Thank you Kev', yes, I think I will do it 50/50.

But I'm thinking about skipping the extension:
When I bought my steering rack, the guy also sent me the lower part of the Escort steering column. Here is how it looks.
Attachment 1472

So I thought about using it, and just join the 2 steering columns with a short splined shaft. But keeping the Escort column as it is will make it too long.
Attachment 1473

So I removed the joint from the Escort column, and I'm thinking about joining the 2 joints with a 250mm splined shaft.
Attachment 1474
Attachment 1475

I was a bit scared about welding an extension on the Sierra steering column, and I know that SFRO (Swedish equivalent to your IVA) is very regarding about that and the process. But using a splined shaft to join the 2 pieces will save me the risky welding part. It also solve the clearance problem between the extension and U1 (yes Kev', my column is on the left side ;) )

What do you guys think about that? Is there any problem having 2 joints on the same column? Do Sierra and the Escort joints/shafts have the same diameter and number of splines (9/16'' x 36 splines)?

I found the perfect shaft here:
http://www.cbsonline.co.uk/product/S...aft_SPLINED250
It is not cheap, so if anyone has another source for that, I'm interested.

Thanks in advance for your opinions and comments

This one is a bit longer and also has the groove machined into it each end also a little bit cheaper :D

http://www.rallydesign.co.uk/product...nc176fcvjfg8n2

Thank you Ozzy. The link you pasted is not working as, I guess, you were logged-in RD website when you copied it, so when I click on it, it asks for a login/password.
But I guess you saw the 400mm long one. I also saw this shaft, it is cheap, and I would have preferred ordering this one to RD, but it is definitely too long. I really need something between 250mm and 285mm.
If you have other tips...
Thank you very much.

Hi,
Regarding my steering column extension, I would like to come back on what I plan to do: as I have the lower UJ from the Escort rack, ans the upper UJ from the Sierra column, I would like to put a splined shaft between the 2 UJ's (see previous posts on this thread). This will avoid the delicate welding of the steering column extension

My question is : as there will be two UJ's, so 2 articulations on the column, do I have to link the shaft between the two UJ's to the chassis on a fixed point (with a bearing), or will it work without doing this?
Thank you.

Hi Sylvain

I am not sure if I have understood your post fully. :o

Most builds will use 2 universal joints to form the steering shaft. ( Unless using the original Ford rubber damper at the steering rack )

Here is a photo of AshG's steering shaft components before he welded the extension bar in place.



Such a set up should not need any additional support for the shaft.

One UJ is being held fixed rigid by the bulkhead bush & the other UJ is being held rigid by the steering rack.

This type of set up should allow for an angle but is not likely to be floppy.

If you were to make your shaft as you have pictured a couple of posts back, you would almost certainly need to provide an additional supporting point for the shaft.

Hope this makes some sense. :)

Ps

Sorry to AshG for stealing his picture. :)

Thank you for your reply Bonzo,
I think you perfectly understood my question in spite of my approximative English :o
The lower "rubber damper joint" of the Sierra steering column is rigid (the part I hold with my hand on the picture). It is not a UJ.

http://www.haynes.co.uk/forums/attac...achmentid=1474

So actually, if I decide to link the Escort UJ (on the st. rack) to this "rubber damper joint", there will be, as on AshG's car, only 2 UJ's : one UJ held fixed rigid on the st. rack (Escort one), and one UJ held fixed rigid on the st. column, just after the bulkhead bush (Sierra one). So according to the example you gave me, my conclusion is (as the "rubber damper joint" is rigid) I don't need an extra support on the chassis. Am I right :confused: ?
Thanks.

Hi Sylvain

Nothing wrong with you english at all, it's very good. :)

The rubber damper is a kind of Universal joint & was used buy Ford as an alternative to the traditional type of Universal joint.

looking at your picture ( 3rd one )

If you were to connect that rubber damper directly to the rack & leave the UJ at the bulkhead then connect the Two by means of a solid shaft, that should be all that's needed to give you a workable steering shaft.

On the other hand, if you were to add an extra flexible component mid shaft, it would then need some additional support.

Rally design do a universal joint to replace the original Sierra Rubber one. ( As shown in AshG's picture )

I would take a picture of my set up but unfortunately it is under covers at the moment. :o :o

Hope that helps. :)

Ronnie is correct Sylvain the stiff rubber part is a uj so you would end up with 3 uj's which would not be good without additional support .....best way is to loose the rubber uj and have a shaft between the two mechanical uj's as in AshG's photo fill the gap it were with a shaft.

Ok Bonzo and Kev', I totally understand you point now. So if I want to go the route of double UJ + splined shaft, I have to source an about 700mm long splined shaft, and the longest I found so far are 400mm (RD or CBS):mad:

So I might have to extend the Sierra column myself anyway...

Thanks or the replies and help.

If anybody has an idea where I can find a long splined shaft, it would be great.

Thank you.

What's the big deal, Sylvain? Are you not confident enough of your welding, or do you expect expert inspection problems? Safety in case of head on collision?

If it's the first case, I think any reasonable weld will hold fine. You can do a test, weld a tube to a rod and try to break the weld by torque (with a large lever). I'm pretty sure the breaking torque will be way beyond what an average man could exert on a steering wheel.

A neat idea for reducing the riskyness of the extension weld is to cut the extension tube at an angle. This way the seam will be elliptical, longer and stronger than a square cut circular weld.

If it's about collision safety, the ~70 cm solid extended part of the column will be about ~120 cm away from your torso, with the two Sierra collapsible mechanisms on the upper part of the column. I haven't seen many sevenesque chassis damage photos, but the ones I've seen had the engine cage largely intact, even if the wheels have been torn off.
(Here are some: http://www.locost-racing.com/lydden15-09-01.htm)