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Got my seat from the upholstery shop, came with a new prob
Posted: June 3, 2010, 5:03 pm
by choptopdoc
So I got the seat for my newly aquired 64 back from my upholstery guy today. Im verry pleased with it, blue and white tuck and roll
When I put it in the truck, I realised right away I have a new problem. There is only about 5 inches between the seat and the bottom of the steering wheel. Im a pretty big guy, and needless to say, the steering wheel is in my lap
DAMNIT MAN!!
I guess my only option is to run a smaller, aftermarket steering wheel, which Im not a fan of! I thought about a tilt column, but my truck is a 3 speed, column shift, and I love it. Iv had a few slicks and never had this problem, but looking back, all the ones I drove were 65s and 66s. Is the floor really that mutch higher in the straight axle trucks? Did my upholstery guy load me up with way too mutch foam? Did I really get thaaaat fat over the winter? AHHHHH! Cant anything go my way?
Posted: June 3, 2010, 5:31 pm
by Alan Mclennan
I had the same problem, firstly I cut the column down to get the wheel away from me a bit, bad move!, the smaller wheel is a bugger if you don't have power steering and now I`m putting a tilt column shift in from Flaming river it looks smick!
http://www.flamingriver.com/index.cfm/p ... prd113.htm
Posted: June 3, 2010, 5:37 pm
by Gritsngumbo
You might want to try taking the sliders (adjusters) off and just mount the brackets directly to the floor. It moves the seat down and back a bit. You loose the fore and aft adjustment but if you're the only driver you can locate it to fit you. Doesn't cost anything to try it. If you don't like it you can always put them back.
Posted: June 3, 2010, 5:49 pm
by F7BIGJOB
Posted: June 3, 2010, 6:00 pm
by Uncle Skip
Doc.
I'm horizontally challenged too and I had the same issue.
The other guys have twin I-beam trucks so what they're suggesting won't work for you.
The 61-64's are different in that the steering shaft in integral with the steering box.
Only one way I know of to remediate your problem.
Take the steering box loose from the frame and elongate the holes so you can move it "up".
Leave the front hole as is to be your pivot point and open the other two to make a slot.
Use a compass [with the front hole as your arc point] to mark your arcs and then drill small holes along the arc.
Then gradually open them up to make your slot. Finish with a rat tail (round) file.
It doesn't take much, maybe about 3/8 of an inch.
Then, remove the column support under the dash and shorten it. Cut it across horizontally and take out what ever section you need and weld it back together.
The close off plate in the floorboard should already be big enough to take the adjustment, but you can trim it too if you need to.
The only problem you "might have" is that one wheel might turn further than the other one.
U@ss
Posted: June 3, 2010, 6:03 pm
by Gritsngumbo
Or, take the seat back and ask the upholsterer to remove the extra padding they installed.
Posted: June 3, 2010, 6:34 pm
by GDG
Skip's method will work, I gained a little bit on a friend's 48 F1 by loosening the gear and shortening the column drop a little.
People back in those days were a lot thinner, I know I was!!
Doug
Posted: June 3, 2010, 7:31 pm
by choptopdoc
Hummm...... I didnt think about reaming the steering box holes in the frame. Sounds pretty good in theory. I like that idea allot better than the one my buddy sugested. His idea involved diet and excercise
Thanks guys
Posted: June 3, 2010, 8:04 pm
by slickmainer
hit the gym.lol no modification needed. just and option since I dont' really know how to fix your problem.
Posted: June 3, 2010, 8:41 pm
by Greg D
Using Skip's method you can have the same lock to lock simply by centering the box removing the pitman arm and reinstalling it straight down after you adjust the column. You can also go the route I did;
I bought and aftermarket wheel but I went with a Grant that is 14 3/4". It's not near as bad to drive with as a 10" wheel would be. I even run a wider tire on the front with it.
Posted: June 3, 2010, 8:45 pm
by Anthony
Removing the sliders sounded like a good idea to me... You can solid mount your seat to fit you and in the process, it should lower the seat to gain room between the wheel and seat... Sounds to me like the simplest and the easiest to try first... just my
Posted: June 3, 2010, 8:57 pm
by Gritsngumbo
Anthony wrote:Removing the sliders sounded like a good idea to me... You can solid mount your seat to fit you and in the process, it should lower the seat to gain room between the wheel and seat... Sounds to me like the simplest and the easiest to try first... just my
The nice thing about that approach is that it's easy to try and see if it works, then drill new floor holes and if you don't like it or if it doesn't' help your situation you can put it back.
Posted: June 3, 2010, 11:15 pm
by ICEMAN6166
i had one of those overstuffed seats in a bumpside.
im not horizontally challenged and it was still a pita.
the padding however was nice and comfy. a tilt wheel would have helped a bunch.
Posted: June 3, 2010, 11:22 pm
by Alan Mclennan
Posted: June 3, 2010, 11:29 pm
by Alan Mclennan
Uncle Skip wrote:Doc.
I'm horizontally challenged too and I had the same issue.
The other guys have twin I-beam trucks so what they're suggesting won't work for you.
The 61-64's are different in that the steering shaft in integral with the steering box.
Only one way I know of to remediate your problem.
Take the steering box loose from the frame and elongate the holes so you can move it "up".
Leave the front hole as is to be your pivot point and open the other two to make a slot.
Use a compass [with the front hole as your arc point] to mark your arcs and then drill small holes along the arc.
Then gradually open them up to make your slot. Finish with a rat tail (round) file.
It doesn't take much, maybe about 3/8 of an inch.
Then, remove the column support under the dash and shorten it. Cut it across horizontally and take out what ever section you need and weld it back together.
The close off plate in the floorboard should already be big enough to take the adjustment, but you can trim it too if you need to.
The only problem you "might have" is that one wheel might turn further than the other one.
U@ss
What if you cut the steering shaft close to the box, cut a Double D into it, put rag joint on and then fit tilt column?
motormount
Posted: June 3, 2010, 11:49 pm
by *motor*mount*
Take the seat back to them and tell them there is too much stuff in my seat.if you can take the whole truck to them and show them.
Posted: June 4, 2010, 1:25 am
by Tech
If the cab front rubber bushings are shot will it pull the wheel into your lap?
Tech
