Banjo steering wheels

Sid

Sid

Well-known member
I am considering a banjo steering for my 40. I am seeing them for 36-39. I am thinking 39 is the one to use in a 40.What is the diff. in the years or are they all basically the same as far as mounting. I know tapered shaft with key. I will be installing floor shift trans. My other concern is also keeping horn function. Other concern is horn button interchanging. It would be nice to hear from someone who may have did this to a 40 Ford.
 
I considered installing a '40 column and side shifting transmission in my '38. I have a '40 column and a banjo steering wheel. They are not compatible in that the '40 column has a large, flat mating point with the steering wheel because of the column shifter. The banjo wheel has a smaller, pointed back to match the belled end of the earlier column.

The banjo horn button/light switch control is mounted to a brass rod inserted through the steering shaft to the light switch on the bottom of the steering sector. It is not attached to the steering wheel.

Maybe there is an aftermarket banjo steering wheel that will work with the '40 column, I don't know. If you find a way to successfully marry a banjo wheel to the '40 column, let me know, as I still want to do it.
 
The 39 still had the light control switch at the bottom of the column. The 40 has a dash light control switch. This totally changes the horn/light control part of the steering wheel.
 
I looked for a banjo steering wheel for my '41, which has the same column bell at the top as the '40. Earlier wheels can not be made to fit. I bought an aftermarket banjo wheel with the standard 6 bolt mount, and an adaptor that was supposed to make it fit the tapered shaft. The adaptor fit the taper but had the wheel an inch above the bell. Looked stupid, so I sent it all back.

There is an outfit that will custom build a banjo with the right hub to fit on your '40, but they are over $800. So I repaired by broken stock horn ring and put on a nice leather wrap to soften the grip. Not as cool as a banjo wheel, but looks pretty nice now.
 
I noticed the concern of the shift column on the 40. I am going to be installing a top shift trans. as it is. But I want to make sure the horn still works. I will leave light switch where it is.
 
Sid said:
I want to make sure the horn still works. I will leave light switch where it is.
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I've attached pics of the horn rod and steering wheel center I lifted from the web. The horn button is on the rod assy and stays stationary as the steering wheel turns, so there is no provision for a horn button if you don't use the '39 horn rod. I'm not sure if the '40 steering shaft is hollow and will accept the '39 rod. Otherwise you will have to use a separate horn button.

Also, the back side of the '40 wheel is flat and much larger diameter than the '39. It is also "thinner" from top to bottom, or front to back making it necessary to cut from the back of the '39 wheel. I'm not sure how much of the plastic/rubber-like material you can remove wihtout getting into the banjo pot-metal structure.
 

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all the steering shafts are hollow, so the 39 rod will go thru to give you a horn, but what to hook it to on the bottom?. column tube from an older ford will mate up to the bottom of the steering wheel.
 
The 40 box will also need the lower worm bearing plate changed to a 37 to 39 for the horn rod to fit through unless you cut the rod off and just use the top piece.
 
Use a 39steering column tube, no bell, Cut the 39 horn button rod off. Lengthen the horn wire and pull thur 40 steering box and connect to same place the 40 wire went to. horn will work with 39 button.
 
34Phae said:
Use a 39steering column tube, no bell, Cut the 39 horn button rod off. Lengthen the horn wire and pull thur 40 steering box and connect to same place the 40 wire went to. horn will work with 39 button.
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if you cut the horn button rod off how do you keep the horn button on steering wheel?
 
Lime works makes a horn wire conversion for their after market banjo wheels, it allows a horn button in the wheel with a wire and contact that comes out of the column where you want, say under the dash just past the column mount. It eliminates the rod, and of course if you have a 37-39 column you would need a light switch on the dash.
 
Here is the 40 banjo I made for my sedan delivery. G.M.
 

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Does any one offer an aftermarket Banjo and an adapter kit that looks decent for a 40 Ford? I know there are wheels out there and adapters but matching the collar on the column is my concern. I don't have shiftier on the column. (39 trans)
 
One option you might think about would be to replace the complete '40 steering column assembly, including the steering box, with a complete '39 steering column assembly. This would eliminate the column shift mechanism that you no longer need, and allow you to connect the horn button and rod as it normally connects in a '39. The '40 steering shaft has a smaller diameter center hole that will not allow the '39 horn rod to pass through. You could still keep your '40 light switch and wiring as it is now. Just some thoughts on another way to accomplish getting that '39 banjo wheel in place.
 
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