TomoHawk Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 I noticed from some of the power steering conversions I looked at that the Z car didn't come with a collapsable steering shaft. This makes me think of how safe it would be from the front if there was a collision, collapsing the front. In that case, the shaft/collumn would be forced back through the firewall, and the steering wheel would hit you in the chest. Right? I'm bringing this up because i wanna do the Mustang rack conversion, and I think I should include the collapsable shaft, as Alsil put in his writeup: http://zcar.netdojo.com/steering.htm If anyone can help here, which Borgeson shaft would I want to get, or which /make/model truck was the one Alsil got for his car? He doesn't know which truck it was himself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Zachb55 Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 thats a good point, and i have been thinking about some of the safety issues of the Z, and there are a few... oh well, just dont speed and do crazy stuff and you'll be fine... ok so only when your not at the track, and people are around.. -Zach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpeedRacer Posted August 31, 2003 Share Posted August 31, 2003 Not true - all Z cars from the very first 240Z had collapsible steering columns. That's why the lower part of the column looks like an accordion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted August 31, 2003 Share Posted August 31, 2003 Exactly, and the shaft inside the columns outer casing slides in and out on splines. Not a lot of travel, but better than none. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Zachb55 Posted August 31, 2003 Share Posted August 31, 2003 and so that part will collapse before your rib cage does? it seemed pretty darn strong to me... but i just hope not to be in that situation anyways. -Zach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Juday Posted August 31, 2003 Share Posted August 31, 2003 Another reason to buy an expensive Momo steering wheel besides style and posh? Another 4" of collapsible hub. I've actually seen a Momo wheel after an accident. Wheel smashed around the shaft, hub fully collapsed, driver brused but no broken ribs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomoHawk Posted August 31, 2003 Author Share Posted August 31, 2003 I'm referring to the solid rod shaft that goes from the plastic coupler to the rack. That part is a solid rod and doesn't look like it will collapse. The collapseable part mentioned in another reply must be hidden under the dash or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpeedRacer Posted August 31, 2003 Share Posted August 31, 2003 That's why they call it a collapsible steering column - the column collapses and the steering shaft inside slides on splines as Blueovalz mentioned. It's required by law and the Z car's design is similar to many other vehicles. BTW, having one (the column or the shaft) move without the other wouldn't do much good. It's not so much the shaft moving rearward and striking the driver as it is the driver moving forward and hitting the wheel/column. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 280Tom'z Posted August 31, 2003 Share Posted August 31, 2003 actually from when i was in my wreck last year when i hit that bridge my stering wheel just bent and broke and the column did colaspe to a point where i could move the wheel a considerable amount Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tom sixbey Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 if you really wanted to, you could cut that lower column and have a machine shop extend the splines at the bottom of the column all of the way up the shaft. the upper potion would need to be a female spline, and would sleeve over the lower portion like a driveshaft spline - thereby creating a loose slip-tube that could collapse under an impact. You might want to go to an rock climber/ off road specialist for pieces like this, as they build and sell collapseable suspension and steering components like this every day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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