearing. Am I right?
 
I think,, there should be a split conical ring under the wheel hub that meets the bearing when the wheel is in place.
 
I believe there's a cone shaped spacer that just slips over the shaft and rests on that upper bearing. Some of the older cars and trucks use that set up.
 
thanks fellas.... that cone shaped spacer is something I don't see in my diagrams, but who knows - odd things happen when it is all laid out. I have found other mistakes in the diagrams from Ford also.
 
thank you... no wonder I missed that.

the part number is obviously from 1951, but Mac's does not list it to be used with anything before 1960. What is the deal with that I wonder?
 
Ford likes to confuse people. I worked there for thirty years, that's why I'm the way I am. I may never recover!
 
Install the cone shaped split spacer with the small end of the spacer down into the bearing, then put the spring on top of the spacer. When the steering wheel is installed, the spring forces the cone shaped spacer down into the bearing keeping the steering shaft centered in the tube.
BTW, make sure you adjust the height of the steering column tube so that there is a very small gap between the bottom of the steering wheel and top of the steering tube hub so that they don't rub together. Tighten the clamp at the base of the steering tube very tight, because the spring pressure is great enough to push the steering tube downward if the clamp isn't tight enough.
 
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