The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Help Identify Steering box

I believe at some point, someone changed the steering box in my truck. I've always thought it might not be right because the steering wheel sits really close to the driver seat. and the steering wheel is not of the correct year.

I bought an overhaul kit from Jim Carter, and after disassembling mine, there are some differences between mine and what is pictured in the instructions.

1. The "overhaul booklet" shows a ball nut with three retaining screws for the ball return guides, mine only has one screw.

2.) When I removed the steering wheel the column had a more modern clock spring in the hub and a wiring harness that was clearly not from 1956.

I've tried searching the net for the numbers stamped on the box but can't come up with anything.

On the side of the box there are a couple numbers stamped 5657979, the Saginaw "S", and 361. On the end cover there is a number cast in but the middle numbers are worn out, it appears to be "257xxxxx21"

The jacket length from top of housing to end is 36 7/8 and the length from bottom of housing to top of jacket is 44 1/2.
Dirty box

ball nut

Housing # stamps

end cover stamps

Can anyone tell me what I have or if it is an original box? I don't want take the balls out if I don't have the right kit.

Thanks

your truck is a 56? that does look like a TF box - would help to have a pic of the whole column and of the steering wheel, but I'm not sure anything "more modern" than a 59 would fit, and the shop manual for your year is what you should be referring to, not something that came with a kit, no telling what will be found considering there were about a dozen different assembly plants with local suppliers, and the truck has been worked on by however many folks in the last 50+ years, particularly wiring

the 55-56 column was slightly longer than the 57-59. and the steering wheel was "flat", the shorter 57-59 column had a dished wheel, maybe some one put the later wheel on your longer column

Bill

Thanks for the response. I'll check out the shop manual too.

full column

access hole middle of jacket

top of shaft

top access hole


steering wheel

Looks like its from a 70's Cheyenne to me.

wiring harness run through column not connected to anything

upper column shroud/hub top

bottom

The steering wheel is from a '73 -'78 Chevrolet pickup.

the rest looks correct 55.2-59, and I think it looks like the longer early column, so I'd say you have the original .... the disconnected wiring is the turn signal switch for the "shroud/hub top" you show, which is a 55-59 accessory turn signal cup - some pics here, including the plug that should be part of the under-dash harness .... and the '57 accessories manual shows the detail

some folks do find the wheel "really close to the driver seat", but usually it's more the driver is "really close to the wheel" - if you find a later [shorter] column [57-59] it'd be a bolt in, and the correct [flat] 56 wheel would fit .... it may be there are minor internal differences between earlier and later boxes, and the kit from Carter is based on the later one but sold for all, not an unusual situation

Bill

Thank you so much for the info! It appears that someone put a "hot rod" style turn signal switch in at some point and that's why that harness isn't connected.

Which steering wheel should I be looking at for this column?

the 'flat' 55-6 wheel is what you want, check thru the 56's in the gallery and you should find a pic, the one in the accessory manual line drawing is the 57-59 style, avoid that as it'll come even closer to the driver

Bill