Changing Angle of Steering Column

Thought I'd try to change the angle of the steering column a little.  A quick bit of background.  This is an MD Juan tub on a fairly late '48 2A.  Not much of the original Jeep was left, so a we're really not sacrificing much old Toledo iron. 

And here are the after shots.  Seat is just sitting on an old CJ5 gas tank with 2" of foam, but it is in the same place for all of the pics.

scoutpilot wrote: Have you considered the possibility that changing the angle of the column will increase wear in the steering box?

How so?  Not trying to be disagreeable, just curious.  The Ross body is cast with adjustment slots from the factory.  I wouldn't think the small adjustment angle at the box end would change the geometry enough to cause a problem.  Sure the pitman arm and sector shaft union would be moved up but not all that much and it doesn't change the way they operate.  With different tolerances, they had to have some adjustment.
Maybe I'm missing something.

Brett


Edited by bretto - 30 Jan. 2015 at 11:51am

Shouldn't be a problem, just loosen the bolts at the frame and tighten the dash bracket first then the frame bolts. If the box is shimmed at the frame make sure none fall out when you loosen those bolts. That small change at the top isn't going to mean much down at the box.

GARGOYLEJEEPER wrote: Adjust as far as the slots allow and pop off the arm - center the wheel and put arm back on. A couple more ways (to get more room) are loose weight, compress your body, decrease seat cushion, notch and flip wheel house from driver side to passenger side & move seat back or stretch the Jeep.

I'm trying to do most all of them!  Trying to lose weight, but my wife is a pretty good cook, Body compression only lasts for so long, and then I can't steer anymore, tried to find the thinnest seat cushions in a relatively cheap seat that still looks like it belongs, this is a 3A tub, so there really isn't a lot of room to cut and flip the wheel wells without interfering with the rear tire upon compression and stretching the Jeep is more work than I want to get in to.
But thanks for the suggestions.