I'm doing a complete front end suspension rebuild [SC&C U & L] and an upgrade to a quicker ratio Saginaw 800.
My question is about a possible upgrade/replacement to original GM intermediate collapsing column member.
Besides being 40 years old and very rusted, I know I can rehab it with a sand blast and powder coat, but for the time and effort to R&R, rebuild, etc., or go with a stock replacement fr Flaming River, Ididit, etc.,
I still end up with the original design [mandated by law and mass produced to comply with minumum requirements] which can easily bind under some loads, and still have minumum header clearance.
So, what do you think of this unit as an upgrade alternative?
Has anyone tried a Woodward SCA500 as a replacement [link: http://www.woodwardsteering.com/hot.htm ]. Here is the tech pdf for the part: http://www.woodwardsteering.com/Cat05/Cat05%20PDF%20100-105.pdf.
The tech rep I talked to was helpful but, without saying the part is directly interchangeable [for CYA reasons], he knows of it being used in street race and customs in various configs of u-joint/flex coupling. The base unit is $129 [seems cheap to me for a safety feature upgrade] and can be length/end fit configd to order- obviously, more $$. Still, considering functionality, fit and appearance...
Unless I've missed something, in a GM A Body, the only requirements I know of are correct diameter and splining at box coupling and steering column; the SCA500 requires a minumum of 13-3/4" to operate at full stroke. I've never measured the original collapsing member, but I would estimate it to be at least 12" or more.
Thanks for reading this post and for comments.
JPS

Havent tried theirs but the flaming river columns are tuff to beat. The new keyed columns are nice. Im not real concerned on the collapsable part on a column, if you wreck that bad your going to be hurt anyway. Do a collapasable lower shaft if your worried. IMO

Micky-
The lower shaft is what it's intended to replace. I think the header clearance is a little more with these, but I'm not sure. That's not the only reason I'm changing out though.

Well, 11 months later:
I skipped the Woodward part, since it is almost by their design they make it impossible to 'bolt-in' between the most common U-joints that mate with either the upper or lower ends of the lower column assemby on un modded GM stock A bodies. Get all that? In short, I think they've designed the part so that it would be almost totally impractical to use in the non-race track application, minimizing their liability].
Anyway, I went with a replacement double D shaft & tube from Borgeson, but used a vibration reducing u joint instead of a flex coupling and a standard double-D tube to a 1"x48 spline u-joint mated to the steering column at the firewall, thereby eliminating the need to re-build the GM "Pot coupling assembly".
The best part of the Borgeson parts I used is that the phasing of wheels, column and steering wheel is much easier due to the splined connection at the upper column and the steering box itself.
BTW: the Lee blueprinted Sag 700 12:1 is all its supposed to be; no surprises there. It replaced the stock Sag [15-17:1?] and with a new pump [orig 70 design]
all coupled with new lower columnassembly, I estimate less than 5 degrees of play between lt/rt rotation. Just a hair more vibration or 'road feel' comes thru vs. using a flex coupler.
A minor issue is the that I can hear the pump work a little at [estimate] anything greater than +/- 15 degrees lt or rt. I think that may have to do with the pumps valving. The steering is very firm; it takes a fair amount of effort to rotate the wheel but I prefer this to the 'over power assist' with the original Sag & pump. 1st thought is its the amount of pressure output by the pump, but I'll research and update later.