How do I adapt a 61-70 steering wheel to my 72?

[robroy]

Good morning,

I really like the looks of the early Bumpside steering wheels and would like to install one on my '72.

In a similar forum thread, Sideoilerfe and 67Merc' mentioned that the 1972 steering column is a little longer than the earlier columns native to the early wheel, and that because the column sticks out a ways, the horn button won't fit.

It seems that one way to solve this problem would be to insert a metal ring of some type below the steering wheel to scoot it up a half inch or so. I read from 67Merc's post that he has one of these from eBay installed on his truck.

What have other folks done to adapt an early wheel on a 71-72 truck? Are there any products that I can order to make this a snap?

Thanks very much!
-Robroy

[DuckRyder]

I would not try to space the wheel up, you want full engagement of the splines.

The easiest way is to simply grind the end off of the 71/72 shaft. when you pull your horn button you will see that the shaft sticks up above the nut with a short unthreaded portion. 70 back do not have this and the nut is basically flush with the end of the shaft. Your task is to make your shaft flush with the end of the nut.

Alternatively, you could replace the shaft with a 70 back one for a similar application.

Also, I had some success modifing a horn button by boring a clearance hole behind the plastic horn button emblem. I did that but the horn did not work for other reasons at the time, so there might be complications.

[robroy]

Good morning Robert, thanks for the advice!

Can you think of any reason why Ford put that unthreaded end on the shaft? I wonder if there was a good reason for that that I'm not aware of.

The least intrusive approach does seem to be modifying the back of the horn button. This was what I'd planned to do years ago and never actually tried it. If I remember correctly, there's a metal plate on the back of the horn button that we'd need to cut a hole in, true?

Thanks very much Robert!
-Robroy

[DuckRyder]

I can't think why they would put the longer shaft there unless perhaps it was to:

a) prevent inadvertently installing the wrong wheel during switchover (unlikely)
b) provide a pilot for the wheel and nut during assembly.

If my recollection is correct, then yours is too because that is how I remember it. The end of the shaft comes very near the backside of the plastic emblem.

[FORDification]

I'm betting the reason for the extra nub on the end of the '71-'72 shaft is for support for the plastic horn button assembly.



See the round discoloration on the backside of the plastic horn button assembly? IIRC, that's where the end of the shaft touches the plastic, since that's a fairly wide expanse of plastic there, and since people are going to be pushing on that plastic when they toot the horn, the extra nub on the end of the steering shaft helps keep it in one piece without breaking.

[robroy]

'Evening Robert and Keith,

Thanks very much for your posts! I think that makes a lot of sense that the nub is for the modern horn pad; thanks for the detective work and awesome photos.

I'm thinking of trying the method where I cut a small, circular hole in the backside of the old-style horn button first. I have a nasty old horn button somewhere to test this with, so if it doesn't work out I won't have harmed the nice new button that's going on the truck.

If I can't get the clearance that way, I'll go ahead and remove the nub!

Thanks again for the great advice!
-Robroy

[Calvin Gunter]

I cut the nub off down to the threads and cut the metal plate to put my 67 wheel and horn on my 74 column.

[robroy]

Hello Calvin! Does this mean you needed to cut both the column nub and the metal plate on the back of the horn button?

Was there not enough clearance when you cut only the nub off of the column?

Thanks!
-Robroy

[Calvin Gunter]

It's been a while since I did this but I do know that I cut a hole in the back of the horn plate so try that first to see if that will get you enough clearance.

[robroy]

'Evening Calvin, okay, I'll give it a shot. Thanks! -Robroy

[robroy]

Good morning,

Looking at the great photo of the old style column and horn button that Keith posted, I'm now wondering what triggers the horn to sound. Does the horn sound when the horn button is pressed up against the end of the steering column?

Or is there another switch somewhere in the button that makes the horn work?

I just realized that if I cut a hole in the back of the button to make it go on, it might not contact the column at all any more, and if this is what makes the horn sound, I'll be out of luck.

Thanks very much for all the great advice folks,
-Robroy

[ezernut9mm]

there is a spring loaded brass doodad that makes contact with the underside of the horn ring causing the horn to honk. it's located in that round hole in the lower left of kieths "68-70" pic.

[robroy]

Hi Ezernut9mm, okay, thanks! I think I remember seeing that doodad once, now that you mention it.

Thanks again,
-Robroy

[6T7Merc]

Sorry it took so long for me to get pictures for you. Ive gone away to college so i only get free time on weekends!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/ ... G00042.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/ ... G00045.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/ ... G00044.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/ ... G00043.jpg

[robroy]

'Evening,

1972 steering shaft nub removed! I used an electric grinder and a wire brush to clean it up. I took the nub pretty much down flush to where the threads start; hopefully this will be enough to fit the new wheel!



Thanks for all the great advice on this! I was careful to leave the big nut on the shaft so that I could pull it off after grinding, which was a great tip. Thanks!

-Robroy