TheSamba.com :: View topic - Advice on Positioning a Steering Box on the Beam

Tue Sep 08, 2009 8:06 pm

Background: I had a Porsche 356 steering box in my Baja Bug. I removed it until I can afford to properly repair it or find another one at a reasonable price. Now I am installing an early Type 1 steering box in its place. Since the 356 box was kept from rotating on the beam by a small dowel pin, I chiseled off the tabs that prevent the VW steering box from rotating on the beam.

I attempted to install the VW steering box with a dowel pin the way the 356 box was installed. I drilled a hole in the VW box to match up the hole drilled into the beam back when the 356 box was on the beam.

Everyone still following this?

Long story short...after making many careful measuring, I messed up. I drilled the hole a little off in the steering box and now the steering box is not lined up with the steering column. It's tipped down too far.

Now I need to fix this. No access to welding equipment. I figure I could remove the dowel pin, bolt the steering box back on the beam in the correct position and drill a hole through the mounting clamp, into the beam and tap the beam for a bolt.

My question is...is the inner bushing located in the same place on the beam as the clamp? If I drill into the beam in that spot, will I hit the bushing?

Tue Sep 08, 2009 8:38 pm

The ball joint beam has dimples in it as a stop for inner bushing. I bet the LP has the same.

Wed Sep 09, 2009 5:45 pm

I have an extra set of torsion arms. I can measure how far in the wear marks are to determine the location of the inner bushings in the beam.

Thu Sep 10, 2009 7:24 am

You stated you did not have a welder, but can you bolt the box to the beam, drive it to a shop that can tack the box clamp in place? (using the clamp to hold the box position)

I have done this before to modified beams. When the box was removed, the clamp stayed with the beam. If the clamp needs removed, grind the spot welds and remove the clamp.

Thu Sep 10, 2009 6:41 pm

joescoolcustoms wrote: You stated you did not have a welder, but can you bolt the box to the beam, drive it to a shop that can tack the box clamp in place? (using the clamp to hold the box position)

I have done this before to modified beams. When the box was removed, the clamp stayed with the beam. If the clamp needs removed, grind the spot welds and remove the clamp.

That might be what I have to do. I studied the car for about 20 minutes today and can't seem to figure out a better way to solve the problem.

I suppose a muffler shop might be able to weld it for me.