The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop 53 steering column tube.

In my stock 53 3100 steering column I need to cut my tube into 3 pieces. I'm installing EPAS Performance electric P/S and a Howe 1:1.5 steering quickener. I would like to get a new piece of tube to work with that doesn't have the seam and is nicer. I measured the outside at 1.75" with about an .080" wall. I'm not real confident with my wall thickness measurement. They make an .083 wall but nobody seems to carry it. The common choice seems to be .095 wall. Will this mess with any intermediate bearings or my top bearing? I have to measure my EPAS fittings. What do people normally use. Thank you for your time.

I can't answer your question, but I can say that you can bore the end of the tube to a larger inside diameter with your lathe to fit anything needed.

If the section you need to bore larger on the end is too long giving you a chatter finish, you can use a steady rest to support it near the end to get a better finish on the new inside diameter. Hope that made sense.

Did your lathe come with a steady rest? Should make everything easy.

When I cut and set up my stock tube to connect to a rack and pinion, I installed a new upper horn bearing and the press in lower bearing. Just cleaned up the ends from the new paint, lightly filed the inner seam away and greased and tapped in with a rubber hammer. You might have to lathe the inside to get an aftermarket larger thickness tube to accept the bearings.

Thanks guys. Good advice. My PM 12' X 36" lathe has a steady rest. I also have a set of exhaust pipe expanders that might work (probably not). Maybe I'm overthinking it. I think I'll pick up a piece of .095" wall and see what happens. If it doesn't work I'll use it somewhere. It would be nicer to weld the .095" wall DOM. My EPAS goes right in line but the steering quickener has about a 1/4" offset. I plan to offset it upwards and tuck it into the groove in the bottom of the dash. The quickener goes on the steering wheel side of the EPAS.

If it turns out like the other things we have seen you built, it will be fantastic.

I found a 3' piece of 1.750" .083 wall DOM on ebay for $22 and $15 shipping. All of the online metal stores wanted over $60 with shipping for .095 wall. They did not carry .083 wall. 2' would be plenty most likely but it was only $6 more for the 3' and the same shipping.