1959 steering column rebuild. | Ford Thunderbird forum club group 1955-2005 models

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1959 steering column rebuild.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dlluinstra
  • Start date Start date
Dlluinstra

Dlluinstra

Gold Member
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16
Thunderbird Year
1959
I think I have all the pieces parts to rebuild the '59 steering column.
Jumping out of park, neutral safety switch issues, th he reasons I want to rebuild the column.

Who has instructions for this operation.
All hints, tricks, be aware of , special tools needed, information greatly appreciated.

I would rather have available information before i just muddle through it.

Thank you
David

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Do you have a smart phone or digital camera? Take pics of everything while taking it apart. This helped me out when I rebuilt a tilt column for a '79 Trans Am. I usually make the same PIA mistake of believing that I'll remember how to put things back together, LOL. Also, on that particular GM columns certain seals are no longer available. I was able to use 2 different Home Depot door weatherstrips to make my own seals, they've been holding up well for at least 2 years. Oh, here's a BIG ONE, do not drop any of the tubes or bang with a hammer. This might not apply to Ford of the 60's but by the 70's the tubes of steering columns were designed to collapse into themselves. This feature helped prevent people from spearing themselves to death on the steering column.
 
Thank you, all help greatly appreciated .
Pictures great tip.

Unsafe At Any Speed, Ralph Nadar, Convair steering columns, led to the collapsible columns.
 
Hello, I bought the shop manual but it doesn't go into a complete rebuild step by step rebuild for the steering column. In search of someone's post that has done a complete rebuild or a Ford manual of the square bird steering column assembly. The previous owner has it out and parts in a box. So you see my starting point. Ive read many posts of what the issues are with them. So I will be replacing all worn parts from under the wheel down to the bottom.
Thank You for your help
 
Well, I wish you well, The shop manuals were written for people who were familiar with the product and had unwritten knowledge of the product. We as a group are trying to inform and re-learn the technology. Keep the faith, and try to think of how they engineered stuff back then and the basic knowledge they had. You are not alone.
 
I was a bit surprised that these manuals seem to be incomplete. As @Ward 57 said, they were written by people familiar. For me at my age (69 shhh!) this is my first car project …everything for my last 40 years has been motorcycles. My intuition does not guide me thru as easily. You wanna see a great manual, by a 1940’s Harley and go for it… point to point wiring, detailed illustrated assembly… so easy a cave man can do it…sorry Geico
 
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