SrDejota Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 I have a 72.5 620 that I want to body lift 3". I don't want the steering wheel in my legs, so I am looking at options as to how to keep it in its stock position. Possibly rotating the steering box up, but it looks like the center link may hit the pan. The other option is installing a rag/u joint in the solid column. My questions are: has anyone done this? Will the column come out of the box if you cut out a section of column? What is the inside diameter of the column sleeve? What is the outside dimension of the column shaft? Does anyone have a small section of steering column that I can buy from them so I can get measurements and make a mock up. Thanks for any help you all can be. Quote Link to comment
]2eDeYe Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 I got rid of the rag joint completely as they suck IMHO. I used a Toyota IFS power steering box, column from an 80 720 and assorted shaft components from both trucks. Quote Link to comment
kaoss Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 So did you leave it power steering? Get me some details and pics please! I've been ignoring this part of my body drop hoping it would go away. Quote Link to comment
]2eDeYe Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 Yeah, it's in my 4x4. I used a marlin crawler frame mount. It's somewhere in my 4x4 build thread. I can dig through my pics a little later though. Quote Link to comment
kaoss Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Ah. I don't look at 4x4 build threads, i was hoping you did this to your lowered truck for whatever reason. Quote Link to comment
]2eDeYe Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 I didn't take any pics of the column and shaft either as it was last minute get done for camping. I have to go through everything again at some point. I will be sure to take pictures. As far as 2wd goes you should be able to make the 80 720 stuff work fairly easily. Quote Link to comment
Charlie69 Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 I rag jointed my 66 520. 1 Quote Link to comment
kaoss Posted October 20, 2014 Report Share Posted October 20, 2014 The steering column/box mod included buying a column from a 90 nissan 4x4 truck refered to as the "donor column". I suppose any Nissan truck rag/u-joint will work. This mod requires a lathe and a welder to be sucessfull.My brother Garret is my fabricator. I explain to him what I am trying to achieve and then we throw ideas back and forth of how to achieve the goal and I leave him alone and in a week or a month he will have fabbed up what is needed.First he took measurements of the original column and box (length, ID &OD of column tube & shaft) did the same with the donor column. Also noted at what point the original column passed through the firewall. at this point I must note that thdonor column tube & shaft are smaller in diametethan the original 66 520 column tube & shaft. Garret then disassembled both columns and the original steering gear box. He determined the maximum & minimum length of the rag/u-joint section of the donor column column as the is a little room for adjustment (error) because of the splines on both ends of this assembly. He took those measurements and laid out the cuts on both columns and shafts. He morphed the bottom of the donor column tube with the cut portion of the original tube & shaft. Garret took the rag joint apart and chucked the shaft centered in the lathe and used a parting tool to cut a 1" section of the spline off the shaft, rechamfered the end of the shaft. He then took the original shaft that is one piece with the steering worm gear chucked it up in a lathe found center and turned dowm the shaft to fit the seal he chose to use. Next he welded the 1" splined piece to the end of the original shaft. He tuned the ID of the original tube to the diameter needed for the seal. Garret made a plate that fit the original column boot hole with a pinch clamp to hold the column soild to the cab. This is possible because the cab movement is absorbed through the rag/u-joint. No more air leak around the column.I will disassemble and get better pictures as soon as I heal up. I tore my groin muscle last Sunday and I am on crutches and restricted to minimal movement.On my 70 521 that my brother and I did back in the 90's I just hacked the firewall for clearance for the 3" lift.I am surprised that with all the talents and skills on this site that this has not been done several times already.My brother works for a large metal fabriction shop here that has an incredible amount of tooling. Note the paperbag on the floor of my cab in the steering gear box photos. Any and all sugestions are welcomed.Thank you all for the great site, you all make Ratsun.net what is,Charlie Quote Link to comment
SrDejota Posted October 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2014 That's very helpful. Anyone else do this for a 620 or do an other mod like this? Quote Link to comment
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