Steering Column Install

[IndyCobra]

Getting ready to tackle the steering column. What are the "gotchas" that I need to look out for? I can't find any marks on my dash or on the firewall on where to cut the holes, how large, etc. I built out my footbox and I'm afraid the top of it will interfere with the right location for the column. I know I'll have to fab a custom bracket for it, I'm good with that. Anything else I should watch for? Thanks.

[Brian]

The first thing you should do is put your dash insert up to the dash board and trace the hole for the steering column. Recommend leaving the bottom lip. Cut out hole and stab column. Line it up and trace the end of the column where it meets the fire wall. Need to make sure it is over enough so that it does not interfere with the master cylinder plate. The higher the end of it is the better with the respect to the headers.

Hope that helps

Brian

[NC Cobra]

Randy,

You may want to put your body back on. You'll want to make sure the column doesn't interfere with the headers or radiator hoses. I must've had my column in and out 20 times during the build. I recommend protecting it with some tape so's not to scratch it up. That fiberglass is pretty abrasive. Don't ask me how I know

[boilerrat]

I used this procedure, after cutting the 4" hole in the dash, use a coffee can lid with a 1/8" hole in the center. Get a 1/8" X 3' long rod (i used an 1/8" filler rod for welding) and insert through coffee can lid and line it up on the firewall. Drill a 1/8" hole and insert rod all the way through. Now you can see where the column will be in relation to the headers, footbox etc. If for some reason its off-line to where you want it to be then you only have an 1/8" hole to fill. Usually you'll have to move over or up-down just a little and the final hole cut will remove the previous little holes. This technique also works for your roll bars. Oh yeah, definetly put the body back on.

[IndyCobra]

Great suggestions. Thank you. For clarification, the body is on the car. I provided the picture so people could see how high my footbox extension went up the firewall in case there was an interference issue.

I like the idea of using the welding rod. I will try that.

Since I don't have a dash insert, I don't have any reference point for the hole in the dash. I'm going to make my own insert because I want to change around the location of the gauges. Can someone give me a measurement from the bottom of the panel to the bottom of the hole? That would be a big help.

[Rogelio]

I didnt use a dash insert either. I used a technique like boilerrat did with a 1/4" rod. I drilled a 1/4" hole in dash about 3" up from bottom edge. This is the center of my column. I inserted rod in hole and used a block of wood 1/2 the diameter of the steering column (as a spacer for the bracket behind the dash) and marked where the rod hit the firewall. I drilled a 1/4" hole in firewall and slid rod thru it to check clearances under hood. When satisfied, i drilled out holes with a hole saw.
Roy

[NC Cobra]

Randy,

I just measured mine. It's 4 7/8 inches from the bottom of the dash to the top of the steering wheel cutout. Don't forget to leave that piece attached on the bottom. Measure twice. Cut once.

[IndyCobra]

Thanks for all the great help. I first drilled alignment holes for 3/8" threaded rod to get the position correct and then opened up the big ones. Using the "skew" function in MS-Word allowed me to create the right shaped opening in the firewall. Rich's post was perfect timing as it gave me the final measurement I needed to drill the hole in the dash. I have the column inserted and ready to bolt down.

Next question. I don't have a steering wheel yet and it looks like there is another part that needs to be bolted to the end of the column, an adapter maybe? Can someone help here? I don't have any more parts from my "complete" kit I purchased so I assume I need to order some more stuff.

[T Jacobs]

Randy,

You should have a Grant Steering Wheel Adapter in a small box about 5" by 5" by 3"...if not they are cheap and at Autozome I think......has the horn assembly in it as well...

[wyocobra]

As you get farther into your column install, make sure you don't pinch or cut any of the wires coming out of the column. I didn't realize that I had partially pinched the white wire when I tightend up the exhaust camp to the cowl bar. One small intermittent short will make your car possessed!!!! And drive you nuts trying to find it

[IndyCobra]

I finished up the install and ordered up a really cool Grant steering wheel, Cobra horn button, and a 3-bolt adapter from Ididit. Cost me over $400 . I hope it all fits together like it's supposed to. I still don't understand the horn instructions but hopefully I'll figure it out when all the parts are in front of me. The wheel is not your "standard" old cobra look but nothing on the car really is at this point.

All that's left are the trunk, hood, pedal, and instrument install and then I'll be ready to break it down for paint. I still need to figure out the wiring runs but I think I've found an innovative place for the battery.

[NC Cobra]

When I first drove my car, I had the problem where the horn would beep on its own about every 3 to 5 seconds. Imagine how cool I was in my finished car with a random horn beep. It was like it was grounding out or something. My first fix was to unplug the horn. I chased the gremlin all over. I finally called the friendly folks at Ididit and they informed there is a spacer that needs to be removed when installing a Grant steering wheel...at least MY Grant steering wheel. It was something that didn't get done during the Home Build. I haven't heard of anyone else here having this problem, but the folks at Ididit homed in on it in a nanosecond. The spacer is shown in the picture. So, file this posting away and remember where you put it in case you end up with the same problem.

[IndyCobra]

Thanks Rich. I installed by steering wheel last night and I looked at this spacer. At first, it looked like my wheel wasn't going on far enough because of the spacer so I removed it. That baby wasn't easy to get off. Then I found that the contact plunger on the column for the horn would not make contact with the ring with the wheel bolted on so I re-installed the spacer. It was harder to get it on than to get it off!!!

I don't have any instructions for the wheel installation and the horn so I don't know if I got it all together correctly. I think the back of the wheel is holding pressure on the horn plunger like it's supposed to but I'm not sure how it all goes together. Tonight, I'll take my continuity tester and see if I can de-bug the horn circuit.

Did you wire up your column as a two-wire horn system or a one-wire? Seems like it can be made to work either way. One additional question, have folks intalled the Ididit handle with the built-in switch for the bright lights? Did you put it on the tilt handle or the turn signal handle? Anything I need to know before I order the handle? Thanks again for your suggestions and support.

[NC Cobra]

Randy,

I suggest calling Ididit and asking them about the spacer. Tell them which steering wheel/column you have and they will steer you in the right direction. I was expecting them to say, "Since that isn't our steering wheel, we can't help you." Not the case. They knew it all and were more than willing to help. I have to admit, when I looked at the spacer, it made absolutely no sense how removing it would help me. But I did, and my problem vanished for ever. I don't remember it being hard to remove/install. My continuity check gave me a false positive answer. Continuity looked good while the car was parked in the garage. My horn only beeped intermittently while I was driving.

I have the dimmer button on the turn signal lever. You can see the tan wire in the above photos. It's a kit. You have to buy the lever and the relay under two different part numbers. I put my relay on and didn't drive my car for over a year after that. Once I drove, it didn't work, well it only worked if I tapped it with a screwdriver. I went to the manufacturer, Ron Francis, and they told me to go to hell because it was over a year old. I took the cover off and made some video showing exactly how it was getting stuck. I finally sent my video to Ididit, and Ididit replaced it in no time free of charge. My video is in the forum archives here somewhere. I put the relay on the back side of the dash left of the steering column. It's an easy install, and I love mine.

[sleal]

I also installed the dimmer on the column but I put mine on the tilt lever, definately better than the floor switch--ordered the switch and relay from Ididit

[DaveT]

Thanks for posting Rich. Mine did the same. I unplugged it 2 years ago and have not had a horn since. When I get some time I'm gonna fix it now.

DT